The Wings Over New Zealand Show: Recent Episodes
Dave Homewood
Guest: Clive Woodward Estcourt NZ391045, Pilot, Bomb Aimer (14th of October 1917 – 17th of Aug 2017 )
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 13th of August 2013
Released: 9th of August 2026
Duration: 2 hour 33 minutes 11 seconds
Clive Estcourt had been a commercial artist and signwriter in Hamilton in 1939 when the war broke out, and he immediately volunteered to join the Royal New Zealand Air Force. He was sent to the newly-opened RNZAF Station Ohakea in the Manawatu region, and became one of the very first airmen posted into that base after it opened on the 18th of September 1939. He thought when he first joined that he was going to fly aeroplanes…. they made him the station postman!
He soon was sidelined to become Ohakea’s station signwriter. He was able to set up his own workshop to make all the signs on the ever-expanding station. But he was still wanting to become a pilot however, and eventually in 1942 he managed to convince the RNZAF to post him to an aircrew course, starting at RNZAF Station Rotorua for his Initial Training Wing course.
He then underwent flying training on Tiger Moths at No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School, at RNZAF Station Harewood. He was then sent to Canada to continue his training in October 1942, where he continued training at RCAF Dunnville flying Harvards. But this training did not go well, and he ended up getting getting the chop from the course.
Clive was remustered to Observer trade, and completed his training in Canada, before being sent to Britain where he crewed up at No. 11 Operational Training Unit, Westcott. Clive suffered a severe mishap at the OTU and was forced to bail out, which he details, and was forced to do the course again.
He was then posted to No. 75 (NZ) Squadron with his almost all-New Zealand crew, consisting of:
Captain – Pilot Officer John Rees “Aussie” Layton DFC, RNZAF (NZ425914)
Navigator – Flight Sergeant John Christie, RNZAF (NZ4212829), aka Jack, aka Ben
Air Bomber – Warrant Officer Clive Woodward Estcourt, RNZAF (NZ391045)
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner – Flight Sergeant Ta Tio Tuaine “Tai” Nicholas, RNZAF (NZ425658)
Mid-Upper Gunner – Flight Sergeant David Onslow Light, RNZAF (NZ4212848)
Rear Gunner – Flight Sergeant Leslie Dixon Moore, RNZAF (NZ421327)
Flight Engineer – Sergeant F. Samuel, RAFVR
After one and a half months at RAF Mepal with the New Zealand squadron, Clive and his crew were selected to be posted from No. 75 (NZ) Squadron to No. 7 Squadron Pathfinder Force at RAF Oakington. They were on Pathfinder operations from October 1944 through till February 1945.
During the tour with No. 7 Squadron PFF, the Navigator John Christie was badly injured in a motorcycle accident and he was replaced by:
Navigator – Sergeant. Lloyd Edward Anger, RCAF (R200903)
However, due to a non-operational error by the captain when he failed to turn up for a briefing, the strict command chain in PFF saw the crew sent back to No. 75 (NZ) Squadron without completing the PFF tour. This included Lloyd Anger who stayed with the crew. They carried on with the New Zealand squadron through February and March 1945 till the original members of the crew were tour expired.
Clive completed 36 operational sorties over enemy territory in total, plus several other OTU flights close to enemy territory as well where they were creating a diversion to confuse German defences.
Once he completed operational flying he became an instructor at No. 17 Operational Training Unit at Silverstone and Turweston. Postwar, Clive returned to New Zealand and was a member of a Light Anti-Aircraft unit in the Territorial Air Force in Auckland, before becoming the Adjutant of No. 7 Squadron Air Training Corps in Hamilton for 17 years. He was very active in the RNZAF Association, and as a special associate member of the Mess at RNZAF Te Rapa, Hamilton, till its closure.
Clive was one of the New Zealand Bomber Command veterans who was selected to be flown to London for the unveiling of the Bomber Command Memorial in Green Park, on the 28th of June 2012. He was the oldest veteran in the New Zealand party, aged 95.
Clive passed away on the 17th of Aug 2017, two months before his 100th birthday.
Clive Estcourt with his “Memory Lane” as he called it, with his favourite photos and model Lancaster. Above: Clive Estcourt during WWII.
Below: Photo from RNZAF Station Ohakea in 1939.
Below: Ohakea, 1940. Clive is second from left.
Below: Sports at Ohakea (1939-1942). Clive seated left. Airspeed Oxfords behind.
Below: Aircrew training at RNZAF Station Harewood, Christchurch.
Below: Training in Canada.
Below: At Westcott, England.
Below: Photos of Clive and his crew taken at No. 1657 Heavy Conversion Unit, RAF Shepherd’s Grove, before they were posted to No. 75 (NZ) Squadron.
Below: Target photos from operations Clive and his crew undertook,
Below: Postwar photos, including with the LAA Flight
Note: This episode ends abruptly simply because that is how the original recording was.
The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.
Guests: Don Simms and Chris Newey
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 1st of June 2026
Released: 6th of June 2026
Duration: 55 minutes 27 seconds
“Maximum Effort” was a docu-drama made by the Ministry of Information during WWII about a crew of a No. 75 (NZ) Squadron Avro Lancaster bomber based at RAF Mepal in mid-1944.
In this episode Dave Homewood, Don Simms and Chris Newey discuss the making of this film, the real life characters who appear as themselves, and the Lancaster that is featured, ND752.
Portions of the original film footage, along with original black and white and recently colourised photographs are used to illustrate the discussion.
This all-but-forgotten film is an amazing time capsule showing life at RAF Mepal, near Ely, Cambridgeshire, which became a little bit of New Zealand back in 1944-45.
NOTE: It is recommended that you watch the original 18 minute “Maximum Effort” first, and the watch the WONZ 354 Maximum Effort video. There is an audio podcast version of the latter but the video is much more satisfying.
Above: Avro Lancaster ND752 of No. 75 (NZ) Squadron as features in Maximum Effort, as the Whitting Crew’s regular aircraft. This is a colourisation from an original black and white from the collection of the late Bomb Aimer and New Zealand Bomber Command Association President Ron Mayhill DFC.Quick Links:
• The Air Force Museum of New Zealand
• The Museum of Transport and Technology – Home of the New Zealand Lancaster
• The New Zealand Bomber Command Association
• The New Zealand Bomber Command Association Facebook Page
Footage and original soundtrack used from Maximum Effort in this podcast are Crown Copyright but are in the Public Domain. These clips are used here only to illustrate the narrative of the podcast.
Below are other publicity stills from the film, which have been colourised by Dave Homewood using a mix of ChatGPT and Photoshop, as seen in the WONZ Show video episode. The original monochrome images came from the Air Force Museum of New Zealand collection, but will have been Crown Copyright images, and are therefore in the public domain.
Guest: Flying Officer John de Hoop (RAF 1810752, 191161) Wireless Operator-Air Gunner
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 19th of November 2013
Released: 29th of May 2026
Duration: 1 hour 6 minutes 13 seconds
John de Hoop was a Londoner who joined the Royal Air Force in 1943, and trained as a Wireless Operator-Air Gunner. The following year he was posted to No. 75 (NZ) Squadron at RAF Mepal, as a Wireless Operator on Avro Lancasters, in the crew captained by New Zealand pilot F/Lt Wylie Wakelin DFC. His final few ops were flown with S/Ldr Bob Rodgers as his captain.
This recording was made at the time using Skype, as John lived in the UK. It was recorded as part of a wider WONZ Show project I was working on at the time that ended up not proceeding to completion. So it seems like it’s about time to share it with listeners.
John passed away on the 7th of August 2016.
John de Hoop (Photo via Dee Boneham)Two more photos of John, from Dee Boneham.
Quick Links:
• John de Hoop obituary on the 75 (NZ) Squadron Blog
• The Wylie Wakelin Crew on the 75 (NZ) Squadron Blog
• The Bob Rodgers Crew on the 75 (NZ) Squadron Blog
The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.
Guest: Warrant Officer Leslie James Olsen N74992
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 18th of March 2026
Released: 24th of May 2026
Duration: 1 hour 55 minutes 48 seconds
Les Olsen joined the RNZAF as a Boy Entrant in January 1952. He trained as an Armourer in 1953, and ended up working on numerous units and squadrons over the next two and a half decades, working on guns, cannons, ejection seats, helicopter winches, torpedoes, turrets and more.
Les serviced armament equipment on Vampires at Ohakea, Canberras and Iroquois at RAF Tengah in Singapore, and he was one of the first Armourers to work on the new Lockheed Orions when they arrived at Whenuapai in 1966.
He talks about being on the duty crew when No. 75 Squadron RNZAF Canberra WF915 went missing in a storm off Malaya and F/O David Finn was killed. (Les misremembered the Canberra’s serial number.) And he talks about being the first RNZAF member to drop a torpedo since WWII. And he tells lots of other great stories.
Les is also the Armourer trade’s historian, keeping records of all the RNZAF Armourers through the decades right back to the beginning of the trade. He talks about how this came about and what records he keeps, including theories about service numbers for Armourers early in WWII.
Anyone who can add information, photos, memories, documents or anything else that might help Les’ research, he can be emailed at laurelesnz@gmail.com
Les Olsen’s Boy Entrants Course. Members of No. 5 Draft, Boy Entrants School, practicing drill. Boy Entrants School, RNZAF Station Woodbourne.
L-R: Front rank; Joe Wipani, Murray McIvor, Kerry McKee, Gerard Brown.
2nd rank; Les Olsen, Gordon Browne, Bert Sergent.
3rd rank; Murray McIvor, Bruce Moonie, Dave Jowett.
4th at back: John Barrow (part obscured), Keith Libline. (It’s his hat on ground at right).
Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo DM233-52, 08/06/1952 Les Olsen’s Boy Entrants Course. Members of No. 5 Draft, Boy Entrants School, watching General Service Instructor, Corporal Lionel Piggott, demonstrating the correct stance for firing a rifle during Weapons Training at the Boy Entrants School, RNZAF Station Woodbourne.
L-R: Brian Churcher, Kerry McKee, Murray McIvor (part obscured), Keith Libline, John Barrow, Bill Moore (at back), Murray Hutchins, Colin Carr, unknown, Milton Mathieson, Bert Sergent, Les Olsen, Keith Turnbull, Alan Powell, Gordon Browne (at back), Bruce Moonie, Joe Wipani, Phil Jones.
Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo DM234-52, 09/06/1952.Trainee Armourers watching the instructor, Mr. Frank Field, describing the parts of a weapon. No. 1 Technical Training School, RNZAF Station Hobsonville. This would have been the course before Les’ one, as he was still at Woodbourne on this date, but it nicely represents his Armourer trade training. Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo DM278-52, 17/07/1952Quick Links:
• The Royal New Zealand Air Force
The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.
Guest: Air Commodore Stuart McIntyre CBE, DFC
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 25th of August 2025
Released: 15th of May 2026
Duration: 1 hour 2 minutes 21 seconds
Air Commodore Stuart McIntyre CBE, DFC joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force on the 31st of August 1949. Following an elongated flying training phase, he converted onto the then-new de Havilland Vampires. He ended up deployed to Cyprus with No. 14 Squadron in 1952, and then returned to Ohakea, New Zealand and No. 75 Squadron in 1953, where among his duties he led an aerobatic display team. He then returned to Cyprus in April 1955 for a second tour, now as Flight Commander of No. 14 Squadron.
Stuart and adjutant Flying Officer Laurence Turner sent as one of the advance party to Tengah, Singapore, to prepare for the move of the squadron from Cyprus. The squadron eventually reequipped with Venoms, and went into action against the Communist Terrorists (C.T.s).
In his subsequent career, Stuart become the officer commanding No. 14 Squadron when they were equipped with English Electric Canberra bombers. He then led the team involved in the selection of the Canberra replacement, which ended up as the McDonnell Douglas Skyhawk.
Stuart filled several other roles including Base Commander of RNZAF Base Ohakea, Aide-de-Camp to both the Governor General to New Zealand, and HM Queen Elizabeth II. He also oversaw the creation of the Ohakea Museum. On leaving the Air Force he became Director of Civil Aviation.
Pilot Officer Stuart McIntyre in the cockpit of his No. 14 Squadron Vampire at RAF Station Nicosia, Cyprus, 1953. Air Force Museum of New Zealand Photo NICD156aPortrait of Flight Lieutenant Stuart McIntyre, pilot with No. 14 Squadron, wearing flying helmet and oxygen mask. RAF Station Tengah, Singapore. Air Force Museum of New Zealand Photo MUS090171Note: Unfortunately although I photographed Stuart’s logbooks, and you can hear a few extracts from our chatter while I did that at the end of this interview, I completely forgot to get a photo of him on the day.
The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.
Guest Speakers: Brendon Deere, Tim Costley MP, SQN LDR Craig Clark, FLT LT Stu Glendinning, Roger Dalziell, and SQN LDR Michael Williams
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 28th of February 2026
Released: 9th of May 2026
Duration: 3 hours 14 minutes 55 seconds
In this bumper-sized 350th episode in the Wings Over New Zealand Show podcast series, we hear the various presentations given at the Biggin Hill Hangar WONZ Forum Meet at RNZAF Base Ohakea. We were very fortunate to be hosted by Brendon Deere, who is a great supporter of Wings Over New Zealand.
In order we hear from:
Tim Costley MP – Tim is a former RNZAF pilot, and he talks about his experiences in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, particularly flying the Bell Iroquois but also in other types. He served operationally on several occasions. And he talks a little about his current position as a Member of Parliament for Otaki in the National-led coalition government.
Tim Costley (Dave Homewood photo)Squadron Leader Craig Clark – Craig is the Officer Commanding No. 42 Squadron RNZAF, based at Ohakea, which operates Beechcraft King Air 350s in two roles, two C-12K examples as transports which can carry up to nine passengers , known as Slicks, and two MC-12K used for Air Warfare training and sensor suite training. In this fascinating talk Craig explains how the squadron has been evolving with its previous role of multi-engine training having been phased out, and interestingly the MC-12Ks are being used for actual front line operational missions more and more now, at home and overseas in the Pacific. He also talks about the future of the squadron, and his personal hopes that it will soon be expanded and larger aircraft platforms will be brought into the squadron’s capabilities.
Above: SQN LDR Craig Clark (Dave Homewood photo)
Below: Various photos of the MC-12K King Airs, including the Fiji deployment. (All NZDF)No.42 SQN’s new Beechcraft King Air 350 aircraft takes it’s first flight at RNZAF Base Ohakea, 14/05/18.Flight Lieutenant Stu Glendinning – Stu is a pilot and a QFI on No. 5 Squadron RNZAF, also based at Ohakea, flying the new Boeing P-8 Poseidon. He talks about his RNZAF career, including flying training with the RAAF on NZAI CT/4B Airtrainers and Pilatus PC9s, in a rare case where RNZAF pilots joined an RAAF aircrew course. He talks about his progression to No. 42 Squadron and then No. 5 Squadron, and flying the Lockheed P-3K2 Orions. He then transitioned onto the new Boeing P-8A Poseidon fleet and he shares insights into this amazing aircraft. He also tells the very emotive story of his experience as the Search and Rescue Captain on a P-8A when he was scrambled following the sinking of HMNZS Manawanui.
Above: FLT LT Stu Glendinning (Dave Homewood photo)
Below: The No. 5 Squadron RNZAF Boeing P-8 Poseidons (All NZDF photos)Arrival of the first P-8A Poseidon 4801 to RNZAF Base Ohakea, New ZealandArrival of the first P-8A Poseidon 4801 to RNZAF Base Ohakea, New ZealandWarbirds Over Wanaka 2024.Brendon Deere – Our host for the event at the Biggin Hill Historic Aircraft Centre, Brendon spoke about his Biggin Hill Trust collection of warbirds that are based at Ohakea. They include his Supermarine Spitfire IX PV270, North American P-51D Mustang NZ2423, Grumman TBM Avenger “Plonky”, and North American Harvard IIa NZ1037.
Brendon DeereRoger Dalziel and Mike Williams – In a very rare opportunity, the audience were able to hear from two Grumman Avenger pilots, Roger Dalziell who flew the Avengers in the RNZAF from Ohakea in the early 1950s; and Squadron Leader Mike Williams who is a current instructor pilot based at Ohakea, and is the current pilot of Plonky, the Biggin Hill Avenger, with the Air Force Heritage Flight. He explains the work of the Heritage Flight, which Mike himself was behind the creation of. Roger is the last known pilot who flew original RNZAF Avengers still living today. Mike had just arrived back at Ohakea following flying a display at New Plymouth in the Avenger, and the two pilots compared notes on flying Avengers 75 years ago and now.
Roger Dalziell, left, and Mike Williams, right.Above and below: Mike arriving back at Biggin Hill Hangar from his display at New Plymouth, just before speaking alongside Roger. Quick Links:
• The Biggin Hill Historic Aircraft Centre
• The Biggin Hill Historic Aircraft Centre on Facebook
• The Royal New Zealand Air Force
• The Beechcraft King Air 350 in RNZAF Service
• The Boeing P-8A Poseidon in RNZAF Service
The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.
Guests: Bil Thuma, Don O’Rorke, Arthur Palmer and Dave O’Malley
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 24th of March 2026
Released: 14th of April 2026
Duration: 57 minutes 40 seconds
A search is currently underway with the aim of locating the remains of a missing Lockheed Ventura, AE665, which vanished in WWII off the eastern coast of Canada. The crew onboard were an ANZAC crew who included the pilot and captain, P/O Donald Shaw Cormack RAAF, the navigator P/O Stanley Joseph James RAAF, and the wireless operator-air gunner Sgt Thomas Matthew Hunter RNZAF.
They were training at No. 34 Operational Training Unit, RAF Pennfield Ridge, in New Brunswick, Canada, as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, with the intention of gaining the necessary skills of a crew destined for RAF medium bomber squadrons.
The aircraft crashed into the sea off the Canadian coast on the 26th of January 1943, and vanished.
All these years later the pilot’s nephew, real estate businessman Don O’Rorke of Queensland, Australia, and his old school mate, anthropologist and pilot Arthur Palmer, have embarked on a mission to locate the aeroplane and find some closure for the families of the lost men. They brought Canadian-based geophysicist Bil Thuma into the team, who is renowned for finding missing aeroplanes – perhaps the best known examples being The Lost Squadron of Lockheed P-38 Lightnings and Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses under the ice in Greenland. That expedition resulted in the recovery of the famous P-38 that was restored and now flies in Rod Lewis’s collection as Glacier Girl.
Also joining the chat in this episode is well known Canadian aviation historian and writer Dave O’Malley who gives some background to the flight and the work the men were doing.
They also talk about another crash site of a separate No. 34 Operational Training Unit Ventura, AJ211, that crashed just a few weeks later on the 8th of February 1943 on a similar training flight from Pennfield Ridge. That accident also claimed the lives of two Australians and a Kiwi onboard. They were pilot Sergeant Hubert Burnham RAAF, navigator Sgt Phillip Edmond RAAF and wireless operator-air gunner Sgt John Hogan RNZAF.
And an overwhelming theme of this episode is the ongoing impact on families of the loss of their airmen 80+ years ago in WWII, and making sure they are not forgotten.
Quick Links:
• Aircrew Remembered on the loss of Ventura AE665
• The loss of Lockheed Ventura II AJ211
• The Last Flight of an Australian Bomber
Above: A Lockheed Ventura II, AE658, just a few serials away from the identical aircraft tat the team is seeking under the ocean, AE665. Here is a video version of the episode
The article that Don mentioned that appeared in The Australian newspaper.Pennfield Ridge Air StationPennfield Ridge Air StationAbove: The Ventura HuntersThe plaque commemorating the crash site of Venture AJ211The impact crater made by AJ211The plaque commemorating the crash site of Venture AJ211Above: The brother of the airmen Sgt Hubert Burnham RAAF visits his grave.The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.
Guest: Wing Commander Barry “Patch” Nelson
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 29th of December 2025
Released: 1st of March 2026
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes 26 seconds
Have you ever wondered what is involved when a new aircraft type is selected for service in the Royal New Zealand Air Force? In this episode of the Wings Over New Zealand Show, Dave Homewood speaks with Wing Commander Barry “Patch” Nelson on this very topic.
Patch was in charge if the Royal New Zealand Air Force team who were responsible for the their part in the selection of the NHIndustries NH90 twin-engined medium utility helicopters, to replace the Bell UH-1H Iroquois fleet; and also the selection of the AgustaWestland A109 Light Utility Helicopters that replaced the Bell 47G Sioux fleet.
There is an inordinate amount of work involved in selecting a new type, and a massive number of people from all sorts of government departments and community groups all have an input, as Patch explains. This is a fascinating look into the inner workings of a selection team, deep in the heart of Defence Headquarters in Wellington.
The NH90 was selected to replace the Iroquois, and the contract to buy nine NH90-TTH variant helicopters was finalised in July-August 2006. The first and second examples of the fleet, NZ3301 and NZ3302, were delivered on the 6th of December 2011, and deliveries followed as they were built, through till 2014. The fleet became fully operational in 2015, and eight examples now form the backbone of No. 3 Squadron. And additional ninth NH90 is held as an Attrition Airframe.
The A109LUH is a lightweight, twin-engined helicopter with a modern glass cockpit and a retractable wheeled undercarriage. The A109s were acquired under a NZ$139 million contract signed in May 2008 for the acquisition of the five A109s, plus an additional A109 airframe to be used as a source of spares, as well as a simulator and a spares and support package. The A109s began arriving at Ohakea in May 2011, and five of them are now are operated by the Helicopter Transitional Unit, No. 3 Squadron RNZAF, at Ohakea.
Quick Links:
• The Royal New Zealand Air Force
• The NHIndustries NH90 helicopter
• The AugustaWestland A109 helicopter
• NHIndustries Site
• Leonardo Helicopters (successor to AugustaWestland) site
NH90 Helicopter’s depart from Westport during EXERCISE SOUTHERN KATIPO 2017, which is a combined joint and interagency Field Training Exercise focused on developing, exercising and evaluating the New Zealand Defence Force’s ability to project forces anywhere in the South West Pacific and either operate independently or with coalition partners. (NZDF Official Photo)An NH90 and an A109 of the RNZAF together at Wings Over Wairarapa Airshow in 2023. (NZDF Official Photo)One of the RNZAF’s new AgustaWestland A109s, NZ3403, over northern Italy, circa 2010. Agusta-Westland Photo.One of the RNZAF’s new AgustaWestland A109s, NZ3403 over northern Italy, circa 2010. Agusta-Westland Photo.
One of the RNZAF’s new AgustaWestland A109s, NZ3403 over northern Italy, circa 2010. Agusta-Westland Photo.The official handover of the first A109’s at the production and flight test facility in Vergiate, north of Milan, Ialy. The group from left to right: SQNLDR Chris Moody, FLTLT Wayne Thomas, WGCDR Patch Nelson, SQNLDR Adam Death, AugustWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini, F/S Dale Cox and W/O ‘Mario’ Marteletti.Below: NZDF Photos of NH90s in service. Copyright to NZDF Official.
