Whenuapai Pre-Show

[Charl]

Here's some video taken at the Whenuapai Open day practice session 2 days before the show.
How it came about:
I was driving east from Waitakere around midday when I saw a flash just above the horizon, in the distance.
It turned into a pencil shape, about 70 degrees climb, very fast.
It was the RNZAF B757 practising its famed zoom climb at 300kts+.
It looked fantastic, I've never seen it side-on.
And, because it was so unexpected, totally amazing.
It vanished into the clouds at something over 8,000ft (guessing), and so I headed to the airbase.

Sometimes you get lucky with your viewpoint: where I was standing, turned out to be the pivot point of the practice display.
So in this clip you'll see the Orion doing passes directly overhead, ending in a vertical zoom that you see from behind.
Plus, a Huey handstand, right in front of me, and quite a nice twosome formation.

[Charl]

This one has all the Hercules routines - high speed flypast, that diving approach, and the short landing with max reverse and backing up.
It's the first time I've ever managed to get the whole routine photographed without someone's hat getting in the way!
Last shot is a formation B757/Orion.

[Ian Warren]

Great Vid Charl ... Jeezzz those Herky's are great airshow preformers ! , the so called Khe Sanh dive approach , as it levels check the ACloaders standin in the open rear parachute doors , wide ride !

[Charl]

Thanks Ian, Goodonya spotting those guys in the door, it's just a flash.
What a ride huh?
Where's the name come from??

[Charl]

'Course what everyone went to see...the F-111.
I was helping someone out of a ditch when I looked up
It's such an ungainly looking thing on the approach.
See the last shot, elevons waggling like a penguin, engines spooling up and down.
Then: Over!
and Boom! the noise hits you like a wall.
Only one flying at the show unfortunately, would've been a real spectacle to have a 3some flyby.

[Charl]

And, just a little clip from the morning of the show.
It was quite hot at NZWP so we went looking for the airconditioning

[Alex]

I was helping someone out of a ditch when I looked up

So thats what you went to do, you didn't tell us that you were also going to a primo spotting spot though.

Nice video Charl, the F-111 was pretty good, but man, was it loud.

Alex

[Alex]

Hehe yea, it was really windy behind those props, my mate set up a rug behind the Harvard parking area, and they starting coming in, it was like a duststorm back there.

Alex