NH90 Images SuppliedEx Blackbird was held at Dip Flat Feb 2022. The ex is designed to expose the pilots and crew to flying in mountainous terrain.Exercise Winchester is 3 Squadron exercise which was held in Waiouru. The purpose of this EX was to qualify and re-qualify Air Force personnel in gunnery in helicopters, and uses the 109 and the NH90. The exercise also involved stationary targets for self-defense.Training in the NH90 flight simulator.Exercise Steel Talon is a helicopter crew training activity conducted by 3 Squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The aim of the exercise is to train NH90 helicopter crews in day and night tactical battlefield operations for conventional forces.Navy personnel assist with the clean up of debri on the streets of Auckland after the major flooding event as part of Operation Awhina. Mayor Wayne Brown took the opportunity to assist.3SQN and 5 Aviation Regiment crews conduct 131 bty admin move taskings from RAAF Townsville to the Townsville training area.NZDF personnel from the Royal New Zealand Navy, NZ Army and Royal New Zealand Air Force take part in Exercise Talisman Sabre (TS23) across Australia. TS23 is a bilateral, biennial Australian hosted and USA supported combined exercise focused on the planning and conduct of a high end, mid-intensity warfighting scenario. The exercise is designed to improve combat readiness, exercise war-fighting skills and systems, whilst advancing combined staff and force interoperability.The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and its international partners conduct a military assault against a ‘Becaran’ ‘highland militia’ stronghold on the Rainbow Ski-field near St Arnaud in the Tasman district during SK15. The assault was spear-headed by NZ infantry ‘fast-roped’ by Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) NH-90 helicopters to take the high ground sorrounding the ski-field, and by a combined Australian-New Zealand ANZAC Ready Reaction Force (RRF), utilising Australian Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles, which cleared and secured the rebel base at the ski-fieldEx Southern Katipo 2015 (SK15) is a combined, joint, international training field exercise focussed on developing, exercising and evaluating the NZDF’s independent amphibious capabilities and ability to project forces anywhere in the South West Pacific. SK15 provides the opportunity to ensure continual preparedness to operate independently or with our coalition partners. The scenario involves a fictional South West Pacific country that has requested international intervention to restore law and order. The scenario allows for an emphasis on amphibious operations within the context of a larger stability and security operation.The following two photos are from Australian Government Defence
An NH90 assisting with relief in Australian bushfires, 2019-2020. (ADF Official)RNZAF NH90s operating from a helicopter carrier in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025. (ADF Official)The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.
Guest: Grant Harnish
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 19th of February 2026
Released: 20th of February 2026
Duration: 45 minutes 34 seconds
In this Wings Over New Zealand Show “Flying Boat Month” episode Dave Homewood speaks with Grant Harnish of Salt Air in the Bay of Islands. Grant owns and flies ZK-CFA, which is the only airworthy Grumman Widgeon flying boat in the Southern Hemisphere.
Grant talks about operating the Widgeon, and also sistership Widgeon ZK-AVM, commercially with Salt Air at Paihia from 1992 through till 2000. And he discusses buying ZK-CFA back many years later and embarking on a big restoration that brought it back to pristine airworthy condition.
He also talks about the rest of the Salt Air fleet, a mix of helicopters and fixed wing types, and their various roles. The helicopters are based on the Paihia waterfront, and the Gippsland GA-8 Airvan is based at Kerikeri Airport.
Quick Links:
• Salt Air
• The 3rd Level New Zealand Blog page on ZK-CFA’s history
The following photos are used with permission from Grant Harnish and from the Salt Air Facebook page, here
Grant’s Grumman G44A Widgeon ZK-CFALiving the Dream with ZK-CFA History on display.Rafael Sanchez on the left in Cuba, circa 1950s with CU-N346, which is now ZK-CFAGrant in the pilot’s seat at Kingfish Lodge, back in 1992 or 1993.This was at a fire in Ahipara.A barracuda hunt fishing competition, mid ’90’s. Grant says, “We won heaviest fish…. bit of a story with that one.”Bringing CFA north before the rebuild.Above: In the right hand seat this is Katja Sanchez, whose grandfather owned ZK-CFA, which was back then CU-N346, in Cuba from 1949 through till 1962. So her family flew in the same plane 70 years ago!The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.
Guest: David Berger
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 11th of February 2026
Released: 14th of February 2026
Duration: 1 hour 53 seconds
In this Wings Over New Zealand Show “Flying Boat Month” episode Dave Homewood speaks with David Berger, who is an ex-pat British doctor who lives in Fernmount, NSW, in Australia, and works in Broome, in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. But he has a hangar at Omarama, Central Otago, and he spends a fair bit of time in this country flying his aeroplanes.
He owns a Piper Super Cub, a Cessna 185 and his beloved Republic Seabee which he based here in Omarama. David talks about the history of the Seabee, and what it is like to fly. He also tells some fascinating stories of flying long distance trips around the world in the Cessna, etc.
Quick Links:
• Republic Seabee
• Spencer Air Car
• The Franklin Engine Company
• SeaBear Aircraft
• Honoria Glossop
The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.
David Berger and his Republic Seabee, which carried the name “Honoria Glossop”The Omarama hangar, with the Super Cub and the Seabee tucked up inside. David’s Super Cub VH-YUP on a gravel bar in the South Island of New Zealand
David’s Cessna A185F N185MW, ‘Honey Bun 7’, seen here at Cameron Corner, Queensland in the Strzelecki Desert.David’s sons Tom and Ed and some locals refuel the Cessna at Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, in the Solomon Islands. This was a major base for RNZAF Hudsons and Venturas in WWII.Below are some of David’s videos of the Seabee operating from Lake Ohau
And here is the Blue Horizons movie that David spoke about in the episode
Guest: David Wilkinson, SAANZ President
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 22nd of January 2026
Released: 8th of February 2026
Duration: 58 minutes 06 seconds
In this Wings Over New Zealand Show “Flying Boat Month” episode Dave Homewood speaks with David Wilkinson, who is President of the Sport Aircraft Association of New Zealand. He is also owner and pilot of a small fleet of aeroplanes, with his latest addition being a Taylor Coot flying boat that he has restored after it was close to becoming scrapped.
The Taylor Coot is a two-seat homebuilt amphibious aircraft designed by Moulton Taylor, who was famous for his flying car designs. David’s example, ZK-JST, was originally built in the 1980s by SAANZ stalwart and Life Member Alistair McLachlan, who had been an engineer in the Royal New Zealand Air Force and with Air New Zealand.
David talks about the history of the airframe and how he ended up acquiring it. He talks about the restoration process and the various upgrades he has made during the rebuild, including the installation of a bigger horsepower engine then before. And he talks about what it has been like to learn to fly the Coot, his first flying boat.
As well as the Coot, Dave also has his father Don’s Corby Starlet ZK-TOY, his Van’s RV-8, his Rihn DR-107 One Design, and a half share with Andrew Hope in the Pitts Special ZK-MPM.
The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.
Quick Links:
• Taylor Coot on Wikipedia
• Previous WONZ Show episode with David Wilkinson and Alistair McLachlan – WONZ 88
Photos below were taken by David Wilkinson unless specified.
Taylor Coot ZK-JST out and about after restoration by David Wilkinson, who took this photo.David Wilkinson water taxiing his Taylor Coot on the Hauraki Gulf, Auckland. Photo from his GoPro.Alistair McLachlan back in the CootPhoto by Dave Homewood Photo by Dave Homewood Photo by Dave Homewood David’s video of his Coot
Guest: Andy Love
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 2nd of February 2026
Released: 2nd of February 2026
Duration: 44 minutes 58 seconds
In this episode Andy Love, air display coordinator of the upcoming Warbirds Over Wanaka 2026 International Airshow gives a rundown of what the public can expect to see, and he warns that tickets are selling out fast.
The three-day show over Easter Weekend – 3rd to 5th of April 2026 – is looking to be a very good one with some spectacular flying acts lined up. Easter Saturday is now fully sold out but there are still General Admission and Silver Pass tickets available for Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Get your tickets here!
https://www.warbirdsoverwanaka.com/httpswww-warbirdsoverwanaka-comairshow/tickets
Also selling fast are the bookings for the various aircraft rides available, so go to the links on this page to make your bookings:
https://www.warbirdsoverwanaka.com/flight-experience
Check out the line up here:
https://www.warbirdsoverwanaka.com/httpswww-warbirdsoverwanaka-comairshow/aircraft-confirmed
The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.
Guest: Paul Dalley, aka Seaplane Paul
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 10th of January 2026
Released: 1st of February 2026
Duration: 3 hour 52 minutes 49 seconds
In this extra-length Wings Over New Zealand Show “Flying Boat Month” episode Dave Homewood speaks with Paul Dalley, who grew up with aviation around him thanks to his grandfather Ian Henry, a well-known propeller maker.
Paul talks about learning to fly, his adventures flying his Piper Cub in Japan while running a language school there, and flying air displays there with fellow Kiwi pilot Robert Fry and others. He talks about flying in Australia where he’d planned to buy a tourism flying business and how things changed. And flying in Papua New Guinea.
And then he ended up purchasing a Lake Buccaneer in New Zealand and he took it up to Vanuatu and achieved his lifelong dream of becoming a flying boat pilot in the Pacific, just like Jake Cutter in one of his favourite childhood television shows, Tales of the Gold Monkey, and the 1992 film Porco Rosso.
Paul has some wonderful adventure stories and ells of some seriously scary moments in the air, in Japan and in the Pacific. He has real insight into the joys of flight too. So sit back and listen to the stories of Seaplane Paul.
Above: The golden sands of a tropical Pacific beach, and Paul Dalley’s Lake Buccaneer flying boat. Paul DalleyPaul with his Piper Super Cub in Japan. Top: Stephen Collins as Jake Cutter with Jack (played by Leo the Dog) in the 1982-82 American television series Tales of the Gold Monkey. Bottom: Jake’s classic Grumman flying boat, Cutter’s Goose. The series was a huge inspiration for Paul that led to his fulfilment of a childhood dream of flying his own flying boat on island adventures in the South Pacific.Tales of the Kiwi BuccaneerPaul’s Lake Buccaneer photographed by Peter Lewis.Paul with Meredith Caisley, left, and Peter Lewis, right, during their Vanuatu vacation flight. Photo Peter Lewis. More recently when Paul returned to New Zealand and flew for Auckland Seaplanes. He now lives in Picton.The trailer for the 1992 film Porco Rosso, which Paul discusses.
Guest: Mark Hillier
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 6th of January 2026
Released: 13th of January 2026
Duration: 1 hour 33 minutes 35 seconds
In this Wings Over New Zealand Show episode Dave Homewood speaks with Mark Hillier, who is a recreational pilot, a historian, an author and he is Head of Operations at Spitfires.com, the adventure rides company based at Goodwood Aerodrome, Westhampnett, in West Sussex, UK.
Mark discusses his background in aviation, and talks about Spitfires.com and their fleet of aircraft. That includes three two-seaters plus the Silver Spitfire that flew around the world. He also talks about his passion for aviation history, the many books hat he has written, and the veterans he has met along the way.
And he talks about his close connection to the late RAF groundcrew veteran Joe Roddis, who served on No. 485 (NZ) Squadron through that unit’s whole existence. No. 485 (NZ) Squadron’s time based at Westhampnett is also detailed, and also a little history of other squadrons based there and at the nearby RAF Tangmere, which Westhampnett was a satellite airfield to.
Quick Links:
• Mark Hiller’s website
• Spitfires.com
• Mark’s books on Amazon
• Mark’s books at Pen and Sword
• Goodwood Aerodrome (Formerly RAF Westhampnett)
• RAF Westhampnett on Wikipedia
Above Left: The late Joe Roddis. Centre: The book by Joe and Mark. Right: Mark with his RAF Tangmere 100 Objects book.
The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.
Guest: Warrant Officer Raymond William Tocker 73469 (18 June 1931 to 24 September 2015)
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 11th of February 2013
Released: 6th of January 2026
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes 32 seconds
In this Wings Over New Zealand Show episode Dave Homewood pulled another previously unpublished older interview out of the archives. The recording is with the late Ray Tocker, who was a good mate of Dave’s. On a visit to Ray’s place, a couple of blocks from Dave’s, Ray began telling stories of his RNZAF service so Dave gained permission to pull his recorder out of his rucksack and hit record.
The result was a great conversation with Ray telling some wonderful and often very funny stories about his days in the RNZAF in the 1950s. The conversation was heavily focused on his days at RNZAF Base Ohakea working in the maintenance hangar on Mosquitoes, Devons, a Grumman Avenger, and more. And he also talks about some adventures when he was a Flight Engineer on the Short Sunderland flying boat, including the incident where he was aboard Sunderland NZ4113 when it scraped its belly along the new runway at the opening of Wellington Airport, and how he repaired the hole to save the aircraft.
Ray was awarded a medal for his actions in saving the aircraft. From Colin Hanson’s By Such Deeds – Honours and awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1923 – 1999:
TOCKER, Warrant Officer Raymond William, (cvsa).
H73469; Born Ohakune, 18 Jun 1931; RNZAF 14 Apr 1949 to 27 Apr 1973; Engine Fitter, then Flight Engineer.
Citation Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air (QB1960): Not available. The following is an extract from a letter to the then Sgt Tocker from the CAS – “This well earned award recognises your personal efforts in enabling the Sunderland damaged at the opening of Wellington Airport [on 25 Oct 1959] to carry out a safe landing on its return to Hobsonville.”
Quick Links:
• Ray’s autobiography Adventures of a Kiwi Airman on Amazon For any inquiries into this book, contact Ray’s daughter Ali, email: alitocker1@gmail.com
Ray Tocker (cvsa) in the centre, representing the Cambridge RSA during an ANZAC Day. Note his Mosquito lapel pin. Ray Tocker in the centre wit his hand on his heart during a special ceremony that marked the 70th Anniversary of the Amiens Prison Raid held at the Cambridge Cenotaph. You can hear more about this and Ray’s speech in the Amiens Raid episode HERE Above: Five photos come via Antonio McDonald of that hangar fire at Ohakea that Ray talks about.
Here is an Archives NZ film about that Rongotai Airshow for Wellington Airport’s opening, showing the unfortunate incident for the Sunderland.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPXcByce_hY
The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.
Guest: Flight Lieutenant Wilfrid Leopold “Buck” Pound NZ427559 – 21 October 1922 to 27 January 2021
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 29th of June 2013
Released: 31st of December 2025
Duration: 53 minutes 23 seconds
In this Wings Over New Zealand Show episode Dave Homewood interviews WWII RNZAF bomber pilot ‘Buck’ Pound. He spent a short time in the Army in Tauranga after WWII broke out, before getting into the RNZAF. His initial training was at Rotorua, and he began flying training at Ashburton on de Havilland Tiger Moths. Next he progressed onto flying Airspeed Oxfords at Wigram.
Upon passing out with his flying badge, Buck was posted to England where he flew more Oxfords, and then onto Vickers Wellingtons at No. 11 Operational Training Unit at Westcott. He and his crew, and his best mate Robbie who was another pilot with his own crew, volunteered to got to Italy. They joined No. 104 Squadron at Foggia, flying Wellingtons in the night bombing role. He talks about some of the experiences he had including a terrifying night when the Wellington was struck by lightning and they lost all their instruments.
Following the tour in Italy, Buck was sent to by converted onto Mosquitoes. And he ended up flying Mosquitoes from Malta in a specialist target marking role.
After the war Buck got into banking and finance. Buck was a member of the New Zealand Bomber Command Association. He passed away on the 27th of January 2021.
Quick Links:
• The New Zealand Bomber Command Association
• The New Zealand Bomber Command Association Facebook Page
Photos from Wilfred ‘Buck’ Pound’s collection, via The New Zealand Bomber Command Association Archive.
The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud
Guests: Reg Mitchell – No. 488 (NZ) Squadron
Keith Boles DFC – No. 109 Squadron PFF
Harold “Bunny” Burrows – No. 487 (NZ) Squadron, and No. 75 Squadron RNZAF, and
Martial “Sonny” Gaspard – No. 75 Squadron RNZAF
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 2nd of March 2013
Released: 25th of November 2025
Duration: 1 hour 19 minutes 23 seconds
To mark the 85th Anniversary of the first flight of the de Havilland Mosquito, which took place on the 25th of November 1940, Dave Homewood has pulled an old but never before heard interview from his archive he recorded in 2013 with four Kiwi Mossie veterans.
They are pilots Reg Mitchell and Keith Boles DFC, and navigator-wireless operators Harold “Bunny” Burrows and Martial “Sonny” Gaspard. The recording was made at the Museum of Transport and Technology in Auckland, and the guys share memories and tell stories from their days flying one of the greatest aeroplanes of all time. As well as war stories, Keith and Bunny also talk about ferrying Mosquitoes to New Zealand after the war. You will also hear Peter Wheeler ask a question too, as he sat in on the interview.
Sadly these four wonderful gentlemen have all since passed away.
Quick Links:
• The de Havilland Mosquito on Wikipedia
• The Museum of Transport and Technology
Above, from left to right: Keith Boles, ‘Bunny’ Burrows, Reg Mitchell and Sonny Gaspard in front of the MOTAT Mosquito. Dave Homewood photo.Above Left: Sonny, Reg and Bunny. Above Right: Sonny and Bunny. In the background is the late Peter Wheeler of the New Zealand Bomber Command Association, who sat in on the interview. Dave Homewood photos.
Above: Bunny Burrows receiving his brevet in 1942. NZBCA Collection.Above: No. 487 (NZ) Squadron crews. Bunny Burrows on the right and his pilot F/O Kassler on the left.
NZBCA Collection.Above: No. 109 Squadron Kiwis at Little Staughton , Keith Boles is front left. NZBCA Collection.Above: Keith Boles’ special 100th birthday gift , a Mosquito made from recycled Mosquito timber. Peter Wheeler Photo.Above: No. 488 (NZ) Squadron night fighter aircrews at readiness. Reg Mitchell photo. Reg Mitchell collection.Above: Above: Reg Mitchell at RNZAF Station Woodbourne, 1941. Reg Mitchell collection.Above: Reg Mitchell, left, with his navigator. Reg Mitchell collection.Above: No. 1 Navigators course. RNZAF Station Wigram. L-R: Back; Leans, Martial “Sonny” Gaspard, Stevens, Lafferty. Front; Collins, Campbell, Williams, Miller. Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo.Above: Left to Right – No. 75 Squadron aircrew Bob Scott, Bill Annand, Nelson Bright, Colin Hanson, Dave Cohu and Sonny Gaspard, preparing to sink the stricken vessel Lutterworth (not the Shuttleworth, as Sonny remembered). Dave Cohu collection.Above: No. 75 Squadron RNZAF Mossie crews, left to right: Colin Hanson, ‘Joe’ Mace, Ernest Gartrell (75 CO), Cyril Waters, Owen Staple, Ted Arundel, ‘Mac’ McBean, Noel Fraser, Sonny Gaspard, Tony Williams, Rod Dahlberg, Mitch Mitchell, Gordon Shearer. RNZAF Official Photo.Music: The tune is the 633 Squadron theme by Ron Goodwin.
Thanks to: The late Peter Wheeler of the NZBCA, and MOTAT.
Guest: Squadron Leader Geoffrey Maurice Rothwell, DFC+Bar, BC Clasp, CDeG1940 + Palme(Bel), COdLeoll + Palme(Bel), LdH (Fra).
RAF 42726, RNZAF. WWII. POW#5865
3 April 1920 to 5 November 2017
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 4th of March 2015
Released: 9th of November 2025
Duration: 1 hour 22 minutes 56 seconds
In this Wings Over New Zealand Show episode Dave Homewood interviews the remarkable WWII veteran Geoff Rothwell, in this recording from the archive, recorded a decade ago.
Geoff was an RAF bomber pilot. He joined in July 1939 after working for the construction company that was building RAF Station Benson and watching the Fairey Battles there. He trained on de Havilland Tiger Moths and Avro Ansons, before converting onto the Vickers Wellington. Once training was complete he joined No. 99 Squadron at RAF Newmarket Heath, and flew Wellingtons during the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain.
Following his first tour, Geoff became an instructor on Wellingtons for a period. He was then sent to the USA to do instructing work there in Alabama for RAF trainees who were being trained by American instructors and needed teaching the British methods they’d need when they reached operations. He was also expected to act as an ambassador for the RAF, giving educational talks based on his operational experiences to all sorts of groups in the USA about how the war really was.
When posted back to Britain Geoff was posted to No. 75 (NZ) Squadron as a Flight Commander, again at Newmarket. He was not there for long however before he was removed from the squadron dure to a policy that Flight Commanders and Squadron Commanders on New Zealand squadrons had to actually be Kiwis.
He took his New Zealand crew, and moved to No. 218 Squadron. They completed their second tour with that squadron.
Geoff’s next posting was to No. 138 (Special Duties) Squadron, tasked with air dropping SOE Agents and supplies for the Resistance people in Europe. He completed 70 operational sorties, but on the 71st he was brought down in his Stirling over enemy territory and became a prisoner of war.
Geoff was also previously featured telling his story in the television documentary series Kiwis At War. He passed away on the 5th of November 2017.
Huge thanks to Stuart Russell for his assistance in rescuing the original recording, which had audio issues that he magically removed.
Quick Links:
• The New Zealand Bomber Command Association
• The New Zealand Bomber Command Association Facebook Page
• The 75 (NZ) Squadron Blog Page on Geoff Rothwell
• Buy the book “Last Man Standing – : Geoffrey Rothwell, Survivor of 71 Missions, POW and Last of the SOE Pilots” by his widow Gabrielle McDonald-Rothwell on Amazon
“Rothwell’s Ruffians”, just after the crew had left No. 75 (NZ) Squadron and moved onto No. 218 Squadron RAF. Left to right: ‘Ginger’ Negus (Mid Upper Gunner), Mac McGrevy (Flight Engineer), Jock Howat (Rear Gunner), Jacky Drawbridge (Navigator), Geoff Rothwell (Pilot), ‘Whistle’ Entwhistle (Wireless Operator) and Wal Fielding (Air Bomber). Photos from The New Zealand Bomber Command Association Archive via the late Peter Wheeler.
The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud
Guests: Air Commodore Nick Osborne
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 8th of October 2025
Released: 8th of October 2025
Duration: 1 hour 41 minutes 29 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood interviews Air Commodore Nick Osborne RAAF, known to all as Oz.
Oz is a former fast jet pilot in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, who then transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force in 2002. He talks about training in the NZAI CT/4B Airtrainer and the BAC 187 Strikemaster Mk. 88 jet, before being posted to fly Skyhawks with No. 75 Squadron during a particularly busy period with exercises and other work.
He had a varied career thereafter, including an exchange posting to the RAAF flying Aermacchi 326’s and Pilatus PC-9s, becoming staff at the Central Flying School and a member of the famous Red Checkers aerobatic team, and also instructing on RNZAF Aermacchi MB339CB’s with No. 14 Squadron.
He was made Commanding Officer of No. 2 Squadron at Nowra, NSW, in Australia, on one of the best postings in the RNZAF. He then went to Kosovo in a UN role as a peacekeeper. And at the end of his stint there he was promoted and appointed to become Commanding Officer of No. 75 Squadron which he took up on his return to New Zealand.
He would be the final commander of that famous squadron, and he talks about that period of the RNZAF losing its Strike Wing.
In 2002 Oz transferred to the RAAF, and joined No. 76 Squadron at Williamtown, instructing on Hawks. Over a period of a decade h worked his way up to become C.O. of that unit before heading to Afghanistan in charge of a drone reconnaissance unit.
He finally ended up in non-flying staff roles, and he continues to work for the RAAF now as a Reservist with the rank of Air Commodore.
Quick Links:
• The No. 75 Squadron Association Facebook Page
• A previous episode that Nick appeared in briefly, WONZ 120
Air Commodore Nick Osborne (from Nick’s Facebook page)Above: Air Commodore Nick Osborne during the Zoom interview.Passing out parade of No. 8/81 Air Crew course on the parade ground at RNZAF Base Wigram.
Group Captain Max Hope presenting Pilot Officer Nick Osborne his Pilot’s badge.
WgG1237-82Nick’s Pilots course 8/81, Strikemaster phase, in front of No. 14 Squadron Strikemaster NZ6366. RNZAF Base Ohakea. L-R: Back; D Post, Nick Osborne, AR McGuire, DL Houghton, TDW Lang. Front; DB Saggs, HJ Kim, MG Woodhouse, Rod Fortune, PFA Muysert. OhG2750-82Nick as a Skyhawk pilot (from his Facebook page)Below: The North And South article from February 1987
Below: Don Simms has kindly provided the following photos of Nick’s RNZAF service from his archive:
Above: 75 Sqn Exercise Vanguard: – Wing Cmdr CO 75 being interviewed by TV3.Major Davis being farewelled by Nick Osborne – the last USAF exchange pilot 1986 RNZAF Official75 Sqn Exercise Vanguard: – Wing Cmdr CO 75 being interviewed by TV3.2 Sqn Last Exercise, All the pilots in front of A/C NZ6213.Closure of the Air Combat Forces (ACF) 02, 14 & 75 Sqn’s – Parade.2 Sqn Officers and OzElevated view of the base with F-16A Fighting Falcon aircraft of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing parked in the foreground and A-4 Skyhawk aircraft of Squadron 75, Royal New Zealand Air Force, in the background. The aircraft are being used during the joint Australian, New Zealand and US (ANZUS) Exercise TRIAD ’84.2 Sqn last exercise, Base Commander(RAAF Pearce) Group Captain Johnston meet 2 Sqn CO Sqn Ldr Jason Easthope and Wg Cdr Nick Osborne.2 Sqn last exercise, Base Commander(RAAF Pearce) Group Captain Johnston meet 2 Sqn Air Crew for a briefing2 Snq last Exercise, CO 75 Wg Cdr Nick Osborne signing out A/C2 Sqn Last Exercise, Skyhawk NZ6213 7000hrs birthday. Wg Cdr Nick Osborne and AC Ben Braggins cutting NZ6213’s birthday cakeMirage III aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force are parked on the flight line during the joint Australian, New Zealand and US (ANZUS) Exercise TRIAD ’84.Oz unpacking Pannier on arrival Cope Thunder 84 USAF Photo2 Sqn pilots Christmas Card 1997Jason Easthope leads 2 Sqn out of HMAS Albatross 7 Dec 2001 RNZAF OfficialAn in-flight view of a Royal New Zealand Air Force pilot in the cockpit of a Mark 88 Strikemaster aircraft during the joint Australian, New Zealand and US (ANZUS) Exercise TRIAD ’84.Nick Osborne’s final entry in unit history as CO 75SQN Dec 01
Guest: Malcolm Laird
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 29th of September 2025
Published: 30th of September 2025
Duration: 1 hour 52 minutes, 48 seconds
Joining Dave Homewood on the Wings Over New Zealand Show this episode is Malcolm Laird of Ventura Publications. Malcolm has spent decades working in aviation publishing and the model aircraft industry, and is one of New Zealand’s most well known model products manufacturers.
His company Ventura Publications produces decal sets as aftermarket add-ons to scale model kitsets. He also researches, writes and and publishes books on aviation topics and Air Force history, often in collaboration with other historians. He has also been a small-run kitset manufacturer, both vacuum formed and injection moulded, through his original company Falcon Models, which is now owned by Tory Martin.
Malcolm discusses all this, and he details his newly released book, Pacific Kittyhawk, which he has co-authored with the eminent RNZAF historian, David Duxbury.
Quick Links:
• Ventura Publications website
• Ventura Publications on Facebook
• NZDF Serials (Part of ADF Serials)
• The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Photo Archive Page
Malcolm Laird.Below is a video version of the episode so you can see the books and models Malcolm is discussing:
Below are some examples of the decal instructions, etc., from the Ventura Publications Facebook page:
Pacific Kittyhawk, the latest book released by Ventura Publications.Check out this video Malcolm made for Brett Green’s Hyperscale site giving a great overview of Pacific Kittyhawk.
The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.
Guest: John Gaertner
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 14th of September 2025
Published: 14th of September 2025
Duration: 1 hour 27 minutes, 58 seconds
John Gaertner has had a long career and life in aviation, working as a research assistant for the Smithsonian Institute’s National Air and Space Museum, as an airline clerk for TWA, and as the curator of the EAA Museum at Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He then went out on his own, rebuilding vintage aeroplanes.
His company, Blue Swallow Aviation, based at Free Union, Virginia, in the United States, has restored five Curtiss Jenny WWI biplanes to flying condition, and parts for many other aircraft, and parts for exhibitions.
Currently he is working on building several Avro 504Ks, one of which is using the remains of the original ex-New Zealand Permanent Air Force Avro 504K known as A201. This aircraft was the first of six Avros commissioned new for the NZPAF that entered service in 1925. It served with the Air Force till 1931, then was sold into private hands and entered the NZ Civil Register as ZK-ACN. It gained the nickname “Joybird”. It flew till the 1st of January 1940, when WWII forced most civil aircraft to stop flying. The remains of A201 ended up eventually with Stuart Tantrum of Blenheim, who was rebuilding A202. The latter was finished and returned to the air by Stuart, by which time it was now owned by The Vintage Aviator Collection. It still flies today at Masterton.
John has been working on A201 for a number of years and he intend to have it flying within the next 15 months. He talks about A201 and the legacy of the Avro 504 as a type, and about his interesting career in this interview.
John says, “It sounds corny but most people would not believe me regarding all the projects I have worked on. Museums, Exhibits, making plane parts, instruments, flying cloths … But its all true. Lots of interests and a desire to learn. Not to mention teach. We never touched on my creating an entire 2 year program of technical high school for Aviation Maintenance Technology. I enjoy projects. Start and a finish. I enjoy a challenge that other people don’t or can’t do.”
Quick Links:
• Blue Swallow Aviation LLC
• Blue Swallow Aviation LLC on Facebook
• John’s Avro 504 Site
• The Smithsonian Institute’s National Air and Space Museum
• The EAA Museum, Oshkosh
• Classic Aero Machining Services (CAMS) at Omaka, New Zealand
• Classic Aero Machining Services (CAMS) on Facebook
The music is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.
Above: John Gaertner in front of a photo of an Avro 504K. Above: John Gaertner at the USAF Museum in Dayton, Ohio, with their Avro 504K and Curtiss Jenny. He says, “Pretty much say it all. I helped the Museum with restoration details and how to cover the Avro using authentic Irish Linen. Been up there several time to see it before it was hung up.”
Below is a selection of photos sent by John of his work on Jenny and Avro biplanes over the years.New Zealand Permanent Air Force aircraft lined up on the airfield at Wigram Aerodrome. Serial numbers are: DH9 D3139; Avro 504K A201 (John’s aircraft); Bristol Fighter 6857; Bristol Fighter 6856.
Air Force Museum of New Zealand Photo MUS120012.
Guest: Mike Murray
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 6th of September 2025
Published: 7th of September 2025
Duration: 2 hour 11 minutes, 57 seconds
Mike Murray is one of the founders of the King’s Cliffe Airfield Museum. RAF King’s Cliffe was a wartime Air Force station in Northamptonshire. It is located 19 kms west of Peterborough, and lies between the villages of King’s Cliffe and Wansford.
Initially used as a night landing ground during WWI, and returned to agriculture between the wars, work commenced to develop King’s Cliffe into a proper airfield in October 1940 as a new satellite to RAF Wittering, which is a permanent station. Kings Cliffe became a fighter station within No. 12 Group, with its first unit being No. 266 (Rhodesia) Squadron, moving in during 1941. They were replaced by No. 616 Squadron at the beginning of 1942, in which were several New Zealanders.
In July 1942, No. 485 (NZ) Squadron moved in to RAF King’s Cliffe, taking over from No. 616 Squadron. This New Zealand squadron was flying Spitfire Vb’s at the time, under the leadership of Squadron Leader Reg Grant. They were part of the Wittering Wing that was commanded by another Kiwi ace, Wing Commander Patrick “Jamie” Jameson.
No. 485 (NZ) Squadron flew convoy patrols, and Rhubarb low level sweeps over France and the Lowland countries from Kings Cliffe. They temporarily moved to Ballyhalbert, in Northern Ireland, in October 1942 to cover the departing convoy that was heading to North Africa for Operation Torch. They then returned to Kings Cliffe and continued operations. In early 1943 the squadron moved down to RAF Westhampnett, at Goodwood.
Numerous other RAF squadrons and units spent time at Kings Cliffe, and the USAAF also moved various fighter squadrons in too. These included the 347th Fighter Squadron with Bell P-400 Airacobras, the 56th Fighter Group with Republic P-47 Thunderbolts, the 20th Fighter Group with North American P-51D Mustangs of the 77th Fighter Squadron and Lockheed Lightnings of the 79th Fighter Squadron.
You can visit the King’s Cliffe Airfield Museum at Wansford Road, King’s Cliffe, Peterborough PE8 6PB, United Kingdom. The museum is open on the second Sunday of every month. See the Facebook link below to see more and to get in touch.
Quick Links:
• The Kings Cliffe Airfield Museum
• The King’s Cliff Airfield Museum’s Fundraiser
A montage of Mike Murray and the Kings Cliffe Airfield Museum, which opened in 2024.Kings Cliffe Airfield – 16 January 1947, British Government – Royal Ordinance Survey. Annotations on photo from Airfields Of The Eighth Then And Now, by Roger A. Freeman (1978). Via Wikipedia,Image from the CJ Sheddan log book. Personnel pushing No. 485 Squadron Spitfire OU-S backwards. Believed to be at RAF Station Kings Cliffe.Group of No. 485 Squadron pilots in front of a Spitfire at RAF Station King’s Cliffe, England.
L-R: Flying Officer Doug Brown, Pilot Officer Ian Grant, Flying Officer Bruce Gibbs, Flight Lieutenant Lindsay Black, Squadron Leader Reg Grant, Flight Lieutenant John Pattison, Flying Officer Marty Hume, Pilot Officer Murray Metcalfe, Flying Officer AR “Tony” Robson, Sergeant Brown, Sergeant GM Buchanan, Sergeant Revell Steed, Flight Lieutenant MG Barret. Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo.Image from the Reginald William Baker personal collection. Group of people looking at the smoking wreckage of a Dornier 217, shot down by No. 485 Squadron pilot Lindsay Black. Wansford. Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo.Image from the Reginald William Baker personal collection. Group of people gathered around the rear of a NAAFI Refreshment Van, RAF King’s Cliffe, England. Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo.Image from the Reginald William Baker personal collection. Hay bailer at work on the airfield at RAF Station King’s Cliffe, Wansford, with No. 485 Squadron Spitfire OU-K behind. Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo.Group of No. 485 Squadron pilots with a Spitfire. Believed to be at RAF Station King’s Cliffe. L-R: Flight Lieutenant Gary Barnett, Flight Lieutenant John Pattison, Squadron Leader Reg Grant, Flight Lieutenant Reg Baker and Flight Lieutenant Lindsay Black. Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo.Mike Murray, left, with 20th Fighter Group veteran Joe Peterburs, when they got him up in the P-51D Mustang “Marinell”.Mike Murray with Colin and Bernard Wing to the museum. The two brothers, who lived in Apethorpe, remember their Dad taking them to look at Mac Cole’s Lancaster DV197 of 50 Squadron that had crash landed at the airfield on 31st July 1943. The plane ended up in a field just to the north of Apethorpe having gone off the end of the runway and across the railway line. Below are more photos from around the museum.
The music is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.
Guest: Matt Wilcock
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 17th of August 2025
Published: 19th of August 2025
Duration: 1 hour 16 minutes, 43 seconds
Matt Wilcock was born and bred in Hamilton, New Zealand, but he moved as a child to Edmonton, Alberta, in Canada. Having a lifelong interest in aviation, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Cadets, where he learned to fly gliders, and then powered aircraft.
He moved back to New Zealand in his 20s and completed his private pilot’s licence at Ardmore Flying School, and a few years later gained his commercial pilot’s licence. His aviation career began as a pilot dropping skydivers at Mercer, before getting a role with Mountain Air, followed by a fill in job with Barrier Air. He then moved to Air Nelson.
After a few years flying the SAAB 340 with Air Nelson, Matt moved to Hong Kong to join CR Airways, which then led to him joining Cathay Pacific. He had a short stint with Fiji Airways, but these days Matt is back based in Hong Kong with the Cathay Pacific. He visits New Zealand often however, on his time off.
Matt got involved with NZ Warbirds around 15 years ago and has had involvement with a number of warbird syndicates, but in 2018 he bought Folland Gnat T.1 XR987, from the USA. This Gnat is a former aircraft of the RAF Yellowjacks team, and then the RAF Red Arrows team for many years. Among many pilots who flew and displayed this aircraft over the years with the RAF was the extraordinary pilot Ray Hanna.
Matt talks all about getting his Gnat to New Zealand, its restoration back to flight by Aero Restorations at Ararimu, his plans for the jet once it is flying, and his own Conversion training to the Gnat in an example at the Heritage Aircraft Trust at St Athan in the UK.
Quick Links:
• The “Gnat In New Zealand” Facebook Group
• NZ Warbirds Association
• Classic Flyers (NZ) Museum
• Heritage Aircraft Trust’s Gnat Display Team, UK
• The Gimli Glider
The music is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.
Matt Wilcock, taken at Aero Restorations during the Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet to visit his Gnat. (Photo kindly supplied by Phil Treweek) Folland Gnat T.1 XR987 at Aero Restorations. Matt Wilcock Photo.Matt and the Gnat he flew from St Athens in Wales, Matt Wilcock Photo.Matt Wilcock and Paul Levitt (or Aero Restorations) during the Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet to visit his Gnat. (Photo kindly supplied by Phil Treweek) Below are photos by Dave Homewood taken on the WONZ Forum visit in July 2025.
A few more from the WONZ Forum visit, taken by Phil Treweek
Guest: Squadron Leader John Barry (Retired)
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 11th of August2025
Published: 13th of August 2025
Duration: 1 hour 1 minutes, 39 seconds
John Barry was born and bred in Wanganui. Upon leaving school he went to the Teacher Training School, and planned on a career as a school teacher. But while he was training as a teacher, he heard that the Royal New Zealand Air Force had Education Officers. He applied and in 1957 he was taken into the RNZAF in that role of the Education Officer, and also spent a lot time as Sporting Officer on various bases he was posted to. He served at Woodbourne, Lauthala Bay and Ohakea, before being posted to RNZAF Station Wigram, at Christchurch.
It was while serving at Wigram in the late 1970s that John found himself given a new role, as the officer in charge of the historical collection that had been started in No. 7 Hangar at Wigram. As time went on, this role developed into the position of Director of the Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum. John oversaw the gathering of aircraft for the burgeoning collection through the late 1970s and early 1980s. Some were straight from RNZAF service and others were recovered from farms as wrecks that would be restored, while others still were swapped from other museums and Air Forces.
The museum also gathered a major collection of documents, parts, ephemera and memorabilia from the Air Force’s past years. An amazing number of volunteer groups sprung up to assist in the mammoth task of creating a world class national museum from scratch. These included the Black Hand Gang, the Geriatric Air Force, the Moth Doctors and the Friends of the RNZAF Museum. John, now 94 and in retirement, looks back on those days fondly.
Quick Links:
• The Air Force Museum of New Zealand
• The Geriatric Air Force on National Radio’s Roundabout programme from 1987
The music is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.
John Barry’s Facebook profile.Photos from the Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s collection, with thanks to Matthew O’Sullivan:
Portrait of Squadron Leader JK Barry MBE, Director of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. RNZAF Base Wigram.Informal portrait of Squadron Leader JK Barry MBE, Director of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. RNZAF Base Wigram.RNZAF Museum Headquarters staff at RNZAF Base Wigram. In the background is the unfinished Museum building, 06/08/1986. L-R: Back; Sergeant Kevin Bennett (NCO in charge of Accession and Storage), Aircraftwoman T Melvin (Clerk Typist). Front; R Simpson (volunteer), Flight Lieutenant Bob Angelo (Administration Officer), Squadron Leader John Barry (Commanding Officer), M Watson (Archives volunteer). WgG733-86Air Force Museum staff being interviewed in the glasshouse of No. 1 Hangar on the After the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the RNZAF, at RNZAF Base Wigram, 01/04/1987. L-R: Squadron Leader William “Sandy” Currie BEM (Museum Technical Officer), Squadron Leader John Barry MBE (Museum Director), Rodney Bryant (?). Unknown sound technician in the foreground. PF124-R3-3-87Air Force Museum Defence staff in the Museum Atrium, 11/12/1987. L-R: Back; Leading Aircraftwoman DM Jamieson, Sergeant Les Bell, Corporal Dave Nicholson, Sergeant Lyn Buttle, Corporal John Harris, Flight Sergeant George Jaunzemis. Front; Flight Sergeant AJ “Jerry” Marshall, Flight Sergeant Alan Woodley, Squadron Leader William ‘Sandy’ Currie BEM, Squadron Leader John Barry MBE (Director), Flight Lieutenant Bob Angelo, Therese Dowman, Sergeant Kevin Bennett. WgG1034-6-87Air Force Museum Staff in the Museum Atrium, 11/12/1987. L-R: Back; M Watson, Leading Aircraftwoman DM Jamieson, Sergeant L Bell, Corporal DR Nicholson, Sergeant Lyn Buttle, Corporal John Harris, Flight Sergeant George Jaunzemis. Front; D Shaw, Flight Sergeant AJ ‘Jerry’ Marshall, Flight Sergeant Alan Woodley, Squadron Leader William ‘Sandy’ Currie BEM, Squadron Leader John Barry MBE (Director), Flight Lieutenant Bob Angelo, Therese Dowman, Sergeant Kevin Bennett, J Barry.Air Force Museum Sunday Guides in the Museum Atrium, 11/12/1987. L-R: Back; Betty Barry, Jim Kirk, Rose-Marie Barry. Front; Ian Latter, Les Farnley, Pat Barry, Geoff Harrison. WgG1034-12-87 Air Force Museum No. 7 Hangar Technical Section personnel in the Museum Atrium, 11/12/1987. “The Black Hand Gang”. L-R: Back; Flight Sergeant George Jaunzemis, A Weir, B Roberts, B Vallender, Flight Sergeant Alan Woodley, L Heath, Sergeant L Bell, P Whittington, B Streeter, A Henry. Front; Brian Smith, D Gillian, Flight Sergeant Jerry Marshall, J Wright, Squadron Leader William “Sandy” Currie BEM, J Simpson, Corporal John Harris, R Townshend, T Ramsay. WgG1034-2-87John Barry in 2025 during our Zoom interview.
Guest: Simon “Kermit” Rea
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 6th of August2025
Published: 7th of August 2025
Duration: 1 hour 24 minutes, 57 seconds
Simon Rea grew up in Hawera, New Zealand, as an aviation enthusiast. When he left school, he did a little bit of flying with the Hawera Aero Club, before he joined the RNZAF as a pilot. He trained at Ohakea on the NZAI CT/4B Airtrainer, and then the Aermacchi MB339CB ‘Macchi’.
He found himself streamed for strike role, and was posted to NAS Nowra, Australia, to join No. 2 Squadron RNZAF to do advanced training on the McDonnell Douglas A-4K Skyhawks.
After a couple of years flying Skyhawks there, the Strike Wing was disbanded in December 2001, and Simon took the opportunity to transfer to the Royal Air Force, along with a number of other ex-RNZAF Skyhawk pilots.
Simon trained up to fly the BAe Harrier GR.7, and eventually ended up on No. 3 Squadron RAF. He deployed to Afghanistan with the squadron as part of Operation Herrick.
The next posting came when Simon was selected to join the RAF Red Arrows aerobatic display team, He flew with this world famous team for three seasons through 2008 to 2010, and got to show his skills all around Britain, Europe and the world.
When he left the team, Simon was posted to the Saudi Hawks aerobatic team in Saudi Arabia, and he spent several years with that team, advising and flying the spare aircraft, and also commentating. He eventually returned to the UK and ended his RAF career in London as a liaison between the UK and Saudi air forces.
It was after 22 years in the RAF that the desire to return to New Zealand was fulfilled, and Simon was able to reenlist with the Royal New Zealand Air Force. He now flies as an instructor on the Beechcraft Texan II’s with No. 14 Squadron RNZAF, at Ohakea.
Simon ‘Kermit’ Rea with a Saudi Hawk. Kindly supplied by Simon Rea.Simon Rea and Paul Barlow, during the last Exercise Vanguard in Singapore, September 2001. Photo kindly supplied by Don Simms.Simon and a Skyhawk. Photo kindly supplied by Don Simms.L to R: Andy Duncan, Phil Barnes, Steve Alderton, unknown female, Simon Rea and Muz Neilson. Nowra, 2000. Photo kindly supplied by Don Simms.L to R: Simon Rea, Andy Keith, Daz Smith, Nick Osborne, Kelly Logue, Blair Keen, Jason ‘Easty’ Easthope. Perth 2001. Photo kindly supplied by Don Simms.No. 2 Squadron officers, 2000. Photo kindly supplied by Don SimmsUpside-down in a Red Arrows Hawk. Kindly supplied by Simon Rea.Red Arrows, tucked in close. Kindly supplied by Simon Rea.The four No. 2’s, from the RCAF Snowbirds, the US Navy Blue Angels, the RAF Red Arrows and the USAF Thunderbirds, all together in 2008. Kindly supplied by Simon Rea.The Saudi Hawks in formation over a desert canyon. Kindly supplied by Simon Rea.The music is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.
Guests: Sjeord “Chewy” Bakker, Tony “Chipps” Chippendale, Keith “Buck” Harrison, John Lanham, Paul McSweeny, Rene “Red” Redmond.
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 20th of July 2025
Published: 23rd of July 2025
Duration: 1 hour 39 minutes, 21 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood chats with six ex-RNZAF members who were involved in the restoration and operation of the world’s only remaining complete Avro 626, back in the 1980s. It is now 40 years since the Avro returned to the skies.
The Avro 626 was a 1930-designed advanced trainer from Britain. Four examples were purchased in 1934 by the New Zealand government, to replace the obsolete Bristol Fighters and to work alongside the Hawker Tomtits in training aircrew at Wigram. Purchased at the same time as the first twelve Vickers Vildebeests, the two new fleets became the the first new aircraft since the NZPAF had become the RNZAF in 1934.
Described by the press reports in 1935 upon arrival as the “Last Word in Training Machines”. It had multiple roles:
– Dual-control flying instruction.
– Blind and night flying.
– Offensive gunnery, with Vickers gun, or camera gun.
– Defensive gunnery with Vickers, or camera gun.
– Bombing by observer, prone position.
– Bombing by pilot.
– Wireless telegraphy and telephony using two-way radio equipment operating either on short or medium wave-lengths
– Aerial photography and survey work
– Navigation using elaborate navigating gear for the time which includes equipment for night flying.
– Message picking-up.
– Casualty evacuation
The Avro 626s arrived on the 25th of September 1935 aboard the SS Middlesex. They were allocated to ‘A’ Flight of the Flying Training School, RNZAF Station Wigram. NZ201 was the first to fly in New Zealand, on the 4th of October 1935. NZ202, NZ203, and NZ204 were not assembled until early 1936.
The Avros were used to train aircrew of both the regular RNZAF and of the Territorial Air Force. They also appeared at lots of air pageants around the country through the late 1930s. And when the first Wireless Operator-Air Gunner course was held at Wigram in 1939 for TAF aircrew members the Avros were used with the Scarff rings fitted.
As the war progressed the Avros were replaced by the likes of the Harvards and Oxfords, and they took on secondary roles. All four had been retired by mid-1943, with three of them reduced to spares, but NZ203, which had spent part of the war as the Wigram station runabout, was converted in June 1943 to become instructional airframe INST90 with the Hastings Air Training Corps squadron.
Popular belief has always had it that the aircraft was then sold to Jim Frogley of Havelock North in May 1947, but in this interview Red Redmond reveals what really happened there.
Jim Frogley flew it occasionally till he sold it as a derelict airframe to the RNZAF Museum in October 1980. It was trucked in poor condition to RNZAF Base Ohakea, and between November 1981 and July 1985 the Avro 626 was painstakingly restored back to its former glory by a team of skilled staff. Wing Commander John Lanham flew it again for the first time after restoration on the 8th of July 1985.
Some of the key members of the restoration team, the pilot and its last minder at the RNZAF Historic Flight all talk about those days when great things were achieved by highly skilled people.
The music is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.
Quick Links:
• The Air Force Museum of New Zealand
• The Eventful Years – The Avro 626 NZ203 (ZK-ACP) appears in this 1958 documentary
• The 1937 Shipment Mystery as mention is Solved Here on the Wings Over New Zealand Forum
Below is a video version of this episode with lots of photos from the collection of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand to illustrate the stories.
Air to air view of Avro 626 NZ203 in flight over hills after being fully restored.Above: Avro 626 NZ203 under restoration at RNZAF Base Ohakea. Avro 626 NZ203 on the tarmac at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram, Christchurch. Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram MUS21137.Group of staff involved with restoring Avro 626 NZ203. RNZAF Base Ohakea. 08 July 1985.
L-R: Back; Sergeant Keith Braddock, Sergeant Paul McSweeny, Sergeant Tony “Chipps” Chippendale, Warrant Officer Mike Singleton. Front; Sergeant George, Corporal Rene ‘Red’ Redmond, Sergeant Sjoerd “Chewy” Bakker. OhC306-85
Paul, Chipps, Red and Chewy are all in this episode.The Central Flying School’s RNZAF Historic Flight aeroplanes parked on the grass outside No. 7 Hangar at Wigram just prior to their flypast together for the 50th Anniversary of the RNZAF airshow, on 1st of April 1987. the Avro 626 was flown by W/C John Lanham, the Harvard by S/L Mike Panther and the Tiger Moth by F/Lt Glen Edwards. Maintenance staff were F/Sgt Johnny Miller and F/Sgt Buck Harrison. Photo taken by Buck Harrison.The article mentioned on the second 626 being dug up. From The Press, 3 January 1989.
Guest: Ian Quinn
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 13th of July 2025
Published: 14th of July 2025
Duration: 1 hour 19 minutes, 55 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood chats with Ian Quinn, aka ‘chinapilot’ on the Wings Over New Zealand Forum – https://rnzaf.proboards.com
Ian started his aviation career volunteering as a schoolboy at the Wellington Aero Club in the 1960s. He then went on to a long career in commercial aviation, including flying skiplane Cessnas with Mount Cook Airlines, flying in Australia, New Britain, Bougainville, Fiji, NAC, Air New Zealand and Cathay Pacific.
He lives in Hong Kong, where this interview was conducted from via Zoom, and since retiring from Cathay he has worked for the Hong Kong air accidents authority. Ian talks all about the interesting roles he has had in aviation, the places he has lived and the people he has met along the way.
The music is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.
Photos from Ian Quinn’s collection. All are copyright Ian Quinn.
Above: Ian in the captain’s seat of a Cathay Pacific Lockheed Tristar in 1994.Above: 17-year-old Ian Quinn with a Tiger Moth at Omaka Aerodrome, Blenheim, while he was working as a refueller for SAFE Air Above: ZK-COH, one of the ski-equipped Cessna 185E tourist flight planes that Ian flew while working for Mount Cook Airlines.Above: Ian and Cessna 185A ZK-CBS on Tasman Glacier, New Zealand, in 1968.Above: Ian at the Inus Plantation, Bougainville, PNG, in 1971.Above: Ian flying over Tarawa, in the Gilbert & Ellice Islands, 1975.Above: Ian with a Britten Norman Islander, at, Mitiaro [approximately 150NM NNE of Rarotonga], Cook Islands, 1979.Above: An Air New Zealand Fokker F-27 Friendship, as flown by Ian in the late 1970s and into the early 1980s. The photo was taken in 1981.Above: The Cathay Pacific Lockheed Tristar as flown by Ian in the 1980s.Above: The Cathay Pacific Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet.Above: Ian with his son, also a pilot. Above: Ian with his daughter who is also a pilot.Above: Ian in the cockpit of a Cathay Pacific Boeing 747.
Guest: Martin Hedley
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 2nd of March 2025
Published: 27th of June 2025
Duration: 32 minutes, 38 seconds
In this episode we hear the final presentation given at the WONZ 20th Anniversary Forum Meet at Ardmore. The presenter is Martin Hedley, foreman at Pioneer Aero Ltd., the warbird restoration company at Ardmore. And he is talking about the company’s current main project, the Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless dive bomber from WWII.
The Dauntless is being restored from a wreck recovered from Lake Michigan by Taras Lyssenko, General Manager of A and T Recovery, and combining it with parts from a second aircraft that had been a wind machine in the film industry. The project started at Pioneer under the ownership of Jerry Yagen, but he has since handed all his collection over to the care of his museum, the Military Aviation Museum, at Virginia Beach.
Quick Links:
• The Wings Over New Zealand Forum
• Pioneer Aeros Ltd.
• Pioneer Aero Ltd. on Facebook
• New Zealand Warbirds Association Ltd
• NZ Warbirds Association of Facebook
Thanks to Stu Russell for the recording. The music is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.
Above: Photos from Martin’s presentation, taken by Phil Treweek.
The Dauntless when it was pulled from Lake Michigan. (From the Pioneer Aero Ltd. Facebook page).Martin unwrapping the Dauntless when it first arrived in New Zealand. (From the Pioneer Aero Ltd. Facebook page).The Pioneer Aero Ltd. team with the Dauntless fuselage in 2023, with Martin standing in the cockpit. (From the Pioneer Aero Ltd. Facebook page).There is also a video version of this podcast below, thanks to Stu Russell.
Guest: Phillip Harrall AFC, MPhil, FRAeS
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 23rd of February 2025
Published: 15th of June 2025
Duration: 41 minute, 36 seconds
In this episode we hear an edited down presentation given at the WONZ 20th Anniversary Forum Meet at Wigram by Phillip Harrall, a former Royal Navy Observer. Phillip was born in New Zealand but [...]
Guest: Bob McGarry
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 23rd of February 2025
Published: 8th of June 2025
Duration: 58 minutes, 19 seconds
In this episode we hear a presentation given at the WONZ 20th Anniversary Forum Meet at Wigram by licensed aeronautical engineer Bob McGarry. He talks about his career in aviation, which included the RNZAF, and working with [...]
Guest: Anthony Galbraith and Stephen Carruthers
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 23rd of February 2025
Published: 23rd of May 2025
Duration: 48 minutes, 34 seconds
In this episode recorded at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, during the WONZ 20th Anniversary Forum Meet held there on the 23rd of February 2025, we hear from Anthony Galbraith and Stephen Carruthers [...]
Guest: Chris Newey
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 2nd of March 2025
Published: 19th of May 2025
Duration: 47 minutes, 23 seconds
In this episode we hear a presentation given by Chris Newey, who talks about his latest book The First Flight – The Origins of the New Zealand Bomber Squadron.
The book covers the New Zealand Government’s purchase [...]
Guest: Rob Booth
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 2nd of March 2025
Published: 13th of May 2025
Duration: 30 minutes, 18 seconds
In this episode we hear a presentation given at the Wings Over New Zealand 20th Anniversary Forum Meet at NZ Warbirds Inc., Ardmore, by Rob Booth, a former Warbirds pilot and owner. He is talking about the Hawker [...]
Guest: Andrew Brian of the Helicopter Heritage Museum
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 23rd of February 2025
Published: 4th of May 2025
Duration: 32 minutes, 24 seconds
In this episode we hear from Andrew Brian of the Helicopter Heritage Museum. This is a talk given by Andrew during the Wings Over New Zealand 20th Anniversary Forum Meet held at the [...]
Guest: Mark O’Sullivan
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 17th of April 2025
Published: 26th of April 2025
Duration: 1 hour 26 minutes, 42 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood sits down with warbirds pilot Mark O’Sullivan at Omaka to talk about his aviation passion. Mark was born and bred in Blenheim, and he learned to fly [...]
Guest: Steve Subritzky
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 2nd of March 2025
Published: 11th of April 2025
Duration: 44 minutes, 35 seconds
In this episode we hear a presentation given by Steve Subritzky and Dave Homewood about the world’s last existing Vickers Vincent biplane bomber. Steve, who is the Aviation Manager at the Museum of Transport [...]
Guest: Kenn Cox, former RNZAF jet fighter pilot
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 23rd of February 2025
Published: 3rd of April 2025
Duration: 44 minutes, 40 seconds
In this episode we hear from Kenn Cox, the second speaker from the WONZ 20th Anniversary Forum meet at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, at Wigram, Christchurch.
Kenn was a young [...]
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 2nd of March 2025
Published: 28th of March 2025
Duration: 40 minutes, 42 seconds
In this episode NZ Warbirds president Frank Parker is heard talking about flying the various WWII fighters he’s flown during his career. Frank was the first speaker at the WONZ 20th Anniversary Forum Meet at Ardmore on the 2nd of [...]
Guest: Squadron Leader Paul “Skids” Harrison, RNZAF
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 18th of March 2025
Published: 21st of March 2025
Duration: 1 hour, 20 minutes, 4 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood talks with Squadron Leader Paul “Skids” Harrison, who is currently an instructor with No. 14 Squadron RNZAF on the Texan II’s, but he also has a [...]
WONZ 20th Anniversary Forum Meet – Wigram
Guest: Wings Commander Brett Marshall, Museum Director at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 23rd of February 2025
Published: 17th of March 2025
Duration: 44 minutes, 49 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood introduced Brett Marshall, the first speaker at the WONZ 20th Anniversary Forum Meet – Wigram. [...]
Guest: Craig Compain, ex-RNZAF and ex-Royal Navy Fighter Pilot
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 9th of January 2025
Published: 9th of January 2025
Duration: 1 hour 57 minutes, 58 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood speaks with Craig Compain, who grew up in Wanganui as an aviation-minded kid and ATC cadet, and he joined the Royal New Zealand Air [...]
Guest: Dr. Adam Claasen
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 12th of November 2024
Published: 28th of November 2024
Duration: 1 hour 17 minutes, 26 seconds
This episode is a recording of a presentation given by historian and author Dr. Adam Claasen at the Resthaven Community Hall in Cambridge, on the evening of Tuesday the 12th of November 2024.
[...]
Guests: Elliott Marsh-Healy, Huw Hopkins, Greg Marsh, Harry Measures and Oliver Stevenson
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 12th of November 2024
Published: 12th of November 2024
Duration: 1 hour 18 minutes, 21 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood talks with the team behind the brilliant new magazine, The Vintage Aviation Echo. Joining Dave on this show are the [...]
Guest: Graham Bethell
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 20th of October 2024
Published: 21st of October 2024
Duration: 53 minutes, 58 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood talks with well known Mustang pilot Graham Bethell about his life in aviation. Graham’s father flew fighters in the RNZN with the Fleet Air Arm in WWII, and Graham wanted to fly from [...]
Guest: Andrew “Stewie” Stewart and Nicola “Nix” Brooke-Stewart
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 11th of October 2024
Published: 12th of October 2024
Duration: 1 hour, 56 minutes, 29 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood talks with Andrew “Stewie” Stewart and Nicole “Nix” Brooke-Stewart, husband and wife team who are both NH-90 helicopter pilots with No. 3 Squadron RNZAF.
[...]
Guest: Air Commodore David Harrison RAF, retired.
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 2nd of October 2024
Published: 5th of October 2024
Duration: 1 hour, 26 minutes, 19 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood talks with David Harrison, who currently works for the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority, but he started his aviation career in the University of Liverpool Squadron [...]
Guest: Group Captain Roger Selwyn Holdaway
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 2nd of May 2024
Published: 8th of September 2024
Duration: 2 hours, 4 minutes, 13 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood chats with Roger Holdaway, a former RNZAF pilot who flew numerous types from the North American Harvard and de Havilland Devon to the Short Sunderland and the Douglas C-47 [...]
Guest: Wing Commander Barry ‘Patch’ Nelson RNZAFHost: Dave HomewoodRecorded: 28th of April 2024Released: 2024Duration: 1 hour 8 mins 19 secs
This episode is the fifth and last of the recordings from the Legend Aviation WONZ Forum Meet, hosted by Bevan Dewes and Lucy Newell of Legend Aviation at Hood Aerodrome, Masterton, on Sunday 28th of April 2024.
[...]
Guest: Don WilkieHost: Dave HomewoodRecorded: 28th of April 2024Released: 14th of August 2024Duration: 47 mins 56 secs
This episode is the fourth of the recordings from the recent Legend Aviation WONZ Forum Meet, hosted by Bevan Dewes and Lucy Newell of Legend Aviation at Hood Aerodrome, Masterton, on Sunday 28th of April 2024.
Aviation artist Don Wilkie [...]
Guest: Tom Williams
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 28th of April 2024
Released: 9th of June 2024
Duration: 27 mins 36 secs
This episode is the third of the recordings from the recent Legend Aviation WONZ Forum Meet, hosted by Bevan Dewes and Lucy Newell of Legend Aviation at Hood Aerodrome, Masterton, on Sunday 28th of April 2024.
Tom Williams is a legend in the Wairarapa. He was responsible for setting up the Sport And Vintage Aviation Society in 1974 with Bob McGarry and Bill Dittmer, which eventually absorbed the Golden Age Flying Society from Blenheim. SVAS later became the Wairarapa Flying Tigers.
And Tom led the team that built the SVAS’s big hangar in 1978, and later he had the building moved onto the airfield that would become the George Hood Museum. This is the same building that the WONZ Forum Meet was held in, now known as the Legend Aviation Auditorium.
He talks about the inspiration that got him into aviation, and learning to fly Tiger Moths with the legendary instructor and ex-RNZAF WWII Mosquito pilot, Beryck Dalcom, at the Wanganui Aero Club. He then joined the Marlborough Aero Club, and then the Southland Aero Club with Ian Ritchie.
In 1967 he bought his first Tiger Moth, ZK-BAT, the first of a number of aircraft Tom has owned over the years. He talks about his adventures in various types, and he talks about how he saved DH89 Dominie ZK-AKY from going overseas.
Tom also talks about his great friend Tim Wallis, and how he led a team that created an airshow in 1999, which in 2001 was renamed the Wings Over Wairarapa airshow. Tom was chairman of the organising committee for many years, and he has many memories of the airshow.
And he speaks about his fond memories of the WWII veterans that used to come along to the airshows.
Quick Links:
• Legend Aviation
• Legend Aviation Facebook Page
• The Wings Over New Zealand Forum
• Wairarapa Flying Tigers
• Wings Over Wairarapa
The music heard in this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud
Thanks to Allan Udy for the loan of his audio recording equipment.
Tom Williams at the Legend Aviation WONZ Forum Meet (Dave Homewood photo)Tom Williams at the Legend Aviation WONZ Forum Meet (Phil Treweek photo)
Guest: Stephen Davies Howard
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 28th of April 2024
Released: 1st of June 2024
Duration: 1 hour 2 mins 37 secs
This episode is the second of the recordings from the recent Legend Aviation WONZ Forum Meet, hosted by Bevan Dewes and Lucy Newell of Legend Aviation at Hood Aerodrome, Masterton, on Sunday 28th of April 2024.
Stephen Davies Howard was a Royal Air Force fast jet pilot, flying McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantoms and Panavia Tornados during the Cold War, and the latter in the Gulf War. Steve joined the RAF in 1980 straight from school and the Air Training Corps, and following flying training he flew fighter jets. He was also an airshow display pilot in the Phantom. Later in his career he moved into strategic reconnaissance, and various British Ministry of Defence roles. After commanding squadrons and stations, he was posted to Washington D.C. in the USA as the Air Attaché at the British Embassy, where he was able to fly a number of the US fighter aircraft types including the F-15 and F-16. He eventually left the RAF as a Group Captain, and joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force, where he ended up as the Training Group Commander, also with the rank of Group Captain. Since leaving the RNZAF in 2010 Steve has run his own businesses, and is Deputy Commissioner of TAIC.
In this presentation, Stephen focuses his talk on his years as a young Phantom pilot during the Cold War years of the 1980s.
Quick Links:
• Legend Aviation
• Legend Aviation Facebook Page
• The Wings Over New Zealand Forum
The music heard in this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud
Thanks to Allan Udy for the loan of his audio recording equipment.
An RAF Phantom intercepting and escorting a Soviet bomber during the Cold War.Stephen Davies Howard (photo Dave Homewood)Stephen Davies Howard (photo Phil Treweek)Stephen Davies Howard and the audience (photo Phil Treweek)
Guest: Bevan Dewes of Legend Aviation
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 28th of April 2024
Released: 25th of May 2024
Duration: 32 mins 19 secs
This episode is the first of the recordings from the recent Legend Aviation WONZ Forum Meet. This was a gathering of members of the Wings Over New Zealand Aviation Forum, hosted by Bevan Dewes and Lucy Newell of Legend Aviation at Hood Aerodrome, Masterton, on Sunday 28th of April 2024.
Bevan talks about his and Lucy’s experiences in aviation, and about the aeroplanes in their collection. He also talks about the set-up of their business, Legend Aviation, which they set up in 2023 to fly rides in their Harvard NZ1044 and Tiger Moths ZK-BFS and ZK-ANL.
Bevan takes the group outside to his hangar where he gives a guided tour of the Legend Aviation aeroplanes, Harvards NZ1044 and NZ1033, Tiger Moths ZK-BFS and ZK-ANL, and Chipmunk N861WP.
Quick Links:
• Legend Aviation
• Legend Aviation Facebook Page
• The Wings Over New Zealand Forum
• Wairarapa Flying Tigers
• Wairarapa Flying Tigers Facebook Page
Connected Past Episodes:
• Episode 114 – WOA – Temora Part One – featuring Bevan Dewes
• WONZ 197 – Christmas Forum 2018 – featuring Bevan Dewes
• WONZ 200 – 200th WONZ Show – featuring Bevan Dewes
• WONZ 250 – 10th Anniversary Special – featuring Bevan Dewes
• WONZ 273 – Harvard NZ1044 – featuring Bevan Dewes
The music heard in this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud.
Bevan Dewes in front of his Harvard NZ1044, talking about the Legend Aviation aeroplanes.WONZ Forum members listening to Bevan.Harvard NZ1044.NZ1044.Tiger Moth ZK-ANL at Feilding.Lucy Newell and Ryan Dewes filling Tiger Moth ZK-BFS “Queenie” at Feilding.Bevan and Lucy with the Harvards at sunset in front of their hangar and building.
Guest: Roy Boston – de Havilland Apprentice and Engineer, and RNZAF Instructor
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 26th of April 2024
Released: 30th of April 2024
Duration: 1 hour 34 minutes 45 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood talks with 96-year-old Roy Boston, who was born and grew up in London, and became an apprentice at the de Havilland Aircraft Company Limited at Stag Lane Aerodrome, Edgeware. He ended up working in various roles testing engines and propellers that were being developed for aircraft for both de Havilland and for other companies. He was involved with all sorts of aeroplanes, and witnessed other projects under development including jet engines and turboprops. He also reveals some interesting stories and secrets about the company’s projects, an may well be the last living witness to some of those developments of the 1940s by de Havilland.
He talks about flying in all sorts of aeroplanes during test flying too, from Lancaster and Halifax bombers to the rarities like the Vickers Warwick and the de Havilland Hornet!
After leaving the company in 1950 he emigrated to New Zealand, to rejoin his family who’d moved here some years beforehand. He ended up working first as a civilian instructor on engines with the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and then was commissioned as a serving officer in the Education branch of the RNZAF.
These days Roy is a celebrated artist, and he also volunteers as a guide at the Aviation Heritage Centre at Omaka, Blenheim.
Quick Links:
• Roy’s artworks
• The Aviation Heritage Centre, Omaka
Thanks to: Huge thanks to Roy’s son Dean Boston for setting this interview up via Zoom, and sitting in to prompt facts when needed, and also thanks to Bevan Dewes and Lucy Newell for the use of their office to record this while I was staying with them.
The music heard in this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud.
Above: Roy Boston on the day of the interview, aged 96 and sharp as a tack. (Dean Boston photo)Above: Roy Boston at Dog3 ROC,1945. (Roy Boston collection)Above: The Ghost Lancastrian. (Roy Boston collection)Above: Roy carrying out the engine cylinder vibration test at full chat on the DHC-1 Chipmunk prototype. Note the ballast in the back seat as discussed, and also the Vickers Warwick bomber in the background. (Roy Boston collection)Above: The Askania Hand Vibrograph 1.
Above: The de Havilland Goblin on the test bed. (Roy Boston collection)
Guests: Larry Hill, Andrew White and Tony Hoskins
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 6th of March 2024
Published: 24th of March 2024
Duration: 2 hours, 57 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood marks the 80th Anniversary of The Great Escape by talking with Larry Hill, Andy White and Tony Hoskins.
The Great Escape is the name given to a breakout of Allied prisoners from the German POW camp Stalag Luft III, at Sagan, West Silesia in Germany, on the night of the 24th-25th of March 1944. A total of 76 prisoners, all members of the Royal Air Force and Allied Air Forces, managed to escape through a tunnel before the tunnel entrance was discovered by a German guard. Over the next few weeks 73 of the escapees were rounded up and recaptured after a massive manhunt. Three escaped. And of those recaptured, the Gestapo murdered 50 of the airmen, upon Hitler’s orders. Three New Zealanders were among the murdered airmen, and other Kiwis were involved in the escape. They’re all discussed here.
Andy and Tony give a great background to the prisoner of war camp and the escape. And Larry tells some stories of the New Zealanders involved that he knew personally.
Above: Larry HillAbove: Tony HoskinsAbove: Andy WhiteAbove: Porokoru Patapu “John” Pohe, RNZAF Great Escaper, and murdered by the Gestapo.Above: Pilot Officer Arnold Christensen, RNZAF Great Escaper, and murdered by the Gestapo. From The Weekly News issue 25 November 1942, via the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.Above: Squadron Leader John Edwin Ashley “Willy” Williams DFC, New Zealand-born Australian RAF Great Escaper, and murdered by the Gestapo.Above: Image from the Edith Lyle personal album collection. “F/L Mick Shand.” No. 485 Squadron pilot Flight Lieutenant Michael Moray Shand DFC sitting in the cockpit of his Spitfire. Unknown location. Handwritten on the reverse of the print “F/L Shand DFC. 485 Sqd RNZAF. Who was lost on a Rhubarb over Holland, he was Flight Commander of B Flight. Fought through “the Battle of Britain” and had many great successes. He was lost in November 1943, but there may be a chance of him being a prisoner of war.” NB. Shand was involved in The Great Escape while interred in Stalag Luft 3. Image via the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.Above: Squadron Leader Leonard Trent DFC, pilot with No. 487 Squadron. Taken before his Victoria Cross action. Enlargement from PR10415, via the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.Above: No. 485 Squadron’s Sergeant Jack Rae, crouching on snowy ground. Unknown location in England. This was published in Houlton’s autobiography ‘Spitfire Strikes. A New Zealand Fighter Pilot’s Story’, published 1985 by John Murray Ltd. London. Copy negative from the John Arthur Houlton personal collection. Image via the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.Above: Jack Rae, RNZAF fighter pilot, and Larry Hill with the parachute Jack used when he baled out and was captured.Above: Jack Rae’s parachute, Caterpillar Club card and the paper with the name of the German pilot who shot him down, now all framed by Larry Hill.Above: The books mentioned in this discussion, left is Sandy’s Spitfire by Tony Hoskins, and right is Extremes of Fortune by Andrew White. See links below.Quick Links:
• Born To Fly – A documentary on John Pohe
• The Great Escape Stalag Luft III Facebook Group
• Sandy’s Spitfire Book by Tony Hoskins
• Spitfire AA810 – Restoring Sandy’s Spitfire On Facebook
• Extremes of Fortune by Andrew White
• For You The War Is Over Podcast, cohosted by Tony Hoskins
• The Imperial War Museum’s Interview with Jack Rae
Related Episodes:
• WONZ 6 – Larry Hill
• WONZ 59 – Forum Meet 2014 – Part 1
• WONZ 281 – Wings Over Britain: Sandy’s Spitfire
The tune at the end is the main theme from The Great Escape (1963) by Elmer Bernstein.
Guest: Sarah Carr (nee Hanna)
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 26th of July 2023
Published: 8th of March 2024
Duration: 1 hour 3 minutes, 5 seconds
In this episode of Wings Over Britain, Dave Homewood sat down with Sarah Carr of the Old Flying Machine Company, in her office at Duxford, Cambridgeshire. Sarah is the daughter of the legendary pilot, the late Ray Hanna, and sister of the late and equally revered pilot Mark Hanna. She talks in depth about how Ray and Mark both got into flying, display flying and film work. And she details her own experiences with aviation and with running the OFMC, which today operates only the one aeroplane, Spitfire IX MH434. Sarah also talks about her connection with New Zealand and how important that is to her.
Quick Links:.
• The Old Flying Machine Company
• Fans of the Old Flying Machine Company Facebook Group
• Ray and Mark Hanna on the WONZ Forum
The famous OFMC Supermarine Spitfire LF. IXb Spitfire MH434.
Guest: Ed Taylor, General Manager of Warbirds Over Wanaka
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 4th of March 2024
Released: 4th of March 2024
Duration: 45 minutes 17 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood chats with Ed Taylor about the upcoming three-day Warbirds Over Wanaka airshow over Easter on March 29th, 30th and 31st. The airshow has an unprecedented line-up of warbirds and other awesome aeroplanes that are planned to display over the three day weekend.
These include de Havilland Mosquito NZ2308 (ZK-PWL) and North American P-51D Mustang NZ2423 (ZK-BHT) making their post-restoration debuts, plus the Wanaka debut of Yak 3Q “Steadfast”, the return of Corsair NZ5648 “Marie”, Brendon Deere’s Spitfire IX and Grumman Avenger “Plonky”, Bill Reid’s Anson, the Harvards, the Yak 52s, three T-28 Trojans, Strikemaster, Vampire, Lockheed 12a Electra Junior, and much more.
And of course there is the USAF F-16 Fighting Falcons, the C-17, USAF and RNZAF C-130s, the RNZAF’s Black Falcons team and the Air Force Heritage Flight, and the new Boeing P-8 Poseidon’s airshow debut, plus the four-ship L-39 jet team flown by the US Patriots pilots, and much more.
Quick Links:
• GET TICKETS HERE
• Warbirds Over Wanaka 2024 Website
• Warbirds Over Wanaka on Facebook
Ed TaylorThe music heard in this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud
Guest: Brendon Deere
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 20th of February 2024
Published: 2nd of March 2024
Duration: 1 hour 11 minutes, 28 seconds
In this 300th episode in the Wings Over New Zealand Show series, Dave Homewood talks with Brendon Deere of the Biggin Hill Trust about the beautiful restoration on his ex-RNZAF North American P-51D Mustang NZ2423 (ZK-BHT).
The Mustang served with the Royal New Zealand Air Force from 1945 till 1957. NZ2423 arrived in New Zealand aboard the ship Dominion Park on the 27th of August 1945, and as the Japanese had surrendered while it was on the water the Air Force put it and the other 28 Mustangs into storage at Hobsonville. In February 1947 the cocooned Mustang fleet were barged from Hobsonville down to Clevedon and towed from there to RNZAF Station Ardmore, which had been a fighter base but was now under Care & Maintenance. The P-51D’s were put into storage in one of the hangars there.
Following a period of storage at Ardmore, most of the Mustangs were placed into service with the Territorial Air Force squadrons in 1952. But NZ2423 was readied for flight and then flown to Rukuhia for another period of storage, as a reserve aircraft.
NZ2423 finally entered operational service in with No. 2 (Wellington) Squadron of the Territorial Air Force, based at Ohakea, as a replacement on the 12th of July 1954. On the 25th of October 1955 it was then transferred to No. 42 Squadron and converted to tow target drogues for the Vampire pilots.
It was the last RNZAF Mustang to fly, when on the 30th of May 1957 it flew from Ohakea to Woodbourne and went back into storage. The Mustangs were put up for sale by tender and in May 1958 NZ2423 was sold to Bill Ruffell of Blenheim, who along with his friend Harry Rutledge had planned to use it to build a new powerboat using the engine and the cockpit and tail. The pair already had the famous hydroplane racing boat Tru-Jen. But their plans fizzled out and they sold the Mustang to John Smith of Mapua in 1964, who stored it in his famous shed till his death in 2019.
Brendon purchased the Mustang in 2020, and set about restoring it. It made its return to flight in November 2023. In this episode he tells the story of the Mustang’s history and talks about the restoration. He also details the current status of other aircraft in his collection, the Spitfire IX, the Avenger “Plonky” and his Harvard NZ1037.
The Mustang will make its airshow debut at the end of this month at Warbirds Over Wanaka, flown by S/Ldr Sean Perrett, alongside the Biggin Hill Trust’s Spitfire and Avenger.
Quick Links:
• Biggin Hill Historic Aircraft Centre, RNZAF Ohakea
• The long running Wings Over New Zealand Forum Mustang NZ2423 Thread
Above: Mustang NZ2423 over Ohakea. (Gavin Conroy photo)Above: Brendon Deere with his Spitfire. (Brendon Deere photo)Above: Mustang NZ2423 on the flightline at RNZAF Base Ohakea. (Brendon Deere photo)Above: The Grumman TBM Avenger “Plonky” nearing a return to flight. Since the recording the new engine has been run.The music heard in this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud
Guests: Arthur Joplin (No. 617 Squadron pilot) and Ron Mayhill (No. 75 (NZ) Squadron bomb aimer), with Peter Wheeler of the New Zealand Bomber Command Association.
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 29th of August 2013
Published: 26th of February 2024
Duration: 40 minutes, 46 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood dips into his archive and pulls out a 2013 recording that he made when he and Peter Wheeler (of the New Zealand Bomber Command Association) visited Arthur Joplin and Ron Mayhill at Arthur’s retirement village home in Remuera. The recording was made during a social visit, when Dave and Peter got Arthur and Ron to tell some of their memories. This is an edited version to pull out the most interesting highlights from the conversation.
Arthur was an RNZAF veteran who served as a Lancaster pilot with No. 617 Squadron RAF during WWII. He was one of the pilots that attacked the German battleship Tirpitz twice, sinking it in November 1944.
Ron was an RNZAF bomb aimer, who flew with New Zealand’s heavy bomber squadron, No. 75 (NZ) Squadron, during the latter part of 1944. He wrote the absolutely brilliant memoir Bombs On Target, which is a must read. He also served several years till his death as President of the New Zealand Bomber Command Association.
Ron passed away in 2020, and Arthur died in 2023, so these memories and stories are precious reminders of these great men and the things they did during WWII.
Quick Links:
• The New Zealand Bomber Command Association
• The New Zealand Bomber Command Association Facebook Page
• The Tirpitz
The Lancaster artwork from Ron Mayhill’s marvellous book Bombs On Target.Above: Arthur Joplin, in later life, and right during WWII. (NZBCA Archives)
Above: Ron Mayhill, in later life, and right during WWII. (NZBCA Archives)
The music heard in this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud
Guest: Denis Sharp and Jim Cosgrove
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 27th of July 2023
Published: 18th of February 2024
Duration: 1 hour minutes, seconds
In this episode of Wings Over Britain Dave Homewood is given a guided tour of the remains of former RAF Hunsdon by local historians Denis Sharp and Jim Cosgrove on a drizzly day. Hunsdon was a wartime airfield in Hertfordshire that was home to several wartime squadrons and units. These included No. 487 (NZ) Squadron with their Mosquito fighter-bombers alongside No. 464 Squadron RAAF and No. 21 Squadron RAF, which together formed No. 140 Wing.
The No. 140 Wing Mosquitoes took off from here to make the famous attack on the Amiens prison in northern France, in an attempt to release hundreds of members of the French Resistance who were being held prisoner by the Gestapo.
Another New Zealand squadron that spent a short time at Hunsdon was No. 488 (NZ) Squadron, before they deployed to the Continent with their night fighter Mosquitoes.
It was also home at various periods to No. 3 Squadron RAF with their Hurricanes, and the Hunsdon Wing which was made up from No. 611 (West Lancashire) Squadron, No. 154 (Motor Industry) Squadron and No. 442 (Caribou) Squadron, RCAF.
These days most of the buildings and structures have disappeared, but the airfield remains active with a small flying club with light aircraft and microlights. A memorial to those who served there can be found next to the flying club.
Quick Links:
• Hertfortshire Airfields Memorial Group’s page on RAF Hunsdon
• RAF Hunsdon on Wikipedia
• Hunsdon Village’s page on RAF Hunsdon
• WONZ Episode 62 – The Amiens Prison Raid 70th Anniversary Special from 10 years earlier
Jim Cosgrove, left, and Denis Sharp, right, with the RAF Hunsdon Memorial.A 1943 aerial of RAF Hunsdon, taken from the HAMG page.A 1946 aerial shot overlayed onto Google Earth image, taken from the HAMG page.Denis Sharp on the perimeter track with the wartime footprints.
Guest: Jason Webb
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 26th of July 2023
Published: 15th of February 2024
Duration: 16 minutes, 31 seconds
In this mini-episode of Wings Over Britain Dave Homewood meets Jason Webb at the Bottisham Airfield Museum, at former RAF Bottisham in Cambridgeshire. The museum presents the history of the wartime station, which has now reverted back to countryside, including its time as a Royal Air Force station with Army Cooperation P-40s and Mustangs, and then as a USAAF fighter base with Mustangs. It also covers the local area’s war efforts with displays depicting the Home Front organisations such as the Home Guard and Air Raid Precautions (ARP) units.
The museum is located in genuine wartime buildings from the airfield, and includes recreations of various offices and living quarters to show how life was there during WWII, plus lots of aviation artefacts, genuine uniforms, models, photos and much more depicting the base’s history, and there is a stunningly realistic replica P-51D Mustang “Lou IV” acting as centrepiece and gate guard.
Quick Links:
• Bottisham Airfield Museum Website
• Bottisham Airfield Museum on Facebook
Jason Webb with the Mustang replica.Jason Webb took Dave Homewood and Mike Shreeve for a drive in the Jeep around the perimeter of the former airfield to show where its boundaries used to stretch to. See the video Dave took below:
The music in this episode is I Vow To Thee, My Country by Gustav Holst.
Thanks to Mike Shreeve for his assistance with this episode.
Guest: Rebecca Greenwood Harding
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 25th of July 2023
Published: 6th of February 2024
Duration: 33 minutes, 15 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood visited the Imperial War Museum at Duxford, in Cambridgeshire, and caught up with Rebecca Greenwood Harding, the Head of Technological Objects for the collection there. Following a tour of the museum with Rebecca and mutual friend Mike Shreeve, including some areas that the public does not normally see, Dave sat down with Rebecca to record this interview.
Duxford is one of the most famous airfields in the world, and the Imperial War Museum’s collection, and the various collections of the IWM’s partners at Duxford, are incredibly impressive. Rebecca talks about her role and how she got into the job there in 2001. She describes the exhibits in the various hangars, and different events that are held at Duxford each year. And she talks about the restoration projects in Hangar 5 at the time, as well as revealing her favourite aircraft in the collection, and her favourite Spitfire.
Quick Links:.
• The Imperial War Museum Duxford
The music in this episode is I Vow To Thee, My Country by Gustav Holst.
Thanks to Mike Shreeve and Ania Shreeve for their assistance with making this episode.
Below are photos from two days’ visiting Duxford, copyright Dave Homewood July 2023.
Mike Shreeve and Rebecca Greenwood Harding during the tour of the old station on the opposite side of the road.
Guest: Tony Philpot
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 18th of July 2023
Published: 19th of January 2024
Duration: 50 minutes, 8 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood visits the RAF Hornchurch Heritage Centre, on the site of the former RAF Station Hornchurch, and he talks with the museum’s curator Tony Philpot.
RAF Hornchurch is synonymous with the Battle of Britain, as one of the most famous and important fighter bases that existed in the defence of London. It was here that some of the Royal Air Force’s best pilots were based, and this included New Zealanders such as Alan Deere and Colin Gray in 1940. Another Kiwi connection is with No. 485 (New Zealand) Squadron, whose Spitfires were based at Hornchurch for two different stints in 1943 and 1944.
Hornchurch was also the site of a New Zealand Army hospital and convalescence centre in the First World War. And there are other Kiwi connections with the hallowed area too.
Steeped with RAF history, the station no longer exists, but on the 19th of September 2021 the new RAF Hornchurch Heritage Centre was officially opened by Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Graydon GCB CBE.
The centre is packed with really interesting artefacts, displays and memories of RAF Hornchurch’s amazing history. Close to Romford, Essex, just east of London, the centre is well worth a visit. The volunteer staff on the day that Dave visited, Tony, Paul and Jim, were fantastic fun too with lots of great banter, but also a true dedication to preserving and sharing the history of their now paved over and built on aerodrome. Highly recommended.
Quick Links:.
• RAF Hornchurch Heritage Centre
• RAF Hornchurch Heritage Centre on Facebook
• Hornchurch Aerodrome Historical Trust on Facebook
Above: RAF Hornchurch Heritage Centre volunteers Paul (left) and Jim (centre) and Tony Phillpot. Great fun hosts, and very knowledgeable museum guides!The music in this episode is I Vow To Thee, My Country by Gustav Holst.
Guest: Stephen Bridgewater
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 13th of July 2023
Published: 20th of December 2023
Duration: 1 hour 8 minutes, 9 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood talks with well known aviation journalist Steve Bridgewater about his career and his passion for aviation. Steve is a multiple award winning aviation author, journalist and photographer with more than two decades experience in editing aviation and aerospace magazines .
His passions include vintage aeroplanes, warbirds and airshows. He spent many years with Air Atlantique, working with the DC-3’s and other old aeroplanes in that now defunct collection. He is also a Liveryman of the Honourable Company of Air Pilots, and he explains what this means.
His current role, and dream job, is as Deputy Editor of AEROSPACE Magazine at the Royal Aeronautical Society. His office is at No. 4 Hamilton Place, London, overlooking Hyde Park, and right near the Bomber Command Memorial in Green Park, and the RAF Club. He and the AEROSPACE team also produce a monthly podcast called AEROSPACE NOTAM.
Quick Links:
• The Royal Aeronautical Society (UK)
• AEROSPACE Magazine
• AEROSPACE NOTAM Podcast
• Steve on Facebook
• Steve on X Twitter
• Steve in Linked In
Steve Bridgewater. (Steve Bridgewater photo)The AEROSPACE magazine team, left to right, Charlotte Bailey, Tim Robinson, Steve Bridgewater and Bella Richards. (Steve Bridgewater photo)A selfie taken by Steve Bridgewater at the Flying Legends airshow at Church Fenton, Yorkshire. Left to right, Steve Bridgewater, Simon Jacubowski, Johan Brobakken, Dave Homewood and Graham Henderson. Steve’s painting of the Dakota he first flew in as a boy.The music in this episode is I Vow To Thee, My Country by Gustav Holst.
Guest: Fletcher McKenzie
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 27th of October 2023
Published: 14th of December 2023
Duration: 59 minutes, 46 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood chats with Fletcher McKenzie, an entrepreneur and former advertising executive who turned his hand to television and, with Malcolm Clement, produced the very popular FlightPath TV, which was seen in 61 countries around the [...]
Guest: Andy Saunders
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 12th of July 2023
Published: 10th of December 2023
Duration: 1 hour 26 minutes, 14 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood caught up with author, journalist and historian Andy Saunders in his ‘War Office’ writing room in Eton, under the flightpath to Heathrow. Andy talks about his childhood [...]
Guest: Darren Priday, Manager of the RAF Museum’s Conservation Centre
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 11th of July 2023
Published: 18th of November 2023
Duration: 46 minutes, 39 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood visited the terrific Royal Air Force Museum Midlands, at RAF Cosford, with friend Nigel Hitchman, and he met the Manager of the RAF Museum’s [...]
Guests: Tracy Dixon, Airside Manager for Wings Over Wairarapa 2023
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 14th of November 2023
Published: 14th of November 2023
Duration: 21 minutes, 28 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood speaks with Tracy Dixon, the Airside Manager for the Wings Over Wairarapa Air Festival, which will take place over the 24th to 26th of November 2023 [...]
Guests: Ian Thirsk, Mosquito Team Leader
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 7th of July 2023
Published: 11th of November 2023
Duration: 53 minutes, 09 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood visits the de Havilland Aircraft Museum at London Colney, Hertfordshire, and he interviews Ian Thirsk, the Mosquito Team Leader with the museum. Whilst the museum preserves the history and products [...]
Guest: Julian Maslin, BBMF Guide.
Host: Dave Homewood, with Barbara Hunter.
Recorded: 6th of July 2023
Published: 3rd of November 2023
Duration: 1 hour, 4 minutes, 27 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood visits The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire. He was accompanied by Barbara Hunter of the New Zealand Bomber Command Association, and [...]
Guests: David Gledhill, Author and Aviator
Host: Dave Homewood, and also heard are Dave’s hosts in Woodhall Spa, Ken White and Barbara Hunter.
Recorded: 6th of July 2023
Published: 29th of October 2023
Duration: 41 minutes, 52 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood visits former RAF navigator and author Dave Gledhill at Thorpe Camp, Lincolnshire. Dave owns [...]
Guests: Dr. Dan Ellin and Peter Jones
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 5th of July 2023
Published: 6th of October 2023
Duration: 50 minutes, 5 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood visited the International Bomber Command Centre, where he met Dr. Dan Ellin, of the University of Lincoln, who is the archivist for the International Bomber Command Centre Digital Archive. [...]
Guests: John Marshal-East and Andrew Panton
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 4th of July 2023
Published: 29th of September 2023
Duration: 1 hour, 10 minutes, 34 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood visited the former RAF Station at East Kirkby in Lincolnshire, home of the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre. This museum is famous for its taxiing Avro Lancaster NX611 Just [...]
Guest: Grace Hills
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 5th of September 2023
Published: 23rd of September 2023
Duration: 35 minutes, 26 seconds
Dave Homewood talks with Grace Hills in this episode to mark the annual international Girls In Aviation Day!
Grace is an aircraft technician in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and she is also a private pilot. [...]
Guests: Darren Harbar, Steve Darlow, George Dunn DFC and David Bremner
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 1st and 2nd of July 2023
Published: 16th of September 2023
Duration: 1 hour, 10 minutes, 20 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood met with several friends at the hallowed ground that is Old Warden aerodrome, the home of the world famous Shuttleworth Collection. He [...]
Guest: Flt Lt David Barnston, RAF/RNZAF retired
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 1st of September 2023
Published: 10th of September 2023
Duration: 1 hour 17 minutes, 47 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood talks with 99-year old fighter pilot veteran David Barnston, who was born in London, and went to school next to RAF Hendon as a lad. He joined the Royal Air Force when he was 17-years-old, and trained as a pilot on Tiger Moths in Guinea Fowl, near Bulawayo in Southern Rhodesia, and advanced to Harvards at No. 22 SFTS at Thornhill at Gwelo (now called Gweru). After a spell in Durban he was sent to India destined to be posted onto the Vultee Vengeance bombers, but discovered on arrival these aircraft had already departed.
After going from pillar to post around India he was sent back to Africa and ended up doing a fighter Operation Training Unit course on Hawker Hurricanes at Ishmailia, in Egypt.
Once he was qualified on fighters he returned to India and eventually joined No. 123 (East India) Squadron at Yelahanka, where he began flying Republic P-47D Thunderbolts. The squadron moved up to the Arakan in Burma and he flew operationally in Thunderbolts from September 1944 till March 1945. He was then sent home to Britain for a furlough leave. When he returned in July 1945 his squadron had been renumbered as No. 81 Squadron.
In October 1945 No. 81 Squadron and another Thunderbolt squadron, plus a Mosquito squadron, moved to Java in the Dutch East Indies to get involved in the war called the Indonesian National Revolution, or the Indonesian War of Independence. There they were involved in keeping ‘safe roads’ clear from rebels who were attempting an uprising so the refugees trying to get to the coast to escape could do so in safety.
David flying Spitfire XVI SM750 David and his mother and brother in a modified Avro 504K going for a joyride in the late 1920s or early 1930s.David Barnston with the photo of his granddaughter he refers to.A close up of the photo.The map diagram, from a magazine, that David used to explain the Mandalay raid.
This is an introduction to the new series Warbird Radio Downunder which starts today on the Warbird Radio Network.
The Jolley Company, LLC|9/8/2023
WARBIRD RADIO – The Wings Over New Zealand Show LIVE host Dave Homewood is back on Warbird Radio, with a similar show but the new name is Warbird Radio Downunder. He and occasional co-host Grant McHerron will present stories to Warbird Radio listeners from both New Zealand and Australia, and perhaps beyond.
Dave is the host of the long-running series The Wings Over New Zealand Show, which covers all sorts of stories from the world of New Zealand aviation. He is also an aviation magazine editor and journalist, Administrator for the Sport Aircraft Association of New Zealand, and founder of the very popular Wings Over New Zealand Forum.
Grant, a Kiwi based in Melbourne, Australia, is co-host of another popular aviation podcast series, Plane Crazy Down Under. He works in the Australian defence industry, and he is a keen balloon pilot.
Today’s guest is John Parker is the Public Officer at the Hunter Fighter Collection, based at Scone, NSW, in Australia. He speaks with Dave about the Pat Hughes Spitfire, Mk. 1a Spitfire X4009, which is currently being rebuilt to fly again, and will be based at Scone. John talks about Flight Lieutenant Pat Hughes DFC, who was Australia’s top scoring fighter ace in the Battle of Britain, before he was killed in X4009.
John also discusses the Hunter Fighter Collection, and the recent addition to its fleet, a North American P-51D Mustang that has been donated by the Royal Air Force Museum, and all the other aircraft in the fleet. Plus a replica Spitfire fuselage that will be taken around Australia to raise awareness of Pat Hughes’ story and the Spitfire project.
QUICK LINK: https://www.hunterwarbirds.com.au/
QUICK LINK: https://www.facebook.com/HunterFighterCollection
QUICK LINK: https://www.facebook.com/ThePatHughesSpitfire
QUICK LINK: https://www.facebook.com/WarbirdsOnline
This is an introduction to the new series Warbird Radio Downunder which starts today on the Warbird Radio Network.
The Jolley Company, LLC|9/8/2023
WARBIRD RADIO – The Wings Over New Zealand Show LIVE host Dave Homewood is back on Warbird Radio, with a similar show but the new name is Warbird Radio Downunder. He and occasional co-host Grant McHerron will present stories to Warbird Radio listeners from both New Zealand and Australia, and perhaps beyond.
Dave is the host of the long-running series The Wings Over New Zealand Show, which covers all sorts of stories from the world of New Zealand aviation. He is also an aviation magazine editor and journalist, Administrator for the Sport Aircraft Association of New Zealand, and founder of the very popular Wings Over New Zealand Forum.
Grant, a Kiwi based in Melbourne, Australia, is co-host of another popular aviation podcast series, Plane Crazy Down Under. He works in the Australian defence industry, and he is a keen balloon pilot.
Today’s guest is John Parker is the Public Officer at the Hunter Fighter Collection, based at Scone, NSW, in Australia. He speaks with Dave about the Pat Hughes Spitfire, Mk. 1a Spitfire X4009, which is currently being rebuilt to fly again, and will be based at Scone. John talks about Flight Lieutenant Pat Hughes DFC, who was Australia’s top scoring fighter ace in the Battle of Britain, before he was killed in X4009.
John also discusses the Hunter Fighter Collection, and the recent addition to its fleet, a North American P-51D Mustang that has been donated by the Royal Air Force Museum, and all the other aircraft in the fleet. Plus a replica Spitfire fuselage that will be taken around Australia to raise awareness of Pat Hughes’ story and the Spitfire project.
QUICK LINK: https://www.hunterwarbirds.com.au/
QUICK LINK: https://www.facebook.com/HunterFighterCollection
QUICK LINK: https://www.facebook.com/ThePatHughesSpitfire
QUICK LINK: https://www.facebook.com/WarbirdsOnline
Guest: Tony Hoskins
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 30th of June 2023
Published: 20th of August 2023
Duration: 1 hour 59 minutes, 38 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood talks with Tony Hoskins who is leading the team who are restoring Supermarine Spitfire PR.IV AA810, known as Sandy’s Spitfire. This Photographic Reconnaissance Unit (PRU) Spitfire was flown by Flight Lieutenant [...]
Guest: David Morris, Principle Conservator at the Fleet Air Arm Museum
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 28th of June 2023
Published: 15th of August 2023
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes, 31 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood visits The Fleet Air Arm Museum, part of the National Museum of the Royal Navy, at Yeovilton in Somerset. There [...]
Guests: Dave Cole and Margaret Wilmot
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 30th of June 2023
Duration: 1 hour 41 minute 46 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood talks with Dave Cole, a guide and local historian at the Biggin Hill Memorial Museum, at former RAF Biggin Hill. Dave talks about the fascinating history of the famous [...]
Guests: Andrew Lewis and Allan Winn
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 29th of June 2023
Duration: 1 hour 1 minute 13 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood talks with Andrew Lewis and Allan Winn at the Brooklands Museum, at Weybridge, Surrey, in England. Brooklands was the home of British motor racing, and also the home of Vickers Weybridge, a [...]
Guests: Lee Howard and Rob Jones
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 28th of June 2023
Duration: 57 minutes
In this episode Dave Homewood talks with naval aviation historian Lee Howard and Navy Wings’ marketing manager Rob Jones during a walk around the Navy Wings hangar at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, in Somerset.
Aircraft in the hangar included two Fairey Swordfish (one [...]
Guest: Flight Lieutenant Alan Ross Boyens, RAF (Retired)
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 27th of June 2023
Duration: 1 hour 5 minutes, seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood talks with Ross Boyens, a New Zealander who joined the Royal Air Force in 1972. Following his initial officer training at Wigram with the RNZAF, he then went off to [...]
Guest: Lewis James Day, MNZM, DFC
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 11th of June 2023
Duration: 1 hour 22 minutes, 12 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood talks via Zoom with Lew Day, who was just five weeks away from turning 100 at the time of the recording, and Lew’s son Brian Day was also sitting [...]
Guest: Group Captain Jason Easthope, RAAF
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 16th of May 2023
Duration: 1 hour 39 minutes, 41 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood talks via Zoom with Group Captain Jason Easthope, RAAF. Born in Rotorua, New Zealand, Easty became inspired by a visit of the RNZAF Strikemasters to Rotorua, and an airshow they had that included a couple of Skyhawks.
At the age of 17 he was selected for pilot training in the RNZAF, and he talks about training on the NZAI CT/4B Airtrainer, and progressing to the BAC167 Strikemaster. He then became one of the first bunch of RNZAF pilots to fly the new Aermacchi MB339CB ‘Macchis’. Next came conversion to the McDonnell Douglas Skyhawk with No. 2 Squadron RNZAF, based at Nowra, NSW, in Australia.
Following the completion of his Skyhawk training at Nowra, Jason returned to Ohakea and was posted to No. 75 Squadron RNZAF, again flying Skyhawks.
In 1996 Jason was selected for an exchange posting to the RAF which saw him undergo an eight week course at RAF Valley on BAe Hawks, before joining No. 6 Squadron RAF, flying Sepecat Jaguars.
On returning to the RNZAF, Jason returned did an instructor’s course at the Central Flying School at Ohakea, and then returned to Nowra as an instructor. During this time he narrowly escaped death when practicing an aerobatic manoeuvre that killed his CO, Squadron Leader Murray Neilson, who he was paired up with at the time. Jason was promoted to lead the squadron as a result, but shortly afterwards the unit was wound down due to the Air Combat Wing disbandment.
After deliberation, Jason decided to leave the RNZAF and to join the Royal Australian Air Force. He spent time instructing on the BAe Hawk there and then converted onto the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. This would become the aircraft that he has spent most of his RAAF career flying, serving on four Hornet units over time, and becoming the Chief of Staff for fighter operations in the RAAF. He was commander when the Hornets retired in 2021.
Jason then moved into his current role, as Commanding Officer of No. 100 Squadron RAAF. This is the RAAF’s Heritage Aircraft Fleet, which flies and displays an array of WWII and postwar trainers, fighters and bombers, with bases at RAAF Point Cook, and at Temora.
Quick Links:
• The Royal New Zealand Air Force
• The Royal Australian Air Force
• No. 100 Squadron RAAF
• Temora Aviation Museum’s Facebook Page
Above: Group Captain Jason Easthope in 2021 on the day the RAAF Hornets retired. Photo cropped from a shot in the Port Stephen Examiner.Above: Easty preparing to fly No. 100 Squadron RAAF’s Mustang at Temora in May 2023. Photo Colin Ford.Above: Easty taxiing out in the RAAF’s Mustang at Temora in May 2023. Photo Colin Ford.The following photos have been kindly supplied by Don Simms.
Coverage of Air Combat Wing final Day. Sqn Ldr Easthope 75 Sqn Ops room.Coverage of Air Combat Wing final Day. Sqn Ldr Easthope, 75 Sqn flight briefing.Coverage of Air Combat Wing final Day. 75 Sqn Last Flight, Sqn Ldr Easthope flies by low and fast.The music heard in this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud
Guest: Bevan Dewes
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 27th of April 2023
Duration: 1 hour 13 minutes, 54 seconds
In this episode we welcome back Bevan Dewes to the WONZ Show to discuss the restoration and return to flight of his award winning North American Aviation Harvard Mk. IIA NZ1044, aka ZK-OTU.
Bevan purchased the aircraft in February 2020, and transported it to Wanaka where he restored it with the assistance of Callum Smith and the team at Twenty24, a restoration shop at Wanaka Airport, and the engine and propeller were overhauled by Aero Technology Ltd. at Ardmore. The restoration process was more drawn out than hoped due to various Covid lockdowns and the dreadful effect the virus rules had on the supply chain for parts from overseas.
The Harvard was returned to its meticulously researched own wartime colour scheme that it wore in 1944-45 at No. 2 (Fighter) Operational Training Unit (2OTU) at RNZAF Station Ohakea. At that unit newly trained pilots would learn the business of becoming fighter pilots in Harvards and P-40 Kittyhawks and Warhawks. Many dozens, perhaps hundreds, of young pilots flew NZ1044 and trained up at 2OTU before heading to a fighter squadron on P-40s, or from May 1944 onwards, Corsairs. Many of them went on to make names for themselves, and some returned to 2OTU as instructors. So a long list of interesting pilots flew NZ1044 during the war between 1943 and 1945.
After the war the Harvard spent several years in storage as a reserve aircraft, but then returned to service in 1954, flying with the RNZAF Station Wigram pool of Harvards used by the No. 1 Flying Training School, and the Central Flying School. In 1958 NZ1044 became the first Mk. II Harvard to undergo the upgrade programme to Harvard Mk. IIA*, but on completion of this it went back into storage, and remained there.
The Harvard was eventually sold by the Air Force to National Airways Corporation and became an instructional airframe at their apprentice school. It passed into the hands of Air New Zealand when NAC was merged into that airline. And then the airline sold it off in 1990. It remained stored near Rolleston for over a decade and then was sold to a group of enthusiasts who moved it to Ashburton, but it sat there in the back of a hangar untouched till 2020 when Bevan purchased it.
NZ1044 returned to the air for the first time in almost 65 years on the 10th of March 2023. Since then Bevan debuted it at the Yealands Classic Fighters Airshow at Omaka, Blenheim, where he wowed the crowd with a new pairs display act that he and Pete McCombe have been working up over the past few years. With Bevan in NZ1044 and Pete in Harvard NZ1066, the pair put on a beautiful paired aerobatic display on the Friday night.
Bevan also flew NZ1044 again on the Saturday and Sunday, now with the bomb racks, practice bombs and the aircraft’s original two machine guns fitted. He led a tight formation in a flat display with Mark O’Sullivan in his lovely ex-South African Air Force Harvard, ZK-XSA, and then Mark did a solo aerobatic display.
While parked up on the flightline Bevan also added a pair of replica 250lb bombs to the racks, to add to the visual impact of the already impressive warbird.
At the grand dinner on the Sunday night when the awards were being handed out, Bevan was presented the Grand Warbird Champion trophy, much deserved as one of the most talked about aircraft debuting at the show, and recognising both his restoration of the aircraft back to flight, and his lovely presentation of the aircraft in the flying displays.
On the early morning of the 25th of April 2023, Bevan also took to the air to fly NZ1044 over his hometown Cenotaph at Masterton for the ANZAC Day Dawn Service flypast.
Bevan plans to offer rides in the Harvard very soon through a new warbird and classic aircraft ride company he and his fiancé Lucy Newell have created, Legend Aviation. So watch this space.
Quick Links:
• Legend Aviation (coming soon!)
• Twenty24 Ltd., Wanaka
• Heli Support New Zealand Limited (who painted NZ1044)
• Aqua Max (who paint stripped NZ1044)
• SAB Avionics (who did the avionics work on NZ1044)
• Aero-Technologies (who overhauled NZ1044’s engine)
• Fieldair (who were involved in NZ1044’s engine overhaul)
• Airbus (who were involved in NZ1044’s propeller overhaul)
• Air Force Museum of New Zealand (who helped with NZ1044’s paint scheme and colour matching)
Above: Harvard NZ1044 with the Classic Fighters Grand Warbird Champion trophy on its wing. (Photo Bevan Dewes.)Above: One of the photos found by Dave Homewood in the accident report file for NZ1044 when it struck a wire, and nearly hit a hillside, just five days after it entered service with No. 2 (Fighter) Operational Training Unit. Note the gunner’s canopy, which inspired Bevan to refit that style of canopy to NZ1044. (Photo Dave Homewood, or am RNZAF Official print).Line up of six Harvards of No. 2 (Fighter) Operational Training Unit on the tarmac at Ohakea. NZ1044 is the closest, still in its bare metal scheme and before it became FE-9. Beside it is FE-7 and FE-5. Image from the Des White personal collection, from the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. 3/4 front view of Harvard NZ1044 FE-9, of No. 2 Operational Training Unit, with port undercarriage collapsed. RNZAF Station Ohakea. This photo inspired the colour scheme research. (Air Force Museum of New Zealand Shot.)Side view of Harvard NZ1044, in front of No. 1 Hangar, with a line up of Harvards in the background. RNZAF Station Wigram. DWNZ1044c from the Des White personal collection, with the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. This is the 1950s silver and yellow bands scheme.NZ1044 leading NZ1049 during the 1950s.NZ1044 while owned by National Airways Corporation as an instructional airframe, at Harewood, Christchurch.Bevan Dewes, right, with Callum Smith of Twenty24, when they were assessing it in February 2020 at Ashburton. A few days later Bevan purchased the aircraft. (Photo Lucy Newell, via Bevan Dewes)Bevan Dewes in NZ1044 at Yealands Classic Fighters 2023 airshow. (Photo Dave Homewood)NZ1044’s front cockpit. (Photo Dave Homewood)NZ1044 bombed up at Yealands Classic Fighters 2023 airshow. (Photo Dave Homewood)Pete McCombe in Harvard NZ1066 leading Bevan Dewes in NZ1044, showing off that lovely, unique NZ Duck Egg Blue colour underneath. (Photo Dave Homewood)Bevan Dewes sitting on his pride and joy, Harvard NZ1044. (Photo Dave Homewood)The music heard in this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud
Guest: Gavin Conroy
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 2nd of April 2023
Duration: 40 minutes, 32 seconds
The Yealands Classic Fighters 2023 Airshow kicks off this week on Good Friday at Omaka Aerodrome, Blenheim. In this episode Dave Homewood talks with the Airshow Director, Gavin Conroy.
Gavin gives a preview of what to expect at the show, and he runs through the new aeroplanes and acts that people can expect to see there, from Harvard NZ1044, the Lockheed Electra Junior, five Wacos together in the air to the Bristol Fighter replica. He also talks about some of the old favourites that are returning, including the RNZAF Black Falcons display team, the Mk. XIVe Spitfire and Focke Wulf 190 replica, the two Yak 3’s. and the V-2 rocket!
Quick Links:
• Yealands Classic Fighters Omaka Airshow 2023
• Yealands Classic Fighters Omaka on Facebook
Above: Gavin Conroy (Classic Fighters Airshow Director)
Guest: James Kightly
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 12th of February 2023
Duration: 1 hour, 15 minutes, seconds
James Kightly of Australia joins Dave via Zoom to discuss the plans for the upcoming Wings Over Britain tour that Dave is undertaking later this year in late June and through July 2023. They discuss some of the places that Dave hopes to visit and the stories that will be recorded for the upcoming WONZ Show sub-series “Wings Over Britain”.
They also look back and reminisce about the similar sub-series that Dave and James recorded in November 2015, “Wings Over Australia”, and highlight some of the episodes recorded in that series that people can still access and listen to.
James also announces his new role with Vintage Aviation News, and how they will be supporting Wings Over Britain with promotional updates as the tour progresses and the episodes roll out. Thanks for the support Vintage Aviation News!
Above: Dave Homewood and James Kightly with Bill Reid’s Avro Anson at Omaka during Yealands Classic Fighters Airshow weekend in 2019.
Photo by Bev Laing.The Wings Over Britain Facebook Page
Wings Over Britain Givealittle Fundraiser
Aviation Tours NZ
The New Zealand Bomber Command Association
The Hauraki Brewing Company
Vintage Aviation News
The Wings Over New Zealand Aviation Forum
Aviation Xtended Podcast
Plane Crazy Down Under Podcast
————————————————————
Wings Over Australia Episodes Specifically Mentioned:
Episode 90 – Keith Webb
Episode 121 – Jamie Croker
Episode 127 – Terry Hetherington of the Fleet Air Arm Museum of Australia
Episode 116 – Andy Bishop at the Temora Aviation Museum
Episode 103 – Matt Henderson
Episode 94 – The Australian National Aviation Museum at Moorabbin
Episode 125 – The Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS)
All the Wings Over Australia Episodes
——————————————————-
A few photos from the Wings Over Australia series
Dave Homewood, right, recording with Terry Hetherington of the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Nowra, NSW. (James Kightly photo)Dave recording with Andy Bishop at Temora Aviation Museum (James Kightly)Dave hearing the story of the Fokker Trimotor “Southern Cross” replica restoration from Jim Thurston at HARS. (James KIghtly)Dave and James at the end of the whirlwind tour around aviation museums and sites around Victoria, ACT and NSW, that resulted in the Wings Over Australia sub-series. (Bev Laing)
Guest: Captain Walter Steward (retired), RNZA, Air OP pilot, known as Wally.
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 18th of October 2022
Released: 27th of January2023
Duration: 1 hour 47 minutes 46 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood speaks via Zoom with Captain Wally Steward, who was an officer with the Royal New Zealand Artillery, in the New Zealand. He was selected to train as a pilot with the RNZAF, to become an Air Observation Post pilot for artillery spotting. Training on North American Harvards up to the stage where he gained his pilot’s brevet, he then progressed onto the Auster J5. He worked as both an artillery officer on the ground and a pilot for a while, before he and fellow Army pilot Roger Pearce were selected to train as helicopter pilots, under the instruction of John Reid of Helicopters (N.Z.) Ltd.
Once they were proficient flying helicopters, Wally and Roger were sent to Malayan Borneo in 1964 where they were supposed to fly helicopters with the British Army. But on arrival they found their helicopters were not ready. So following a survival course in Singapore, they were posted to 7 Reconnaissance Flight, part of No. 656 Squadron, Army Air Corp, at Kuching, Malaya. They underwent their theatre familiarisation there and then they converted to the Auster AOP9.
Once they were familiar with the Auster AOP9s, they got their assignments. Roger was posted to Sibu while Wally was sent on a detachment to Simanggang near Sarawak, where they had solo a Auster detachment. His Auster AOP9 was positioned there to support an infantry battalion whose role was defending the Sarawak area from incursions over the border from Indonesian soldiers.
Eventually the Sioux helicopters were ready for them, so Wally and Roger refamiliarised themselves with helicopter flying, and they they formed an Air OP troop at a detached based outside of Kuching, with Roger in charge and Wally and another pilot flying three Sioux. They were supporting a British artillery regiment.
After several months Wally was posted to Kalabakan, in the Sabah region, in the north of Borneo to take command of the air platoon of the 1st Battalion of the Scots Guards, with two Sioux helicopters flying from a dirt strip.
In January 1966, Wally was posted into Vietnam. He converted onto the Bell UH-1D Huey at Bien Hoa, and there he then joined A Company (“The Cowboys”) of the 82nd Aviation Battalion, in support of the US 173rd Airborne Brigade.
Wally did a second Vietnam tour as a Forward Observation Officer (FOO) at Nui Dat with the First Australian Task Force, which included a New Zealand Rifle Company, 161 Battery RNZA, and a NZ SAS detachment. He served mainly during this tour with 3 Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment.
Wally later left the NZ Army and joined the Army Air Corps of the British Army, and served a further 20 years with that Army. Seven years of that was as a test pilot.
Quick Links:
• New Zealand Army Aviation Association History
• Captain Walter Steward’s Vietnam Page
• The No. 656 Squadron Association Borneo Confrontation History
• 82nd Aviation Battalion, US Army
Above: A British Army Bell 47G Sioux, as flown by Wally Steward in Malaya. (Photo from Peter Downie’s collection,)Above: Air to air view of Auster NZ1703 in flight. This is one of the Austers that Wally did his Army pilot training on at RNZAF Station Wigram. Air Force Museum of New Zealand AC14a.Above: Wally Steward during the Zoom call to record this episode.
Guests: Wing Commander Blair Oldershaw, No. 40 Squadron Commander
Flight Sergeant Dave Wood, Air Load Master Instructor
Flight Sergeant Robyn Claffey, Flight Engineer Instructor
Warrant Officer Darryn “Durry” Wells, Maintenance Warrant Officer
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 16th of November 2022
Released: 23rd of December 2020
Duration: 51 minutes 45 seconds
In this episode of the WONZ Show, Dave Homewood visits No. 40 Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force, at RNZAF Base Whenuapai. Dave sat down with the Commanding Officer, Wing Commander Blair Oldershaw, aircrew members Flight Sergeant Dave Wood, (Air Load Master) and Flight Sergeant Robyn Claffey (Flight Engineer), and Maintenance Warrant Officer Darryn Wells from the squadron to talk about their experiences with the Lockheed C-130H Hercules as the sun sets on its very long RNZAF career. Entering service in 1965, the five Hercules will be replaced in 2023 after 57 years of sterling service. And they discuss the upcoming replacement aircraft, five new Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules.
This discussion gives a great insight into the amazing work that the Hercules fleet has done over five and a half decades for New Zealand, and also looks forward to how the squadron will continue this work with their new aircraft.
Dave Homewood wishes to thank all those who took part in the interview, and those behind the scenes that helped to make it happen, especially No. 40 Squadron Adjutant Squadron Leader Garrick Anderson, No. 40 Squadron Deputy Adjutant Marie Prime, No. 5 Squadron Adjutant Flight Lieutenant Mandy Ferguson, Simone Millar of the Defence Public Affairs department, and Peter and Karola Wheeler.
Quick Links:
• The Royal New Zealand Air Force website
• The Royal New Zealand Air Force Facebook page
*•* The Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules page
• An NZDF story on the C-130J-30
RNZAF Lockheed C-130H Hercules NZ7003 rotating on take-off. (NZDF Photo)An RNZAF C-130H Hercules aircraft flying with two U.S. Air Force MC-130J aircraft. (NZDF Photo)RNZAF Lockheed C-130H Hercules NZ7001 on the apron at Whenuapai. (NZDF Photo)Pilots wear night vision goggles to fly their C-130 Hercules at night. All instruments are lit with subtle green lights so as to not interfere with their sensitive goggles. A C-130 Hercules from 40 SQN is flying out of Base Woodbourne this week for Exercise Nocturnal Reach. This exercise tests the crew’s proficiency in tactical flying, dropping loads and night flying with night vision goggles, so they’re ready to assist in resupply, humanitarian aid and disaster relief or search and rescue operations whenever required by the New Zealand Government. (NZDF Photo)Operation Fresco. No. 40 Squadron Hercules NZ7003 on the tarmac with a New Zealand flag flying from the cockpit hatch. Believed to be at King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Air Force Museum of New Zealand PD29-8-91Three No. 40 Squadron Hercules aircraft at McMurdo airfield, Antarctica with Mt. Erebus behind. L-R: NZ7004, NZ7003, NZ7001. Air Force Museum of New Zealand MUS0701420Air to air view of No. 40 Squadron Hercules NZ7004 in flight over Auckland. Air Force Museum of New Zealand WhC55-71.Air to air front view of No. 40 Squadron Hercules NZ7002 in flight over the Auckland waterfront and city. Air Force Museum of New Zealand Ak626-10-00The music heard in this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud
Guests: Wing Commander Glen Donaldson, Commanding Officer of No. 5 Squadron
Flight Sergeant Tony Strugnell, Flight Engineer
Squadron Leader Paul Barrett, MFC, Flight Engineer, Engineer Officer
Flight Lieutenant Tom Peterson, Pilot
Flying Officer Holly Graham – Air Warfare Officer
Corporal Nikita Crookbain – Air Warfare Specialist
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 16th of November 2022
Released: 12th of December 2022
Duration: 1 hour 17 minutes 53 seconds
In this episode of the WONZ Show, Dave Homewood visits No. 5 Squadron Royal New Zealand Air Force at RNZAF Base Whenuapai. Dave sat down with a group of aircrew and engineers from the squadron to talk about their experiences with the Lockheed P-3K2 Orion as the sun sets on its very long RNZAF career. And they discuss the new Boeing P-8 Poseidon that is just entering service to replace the Orions.
This discussion gives a great insight into the amazing work that the Orion has done over five and a half decades for New Zealand, and also looks forward to how the now Poseidon will fulfil the roles that the Orion spent so long doing, and what is to come for the new aircraft.
This episode is being released on the very day that the first RNZAF Poseidon, NZ4801, arrived in New Zealand after the delivery ferry flight from the USA.
Dave Homewood wishes to thank all those who took part in the interview, and those behind the scenes that helped to make it happen, especially No. 5 Squadron Adjutant Flight Lieutenant Mandy Ferguson, Simone Millar of the Defence Public Affairs department, and Peter and Karola Wheeler.
Quick Links:
• The Royal New Zealand Air Force website
• The Royal New Zealand Air Force Facebook page
• The No. 5 Squadron Association
The episode participants in the squadron commander’s office where this episode was recorded. From left to right: Wing Commander Glen Donaldson, Flight Sergeant Tony Strugnell, Squadron Leader Paul Barrett, Flight Lieutenant Tom Peterson, Flying Officer Holly Graham and Corporal Nikita Crookbain. (Photo Dave Homewood)An RNZAF Lockheed P-3K2 Orion on the flightline at Whenuapai. (Photo Dave Homewood)Two of the three remaining P-3K2 Orions still in service, soon to be replaced by the P-8 Poseidon. (Photo Dave Homewood)Air to air view of No. 5 Squadron Orion NZ4201 in flight over the Auckland Harbour bridge. Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo WgG1223-73Air to air view of No. 5 Squadron Orion NZ4205 in flight over a ship in New Zealand territorial waters. Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo Oh700-30-97_1_1The music heard in this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud
Guest: Brett Emeny
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 24th of November 2022
Released: 30th of November 2022
Duration: 1 hour 21 minutes 14 seconds
November 2022 marks 50 years since the RNZAF’s de Havilland Vampire fleet retired from service. The Air Force operated 58 Vampires within New Zealand, and at least 44 more leased Vampires in Cyprus and Singapore.
[...]
Guest: Air Commodore James Barclay AFC, RNZAF (retired)
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 20th of September 2022
Released: 25th of November 2022
Duration: 1 hour 42 minutes 11 seconds
November 2022 marks 50 years since the RNZAF’s de Havilland Vampire fleet retired from service. The Air Force operated 58 Vampires within New Zealand, and at least 44 more leased [...]
Guest: Maynard Roger Hawkins, known as Mayn.
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 21st of July 2022
Released: 18th of November 2022
Duration: 1 hour minutes seconds
November 2022 marks 50 years since the RNZAF’s de Havilland Vampire fleet retired from service. The Air Force operated 58 Vampires within New Zealand, and at least 44 more leased Vampires in Cyprus [...]
Guest: Flight Lieutenant David James Greenlees 71637 (5 May 1929 – 13 August 2022)
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 21st of July 2022
Released: 11th of November 2022
Duration: 1 hour 38 minutes 40 seconds
November 2022 marks 50 years since the RNZAF’s de Havilland Vampire fleet retired from service. The Air Force operated 58 Vampires within New Zealand, [...]
Guest: Graham Edward “Tommy” Thompson
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 22nd of July 2022
Released: 4th of November 2022
Duration: 1 hour 25 minutes 44 seconds
November 2022 marks 50 years since the RNZAF’s de Havilland Vampire fleet retired from service. The Air Force operated 58 Vampires within New Zealand, and at least 44 more leased Vampires in Cyprus [...]
Guest: Tracy Dixon, Ed Taylor, Gavin Conroy and Frank Parker
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 19th of October 2022
Released: 20th of October 2022
Duration: 53 minutes 56 seconds
In this episode of the WONZ Show, Dave Homewood chats with four of the key people behind New Zealand’s biggest airshows, Tracy Dixon (Wings Over Wairarapa), Ed Taylor (Warbirds Over Wanaka), [...]
Guest: David Fairhead
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 29th of August 2022
Released: 30th of August 2022
Duration: 1 hour 25 minutes 30 seconds
In this episode of the WONZ Show, Dave Homewood chats with British filmmaker David Fairhead, who was the director, producer, editor and main interviewer behind the new feature film ‘Lancaster’ which opens in selected New [...]
Guest: David Stanley Cohu (8 June 1924 – 17 July 2018)
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 29th of October 2015
Released: 17th of July 2022
Duration: 2 hour 14 minutes 18 seconds
In this episode of the WONZ Show, Dave Homewood pulled an older interview from his archive that he recorded in 2015 with former pilot, [...]
Guest: Squadron Leader Larry Olsen AFC
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 12th of May 2022
Released: 15th of May 2022
Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes 17 seconds
Today as this episode is released it is exactly 50 years to the day since the first flight of the first Royal New Zealand Air Force BAC167 Strikemaster Mk. 88, NZ6361. It [...]
Guest: Sean Singleton-Turner
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 20th of April 2022
Released: 22nd of April 2022
Duration: 41 minutes 19 seconds
This episode is the fifth in a series called “Great Escapes”, covering stories of RNZAF ejections from aircraft that have saved lives in emergency situations.
In this episode we hear from Sean Singleton-Turner about his ejection from RNZAF [...]
Guest: Squadron Leader Michael Williams
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 7th of April 2022
Released: 7th of April 2022
Duration: 1 hour 16 minutes 36 seconds
The Air Force Heritage Flight is the newest unit of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and in this episode we hear from its Flight Commander, Squadron Leader Mike Williams. [...]
Guests: Don Simms
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 20th of February 2022
Released: 2nd of April 2022
Duration: 1 hour 23 minutes 52 seconds
Don Simms, who has appeared on the show several times, has had a fascination with the 1982 Falklands War since he was a teenager when the war erupted. And he is particularly interested in the [...]
Guest: Cris George
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 2nd of March 2022
Released: 11th of March 2022
Duration: 1 hour 51 minutes 51 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood talks with former Naval Aviator Cris George. Cris served in the Royal New Zealand Navy from 1966 till 1978. During that time he attended 771 Wings course at Wigram, and [...]
Guests: Alan Thoresen and Owen ‘OJ’ Jones
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 27th of February 2022
Released: 3rd of March 2022
Duration: 1 hour 7 minutes 54 seconds
In this episode, to mark 50 years since the first flight, Dave Homewood talks with Alan Thoresen and Owen Jones about their memories of working on the team the built the [...]
Guests: Geoff “Polly” Polglase, Evan Allen and Terry “Gnome” Austin
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 6th of October 2021
Released: 7th of February 2022
Duration: 1 hour 18 minutes 20 seconds
This episode is the fourth in a series called “Great Escapes”, covering stories of RNZAF ejections from aircraft that have saved lives in emergency situations. This episode is a [...]
Guest: Max Speedy
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 13th of December 2021
Released: 14th of January 2022
Duration: 1 hour 48 minutes 11 seconds
This is the third and likely final interview with Max Speedy. Born in Levin, New Zealand in 1944, Max moved with his family to Australia when he was five years old. He joined the Royal Australian [...]
Guest: Max Speedy
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 23rd of November 2021
Released: 28th of December 2021
Duration: 1 hour 48 minutes 56 seconds
In this episode, Royal Australian Navy Vietnam veteran and historian Max Speedy starts off by giving an overview of the background history of the Vietnam War, and how the Australian and New Zealand forces ended [...]
Guests: Max Speedy, Marty Irons, and the late Geoffrey Fisken
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 22nd of Nov 2021 (Max Speedy, and Marty Irons) and 16th of Sept 2009 (Geoff Fisken)
Released: 7th of December 2021
Duration: 2 hours 51 minutes 47 seconds
This special episode is a three-part special commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Pacific War. On the [...]
Guest: Phillip Barnes, aka Barnsey
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 4th of October 2021
Released: 5th of November 2021
Duration: 47 minutes 5 seconds
This episode is the third in a series called “Great Escapes”, covering stories of RNZAF ejections from aircraft that have saved lives in emergency situations.
In this episode Phil Barnes tells the story of his ejection [...]
Guest: Peter Lindsay
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 30th of September 2021
Released: 29th of October 2021
Duration: 39 minutes 19 seconds
This episode is the second in a series called “Great Escapes”, covering stories of RNZAF ejections from aircraft that have saved lives in emergency situations.
In this episode Pete Lindsay tells the story of his incredible ejection [...]
Guest: Air Commodore Geoffrey Hubbard OBE, RNZAF Retired
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 1st of October 2021
Released: 22nd of October 2021
Duration: 53 minutes 27 seconds
This episode is the first in a series called “Great Escapes”, which will delve into some intense stories of pilots, aircrew or passengers finding themselves in grave danger in the air, and [...]
Guest Speaker: Denys Jones
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 30th of October 2016
Released: 17th of October 2021
Duration: 46 minutes 43 seconds
This episode is a recording of a fantastic talk given by Denys Jones of Ferrymead Aeronautical Society in Christchurch at a Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet held at the Air Force Museum [...]
Guest: Cornelius James “Jim” Sheddan DFC, NZ412358 (3 March 1918-9 December 2010)
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 19th of January 2010
Released: 17th of September 2021
Duration: 1 hour 9 minutes 11 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood spoke with the RNZAF fighter ace Jim Sheddan in 2010. Jim was originally posted to No. 485 (NZ) Squadron on Spitfires [...]
Guest: Sydney Arthur Vincent (1924-2011)
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 1st of December 2009
Released: 3rd of September 2021
Duration: 38 minutes 58 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood has dipped into the archive and pulled out one of his early interviews, with the late Syd Vincent. At the time Syd was the President of the Fleet Air [...]
Guest: John Lamont
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 14th of July 2021
Released: 20th of August 2021
Duration: 1 hour 23 minutes 57 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood caught up with well known and respected airshow pilot John Lamont, while they were both visiting Ardmore Airport. As a child, John lived next to the Omaka Aerodrome and he [...]
Guests: Captain Neville Hay and Peter Allen
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 13th of July 2021
Released: 6th of August 2021
Duration: 2 hours 32 minutes 35 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood interviews former TEAL and Air New Zealand aircrew members Captain Neville Hay and Peter Allen, inside the Boeing 747-200 simulator that is housed at MOTAT, the Museum [...]
Guest: Aidan Cartwright, Gareth Cartwright, Scott Montagu, Derek Shipley and Ian ‘Iggy’ Wood.
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 10th and 24th of July 2021
Released: 24th of July 2021
Duration: 1 hour 9 minutes 48 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood spent a couple of days, two weeks apart, at Waharoa Aerodrome, Matamata, with members of the Piako Gliding Club. [...]
Guest: Paul McSweeny of Pioneer Aero Ltd.
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 12th of July 2021
Released: 18th of July 2021
Duration: 16 minutes 32 seconds
In this special mini-episode Dave Homewood does a walk-around the hangar with Paul McSweeny of Pioneer Aero Ltd., to give an update on all the projects currently happening and one one its [...]
Guest: The late Andy Higgins(Andrew William Higgins – 13 September 1931 to 2 January 2020)
Host: Dave Homewood with Nigel Godfrey
Recorded: 19th of July 2019
Released: 28th of June 2021
Duration: 51 minutes 15 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood and Nigel Godfrey sat down with Andy Higgins to record what he remembered about his days working [...]
Guest: Jack Godfrey (1931-2019), with Jack’s son Nigel Godfrey
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 10th of October 2021
Released: 3rd of June 2021
Duration: 1 hour 27 minutes 22 seconds
Dave Homewood sat down with the well known and respected modeller and aircraft builder Jack Godfrey in October 2019. Jack talks about growing up in Auckland and the Hawkes [...]
Guest: NZ Warbirds President Frank Parker
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 25th of April 2021
Released: 11th of May 2021
Duration: 43 minutes 04 seconds
On the 25th of April 1941, the very first North American Harvard to fly in New Zealand, NZ901, took off on its initial test flight following assembly at RNZAF Station Hobsonville. The Harvard would [...]
Guests: John ‘JK’ Kelly, Peter Layne and Gavin Trethewey
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 25th of April 2021
Released: 2nd of May 2021
Duration: 55 minutes 49 seconds
On the 25th of April 1941, the very first North American Harvard to fly in New Zealand, NZ901, took off on its initial test flight following assembly at RNZAF Station Hobsonville. [...]
Guests: Nick Sheehan and Keith Skilling
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 25th of April 2021
Released: 26th of April 2021
Duration: 47 minutes 28 seconds
On the 25th of April 1941, the very first North American Harvard to fly in New Zealand, NZ901, took off on its initial test flight following assembly at RNZAF Station Hobsonville. The Harvard would [...]
Guest: The late Malcolm Graham Campbell (5 Oct 1934 – 27 Nov 2020)
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 12th of April 2013
Released: 14th of March 2021
Duration: 57 minutes 50 seconds
In this tribute episode Dave Homewood releases an old interview he did with the late Malcolm Campbell, who was well known as a pilot, airline founder and [...]
Guest: Wing Commander Bob Henderson, RNZAF, retired
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 5th of January 2021
Released: 17th of January 2021
Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes 33 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood talks with former RNZAF Wing Commander Bob Henderson, who was the Commanding Officer of No. 40 Squadron RNZAF from 1989-1993.
Bob discusses his Royal New Zealand [...]
Guest: Squadron Leader Alan Harrison, retired
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 9th of February 2019
Released: 8th of January 2021
Duration: 1 hour 21 minutes 32 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood talks with Alan Harrison about his service in the Royal Air Force through the 1960’s, 1970’s and early 1980’s. Alan trained and served initially as an Air [...]
Guest: Harley Cadwallader
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 14th of October 2020
Released: 8th of December 2020
Duration: 1 hour 5 minutes 30 seconds
Harley Cadwallader was a career topdressing and spray pilot. He learned to fly at his home airfield of Masterton with the Wairarapa Aero Club, on Tiger Moths. He started in the agricultural aviation industry as [...]
Guest: Karl Kjarsgaard
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 13th of September 2020
Released: October 2020
Duration: 1 hour 18 minutes 23 seconds
In a slightly different topic from the usual WONZ Show in this episode Dave Homewood talks with Karl Kjarsgaard of Canada about his efforts to ensure the Handley Page Halifax bomber is not forgotten by Canadians, [...]
Guests: Alistair Marshall, and Rodney Dahlberg
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: Al recorded 10th of September 2020, Rod recorded 13th of August 2018
Released: 24th of September 2020
Duration: 1 hour 39 minutes 15 seconds
In this “MOSQUITO SPECIAL” episode Dave Homewood talks again with Al Marshall, the team leader of the exciting current move of [...]
Guests: Alistair Marshall, and Sidney Arthur “Tony” Williams
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: Al recorded 10th of September 2020, Tony recorded 8th of August 2018
Released: 11th of September 2020
Duration: 1 hour 4 minutes 29 seconds
In this “MOSQUITO SPECIAL” episode Dave Homewood talks first with Al Marshall, the team leader of the exciting current move of the world famous [...]
Guest: NZ44090 Aircraftman Clifford Noel Taylor, Aircrafthand (Tech)
Host: Dave Homewood, with Gary McGuire
Recorded: 19th of November 2019
Released: 27th of August 2020
Duration: 1 hour 4 minutes 29 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood and Gary McGuire have a chat with WWII veteran Cliff Taylor of Pukekohe. Cliff was born in Palmerston North, and grew up in [...]
Guest: Lou Larsen
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 17th of December 2019
Released: 18th of July 2020
Duration: 1 hour 9 minutes 43 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood sits down with Lou Larsen, the adopted son of the late Rukuhia scrap dealer Jim Larsen. The Larsen family owned the aluminium smelting business situated on the [...]
Guest: WWII veteran Cpl John Lawrence Ernest Hamlet (known as Laurie), NZ416754, RNZAF Instrument Repairer
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 30th of November 2019
Released: 5th of July 2020
Duration: 1 hour 28 minutes 24 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood chats with Laurie Hamlet, who was born and grew up in Auckland. Before the war he was apprenticed [...]
Guests: Ian Slater, Cameron Wallace, Graham Allan and Martin Oldfield
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 7th of June 2020 (6th of June 2020 in Canada)
Released: 7th of June 2020
Duration: 1 hour 6 minutes 26 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood catches up with Ian Slater of Typhoon Legacy Co. Ltd in Canada and gets an update [...]
Guest Speakers: Mike Nicholls, James Kightly and Charles Davis
Host: Dave Homewood, with Technical Support from Phil Treweek
Recorded: 17th of May 2020
Released: 1st of June 2020
Duration: 1 hour 47 minutes 1 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood hosts the first ever WONZ Virtual Forum Meet, via Zoom, as a result of the Covid 19 [...]
Guest: Edward Leaf, Air Gunner
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 6th of December 2019
Released: 2nd of May 2020
Duration: 53 minutes 24 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood chats with WWII Air Gunner Eddie Leaf, who served with the Royal Air Force in Vickers Wellingtons, Short Stirlings, Handley Page Halifax and Avro Lancasters.
Eddie was born in the UK but [...]
Guest: Neville Worsley
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 9th of February 2020
Released: 17th of April 2020
Duration: 51 minutes 4 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood chats with longtime pilot Neville Worsley about his long career in flying as a commercial pilot in aerial topdressing and tourist flying, and his hobby as a recreational pilot and sport flyer.
[...]
Speakers: Dave Starr, Gavin McIvor and Des Gyde
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 8th of December 2019
Released: 3rd of April 2020
Duration: 1 hour 34 minutes 19 seconds
This episode features presentations made in front of a live audience at the 2019 Wings Over New Zealand Christmas Party, held at Te Kowhai Aerodrome, Hamilton.
The speakers are:
Dave [...]
Guest: Lucy Newell
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 18th of February 2020
Released: 29th of March 2020
Duration: 51 minutes 44 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood chats with Lucy Newell, a young Kiwi commercial pilot who is currently bush flying in Ontario, Canada. She is piloting Cessna Caravans off gravel strips and floatplane DHC-2 Beavers off lakes.
Lucy began flying [...]
Guest: Ian Munro Sexton, WWII RNZAF Radar Mechanic, then Pilot (Ham Radio Call Sign ZL1PZ)
Host: Dave Homewood
Also Sitting In: Bevan Dewes and Paul Radley
Recorded: 16th of March 2020
Released: 27th of March 2020
Duration: 1 hour 3 minutes 40 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood sits down 99 year old veteran Ian Sexton, who served as a [...]
Guests: Aaron Pearce, Aaron Patchett, and Fletcher McKenzie
Host: Dave Homewood
Insert: Grant McHerron and Doug Hamilton
Recorded: 5th of February 2020
Released: 6th of February 2020
Duration: 1 hour 43 minutes 40 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood is joined by Aaron Pearce, Aaron Patchett, and Fletcher McKenzie in this semi-regular The Forum episode.
Aaron [...]
Guest: Charles Darby
Hosts: Dave Homewood, Bevan Dewes
Recorded: 19th of August 2019
Released: 31st of January 2020
Duration: 1 hour 3 minutes 47 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood and Bevan Dewes sat down with the legendary Charles Darby at his home in Auckland. Charles has always had a passion for historical aviation since he was a [...]
Guest: F/Lt Malcolm Flack RAF, RNZAF (retired)
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 1st of December 2019
Released: 19th of January 2020
Duration: 47 minutes 20 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood climbed into the cockpit of the Handley Page Hastings in the workshop of MOTAT – the Museum of Transport and Technology – in Auckland with 97-year-old Malcolm Flack, [...]
Main Speaker: Nathan “Barf” Bosher
Other Speaker: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 1st of September 2019
Released: 12th of January 2020
Duration: 46 minutes 05 seconds
In this final talk given at the 2019 Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram, Christchurch, the museum’s resident Safety And Surface Technician Nathan “Barf” Bosher [...]
Main Speaker: Barry Lennox
Other Speaker: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 1st of September 2019
Released: 4th of January 2020
Duration: 1 hour 1 minute 14 seconds
In this talk given at the 2019 Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram, Christchurch, Barry Lennox gives a fascinating and very technical history of the design [...]
Main Speaker: Squadron Leader Paul Harrison (RNZAF, rtd)
Other Speaker: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 1st of September 2019
Released: 1st of January 2020
Duration: 56 minutes 13 seconds
In this talk given at the 2019 Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram, Christchurch, S/Ldr Paul Harrison talks about his long and [...]
Main Speaker: Alexander Liggett
Other Speaker: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 1st of September 2019
Released: 5th of December 2019
Duration: 38 minutes 3 seconds
In this talk given by Alex Liggett, President of Ferrymead Aeronautical Society, at the recent Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram, Christchurch, we hear about the de Havilland [...]
Main Speaker: Warrant Officer Keith “Buck” Harrison, RNZAF Retired
Other Speaker: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 1st of September 2019
Released: 31st of October 2019
Duration: 51 minutes 51 seconds
This is the third episode from the recent Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram, Christchurch. We hear a talk given by Buck Harrison who joined [...]
Guests: Loretta McGarry, Bob McGarry, Amanda Rutland, Jim Lawson and Keith Skilling
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 19th of October 2019
Released: 25th of October 2019
Duration: 56 minutes 43 seconds
On the weekend of the 18th to the 20th of October 2019 the Tiger Moth Club of New Zealand held a special commemorative Fly-In at Taumarunui Aerodrome, in the heart [...]
Main Speaker: Andrew Love
Other Speaker: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 1st of September 2019
Released: 11th of October 2019
Duration: 35 minutes 19 seconds
This is the second episode from the recent Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram, Christchurch. We hear a talk given by Andy Love about aerobatics. Andy is a pilot and [...]
Main Speaker: Louisa Hormann, Archives Technician at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand
Other Speakers: Dave Homewood and W/C Brett Marshall
Recorded: 1st of September 2019
Released: 25th of September 2019
Duration: 39 minutes 50 seconds
This is the first episode from the recent Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram, Christchurch. [...]
Main Speaker: Des Underwood
Other Speakers: Jack Best (Introducing the event), Greg Brownless (Mayor of Tauranga)
Recorded: 6th of September 2019
Released: 15th of September 2019
Duration: 1 hour 25 minutes 52 seconds
In this episode we hear a recording from the Fourth Annual Jean Batten Lecture, presented by Des Underwood to the Bay of Plenty Branch of the [...]
Guest: Wing Commander Brett Marshall RNZAF, Director of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 2nd of September 2019
Released: 5th of September 2019
Duration: 41 minutes 20 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood sits down with Wing Commander Brett Marshall, RNZAF, who was recently appointed to the role of Director of the [...]
Guest: Warren Denholm of Avspecs Ltd, aka Wal
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 19th of August 2019
Released: 24th of August 2019
Duration: 44 minutes 2 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood visits Wal Denholm in his office at Avspecs Ltd., the Ardmore-based warbird restoration company, to discuss the restoration and recent success with de Havilland Mosquito FB.6 PZ474.
This [...]
Guest: Nevill ClarkeF/Lt William Paul Nevill Clarke, AFC, (cvsa). (5 Nov 1921 – 22 Aug 2019)
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 6th of February 2019
Released: 6th of August 2019
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes 27 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood and Bevan Dewes visited 97-year-old veteran RNZAF pilot Nevill Clarke at his retirement village home in Northcote.
Nevill was [...]
Guest: John Hansen
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 16th of June 2019
Released: 24th of July 2019
Duration: 1 hour 48 minutes 35 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood sat down with aeronautical engineer and recreational pilot John Hansen, in his hangar at his private strip at Pokuru. John talks about his life in aviation, from watching the topdressers as a kid [...]
Guest: Bevan Dewes
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 8th of July 2019
Released: 10th of July 2019
Duration: 57 minutes 17 seconds
The show is finally back after a long hiatus, and with our 200 Wings Over New Zealand Show. Host Dave Homewood is joined by one of his best friends, Bevan Dewes , who is [...]
Guest: Bill Rolfe
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 29th of June 2013
Released: 19th of January 2019
Duration: 54 minutes 07 seconds
To mark the return to flight of de Havilland Mosquito PZ474 (aka NZ2384, ZK-BCV and N9909F) on the 13th of January 2019, we have a special treat. Dave Homewood has pulled a fascinating and [...]
Guest: Wing Commander Chris Pote, RAF
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 7th of January 2019
Released: 11th of January 2019
Duration: 57 minutes 55 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood talks with Wing Commander Chris Pote, of the Royal Air Force, who recently in November and December 2018 made an epic flight in a Eurostar light sport aircraft all the way from Great Britain to New [...]
Guests: Bevan Dewes and Matt Austin
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 20th of December 2018
Released: 23rd of December 2018
Duration: 2 hours 12 minutes 23 seconds
This episode of the WONZ Show sees the return of the popular “The Forum” format where Dave talks with guests Bevan Dewes and Matt Austin in a panel style show. They discuss that [...]
Guests: Graeme Gleeson and Dick Ingham
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 8th of December 2018
Released: 14th of December 2018
Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes 43 seconds
This episode has the other two speakers at the recent WONZ Christmas Party 2018, which was held at the Fly DC3 Hangar at Ardmore Airport. This follows on from WONZ [...]
WWII Corsair pilot Alan Emett talks to a live audience about his wartime experiences [...]
Guest: John Denton
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 23rd of September 2018
Released: 23rd of November 2018
Duration: 1 hour 38 minutes 43 seconds
In this episode John Denton talks about his aviation experiences, from the days when he flew in the Royal New Zealand Air Force and later with Air New Zealand, and with New [...]
Speakers: Bruce Cooke (SAANZ Waikato and Bay of Plenty Chapter Secretary) Paula Moore (Flight Operations Team Leader, Recreational Aviation, NZ CAA) Doug Hamilton (Flight Operations Inspector, Recreational Aviation, NZ CAA)
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 3rd of November 2018
Released: 6th of November 2018
Duration: 38 minutes 38 second
In this episode we hear a live [...]
Guest: Denis Pothan
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 22nd of October 2018
Released: 23rd of October 2018
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes 1 second
In this episode Dave sat in the sunshine chatting with former RNZAF Safety and Surface Worker Denis Pothan, who called into Cambridge on his way home after attending the Safety and Surface [...]
Guest: Captain Geoff White
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 1st of October 2017
Released: 17th of October 2018
Duration: 1 hour 23 seconds
In this episode we hear from Geoff White, who was a childhood friend of the legendary pilot Ray Hanna, serving together in the Air Training Corps during the 1940’s. Upon leaving school Geoff [...]
The Jean Batten Lecture 2018 – The History of National Airways Corporation of New Zealand
Speakers: Des Underwood (Royal Aeronautical Society Bay of Plenty Branch Chairman) The Reverend Richard Waugh (Main speaker) Graham Lister (Royal Aeronautical Society Bay of Plenty Branch Committee Member)
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 14th of September 2018
Released: 15th of September [...]
Guest: Edward Francis “Ted” Edwards, NZZ412303, RAF 59653 11th of Sept 1917 – 20th of Jan 2014
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 17th of July 2012
Released: 7th of September 2018
Duration: 59 minutes 49 seconds
This episode is a 2012 interview with the late WWII and postwar pilot Ted Edwards. Dave Homewood met and interviewed [...]
Guest: NASA Research Pilots Dave Fedors and Paul Newton
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 30th of June 2018
Released: 10th of August 2018
Duration: 58 minutes 17 seconds
This episode features NASA Research Pilots Dave Fedors and Paul Newton speaking at the recent WONZ Forum Meet held at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, at [...]
Guest: Michelle Sim
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 30th of June 2018
Released: 3rd of August 2018
Duration: 37 minutes 49 seconds
This episode features Michelle Sim, the sixth speaker at the recent WONZ Forum Meet held at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, at Wigram, Christchurch.
Michelle is the Communications Manager at the Air [...]
Guest: Russell Brodie and Errol Martyn
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 30th of June 2018
Released: 27th of July 2018
Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes 16 seconds
This episode features the fourth and fifth speakers at the recent WONZ Forum Meet held at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, at Wigram, Christchurch.
Russell Brodie of [...]
Guest: Barry Lennox
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 30th of June 2018
Released: 20th of July 2018
Duration: 1 hour 3 minutes 21 seconds
This is the third speaker at the recent Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet held at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, at Wigram, Christchurch.
Barry Lennox worked part-time in the [...]
Guest: Flight Lieutenant Philip Stewart QSM, mid NZ404962, born 18th of October 1917 at Wanganui, aged 100 at the time of this talk
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 30th of June 2018
Released: 13th of July 2018
Duration: 42 minutes 37 seconds
This is the second speaker at the recent Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet [...]
Guest: Bryan Cox
Welcome From: Wing Commander Brett Marshall
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 30th of June 2018
Released: 6th of July 2018
Duration: 53 minutes 20 seconds
This is the first of the recordings from the Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet held at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, at Wigram in Christchurch, [...]
Guest: William John “Bill” Edhouse, NZ426311, Air Gunner, Royal New Zealand Air Force 16th of June 1922 – 28th of March 2017
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 23rd of January 2010
Released: 16th of June 2018
Duration: 1 hour 51 minutes 35 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood interviewed the late Bill Edhouse, who was an [...]
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 30th of October 2016
Released: 9th of June 2018
Duration: 52 minutes 40 seconds
This episode features a talk given by Matt Hayes about his and his brother Dan’s hunt for the missing Chance Vought F4U-1 Corsair NZ5517. The fighter-bomber vanished somewhere into the thick forested hill country of the West [...]
Guest: Michael “Mick” Murray, RNZAF Canberra Navigator
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 5th of March 2016
Released: 1st of June 2018
Duration: 1 hour 43 minutes 2 seconds
This episode features a talk given by Mick Murray at a WONZ Forum Meet in 2016 at the Subritzky family’s hangars. Mick was a Navigator on No. 14 [...]
Guest: Oswald John “Jack” Davis (RAF 1337768, Wireless Operator-Air Gunner,WWII, born 18 May 1921 at Castleton, Wales), plus Jack’s son Barry Davis, and Jack’s neighbour WWII RNZAF Wireless Mechanic Colin Brown.
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 16th of of July 2012
Released: 27th of April 2018
Duration: 32 minutes 08 seconds
This episode is a conversation [...]
Guest Speakers: Wings Commander Brett Marshall (Executive Officer at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand) Arthur Gatland (former Royal Air Force Hunter, Hawk and Harrier pilot, glider pilot, author and more
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 4th of March 2018
Released: 15th of April 2018
Duration: 2 hour 2 minutes 13 seconds
The Wings Over [...]
Guest Speakers: • Mike Feisst • Bryan Cox • Matt McLaughlin • Group Captain John Mathewson (retired)
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 4th of March 2018
Released: 13th of March 2018
Duration: 1 hour 32 minutes 28 seconds
The Wings Over New Zealand Aviation Forum held another successful and entertaining Forum Meet on the 4th of [...]
Guest Speakers: Andrew Gormlie (CEO, Classic Flyer NZ Museum) Des Underwood (former RNZAF Engineering Officer) Roger Dalziel (former RNZAF Grumman Avenger target tug pilot)
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 4th of March 2018
Released: 6th of March 2018
Duration: 1 hour 44 minutes 20 seconds
The Wings Over New Zealand Aviation Forum held another successful and [...]
Guest: Harold Raymond Kelsey (NZ4213900, Pilot Officer, Royal New Zealand Air Force)
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 19th of January 2018
Released: 27th of February 2018
Duration: 1 hour 46 minutes 46 seconds
This episode is a conversation with Harold Kelsey, who was an RNZAF Navigator during WWII. He served operationally on Grumman TBF-1c Avengers at [...]
Guest: Owen Rundle Hicks (NZ427777, Corporal, Royal New Zealand Air Force) 24 November 1921 – 7 July 2017
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 13th of May 2014
Released: 2nd of February 2018
Duration: 1 hour 3 minutes 11 seconds
Owen spent time in the Territorial Army in the early war years whilst working as an electrician [...]
Guests: Hugh Graham Findlater, NZ416969, RNZAF Pilot, WWII
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 19th of January 2018
Released: 26th of January 2018
Duration: 51 minutes 7 seconds
Hugh Findlater joined the RNZAF in 1941, and spent a period as an ACH (AMD), or Aircraft Hand (Aircraft Maintenance Duties), at RNZAF Station Taieri while he awaited his [...]
Guests: Steve Scott (Walsh Memorial Scout Flying School Chief Flying Instructor) John Hamilton (Walsh Memorial Scout Flying School Director) Rod Milne (Flying Instructor) Andrew “Simsy” Sims (Flying Instructor) Jeshneel Singh (Flying Instructor) David Jupp (Executive Officer) Janelle Rouse (Flying Instructor) Tessa Mowbray (Flying Instructor) Jack Boyd (Student, fourth year) Jakob Merson (Student, second year) Rachel [...]
Guests: Peter Waller
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 7th of April 2017
Released: 7th of January 2018
Duration: 48 minutes 31 seconds
Peter Waller was an officer in the Royal New Zealand Air Force. He learned to fly in the mid-1960’s on the North American Harvard, before progressing to the Vampire jet fighters of No. 75 [...]
Guest: Geoff Cooper, and John Denton
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 3rd of December 2017
Released: 15th of December 2017
Duration: 1 hour 48 seconds
In the second and final recording from the recent WONZ Christmas Party we hear initially a short piece from Captain Geoff Cooper of Fly DC3 New Zealand giving his pre-flight briefing [...]
Guest: Paul McSweeny
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 3rd of December 2017
Released: 7th of December 2017
Duration: 36 minutes 22 seconds
Paul McSweeny of Pioneer Aero Ltd was one of the guest speakers at the WONZ Christmas Party, held in the Fly DC3 New Zealand hangar at Ardmore Airport, Auckland, New Zealand. Paul talks about [...]
Guest: Kenneth Charles Lee, Squadron Leader NZ39924 and 75419, Royal New Zealand Air Force (25 September 1919 to 18th of January 2013)
Interviewers: Dave Homewood and Richard Carstens
Recorded: 19th of January 2010
Released: 24th of November 2017
Duration: 1 hour 1 minute 34 seconds
Ken Lee was studying engineering before WWII, and as he [...]
Guest: Charles Ernest Sharp, 157688, Flight Lieutenant, Royal Air Force, WWII (21 May 1920 to 11th of October 2011)
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 17th of July 2012
Released: 27th of October 2017
Duration: 54 minutes 25 seconds
Charles Sharp joined the Royal Air Force in October 1939, though his training did not begin till late [...]
Guest: William Albert “Bill” Hilder, a.k.a. ‘Sandy’, 150046, Acting Sergeant, Royal Air Force (27 January 1923 to 14th of September 2011)
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 3rd of December 2009
Released: 20th of October 2017
Duration: 33 minutes 59 seconds
Bill Hilder joined the Royal Air Force in 1940 and trained as an Armourer. Following his [...]
Guest: Don Subritzky
Host: Dave Homewood
Introduced by: James Kightly
Recorded: 29th of November 2015
Released: 13th of October 2017
Duration: 48 minutes 54 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood talks with well known and much respected collector-restorer of old aeroplanes, Don Subritzky. The episode is introduced by aviation journalist James Kightly, as it was [...]
Guest: Squadron Leader Sean Perrett
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 24th of August 2017
Released: 6th of October 2017
Duration: 37 minutes 54 seconds
In this episode Dave sits down with Squadron Leader Sean Perrett during a visit to the Central Flying School of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, at RNZAF Base Ohakea. Sean is [...]
Guest: Dee Bond, Mike Slack and Brett Nicholls
Field Report Guest: Brendon Deere
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 25th of September 2017
Released: 26th of September 2017
Duration: 2 hours 41 minutes 5 seconds
In this episode three more aviators join Dave Homewood on The Forum panel to discuss news and views, and tell some great [...]
Guest: Christine Ody
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 12th of June 2017
Released: 21st of September 2017
Duration: 1 hours 16 minutes 16 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood talks with airline captain Christine Ody, of Auckland. Christine grew up on a farm in Northland, New Zealand. She developed a desire to fly from a young [...]
Guest: Matt McLaughlin
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 2nd of September 2017
Released: 15th of September 2017
Duration: 1 hours 6 minutes 16 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood talks via Skype with Matt McLaughlin, a Kiwi pilot who lives in Hong Kong. Matt grew up in Gisborne and he joined the Royal New Zealand Air [...]
Guest: David Duxbury
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 3rd of August 2017
Released: 9th of September 2017
Duration: 1 hours 37 minutes 8 seconds
In Part Two of this Curtiss P-40 special, following on directly from Episode 159, aviation historian David Duxbury once again joins Dave Homewood to conclude this Duxbury Files story. Together they continue [...]
Sub-Series: The Duxbury Files
Guest: David Duxbury
Host: Dave Homewood
Archive Voices: Geoff Fisken, Noel Hanna, Joe McVicar and Owen Hicks
Recorded: 3rd of August 2017
Released: 1st of September 2017
Duration: 2 hours 18 seconds
Aviation historian David Duxbury once again joins Dave Homewood on the WONZ Show for another in The Duxbury Files [...]
Guest: Arthur Gatland
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 21st of August 2017
Released: 26th of August 2017
Duration: 44 minutes 37 seconds
Arthur Gatland is a pilot. His father Frank Gatland DFM mid was also a pilot. Frank joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1941 and following his flying training he became a Short [...]
Guest: Graeme Frew
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 14th of August 2017
Released: 15th of August 2017
Duration: 36 minutes 1 second
History is being made right now as the first ever New Zealand race team is on its way to the Reno Championship Air Races in Reno, Nevada.
Graeme Frew will be flying his Yakovlev [...]
Guests: Russell Brodie and Ross Brodie
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 10th of August 2017
Released: 11th of August 2017
Duration: 1 hour minutes seconds
Russell Brodie and his son Ross Brodie join Dave via Skype from their home at Rangitata Island Aerodrome, near Geraldine in the South Island of New Zealand. The Brodies are a [...]
Panel Guests: Andrew Gormlie, Don Simms and Peter Rowley
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 6th of August 2017
Released: 7th of August 2017
Duration: 1 hour 54 minutes 02 seconds
This is the second of our semi-regular “The Forum” show, featuring a panel of aviation minded folks discussing the latest news and views, projects and events, [...]
Guest: Stan Walker (F/O Stanley James Walker, RNZAF, NZ4214446, Pilot)
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 17th of June 2017
Released: 28th of July 2017
Duration: 2 hour 15 minutes 42 seconds
Back on the 1st of April 2017, 95 year old Stan Walker was one of the speakers at the Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet [...]
Guest: Phillip Leech (Flight Lieutenant Phillip Winfield Leech, RAF, Navigator-Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 15th of July 2017
Released: 20th of July 2017
Duration: 1 hour 20 minutes 43 seconds
Phillip Leech was an English-born member of the Royal Air Force, but he served as a Navigator on the Coastal Command Bristol Beaufighter [...]
Speakers: Squadron Leader Jonathan Pote MBE, AE (Master of Ceremonies) Ron Mayhill DFC (New Zealand Bomber Command Association President) Group Captain Ants Hawes (RNZAF Chaplain) Flight Lieutenant Ken Diekema (RNZAF Chaplain) His Excellency Rob Zaagman (Ambassador to the Kingdom of The Netherlands) Master Aircrew Andrew Burrows (Royal Air Force) Pat Johnson (Area President of the [...]
Guest: Connie Bickford (Constance Elsie Bickford, Wartime WAAF 2003787, known as “Lucky”)
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 9th of June 2017
Released: 7th of July 2017
Duration: 1 hour 24 minutes 4 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood talks with 97-year-old WWII Women’s Auxiliary Air Force member Connie Bickford. Connie was a window dresser in London [...]
Panel Guests: Bruce Cooke, Alistair Marshall and Peter McQuarters
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 29th of June 2017
Released: 30th of June 2017
Duration: 2 hours 37 minutes 2 seconds
The Wings Over New Zealand Show has reached another milestone, our 150th episode! And to mark the occasion the show is trying a new format, a [...]
Guest: David Duxbury
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 27th of May 2017
Released: 7th of June 2017
Duration: 59 minutes 23 second
In the first of what is planned to become an occasional series that celebrates the history of our Air Force marking the RNZAF’s 80th year, eminent RNZAF historian David Duxbury of Christchurch joins Dave [...]
Guest: David Duxbury
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 27th of May 2017
Released: 30th of May 2017
Duration: 31 minutes 1 second
In a special and rather impromptu episode the Wings Over New Zealand Show marks 75 years to the day since the first “1000 Bomber Raid” was mounted by the Royal Air Force. The target [...]
Guest: George Barclay
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 6th of June 2010
Released: 26th of May 2017
Duration: 1 hour 44 minutes 59 seconds
George Barclay joined the Territorial Army on the 8th of May 1940. However he hated the Army lifestyle and in 1940 he volunteered to switch to the Royal New Zealand Air Force [...]
Guest: James Callister ‘Jim’ Richmond (10 January 1915 – 8 September 2013)
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 3rd of June 2010
Released: 19th of May 2017
Duration: 32 minutes 15 seconds
Jim Richmond was a Meteorologist in the Royal New Zealand Air Force during World War Two. He served at RNZAF Station Waipapakauri, with No. 7 [...]
Guest: Paul Brennan
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 11th of May 2017
Released: 12th of May 2017
Duration: 1 hour 8 minutes 40 seconds
Paul Brennan is a professional broadcaster, cameraman and media personality, who has taken on the task to run the “Bring Our Birds Home” campaign. This is an ambitious but doable plan to [...]
Guest: Barrie “Irv” Irvine
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 25th of September 2016
Released: 28th of April 2017
Duration: 45 minutes 25 seconds
In this episode, which was recorded live at the Te Atatu RSA Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet at Auckland in September 2016, we hear from former RNZAF Sunderland and Orion pilot Barrie [...]
Guests: Squadron Leader Brett Clayton RNZAF (Falcon 1) Flight Lieutenant Dan Pezaro RNZAF (Falcon 2) Squadron Leader Hayden Sheard RNZAF (Falcon 4) Flight Lieutenant Mike Williams RNZAF (Falcon 6)
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 14th of April 2017
Released: 20th of April 2017
Duration: 15 minutes 50 seconds
In this episode Dave managed to grab a [...]
Guest: Derrick Hubbard
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 28th of October 2016
Released: 6th of April 2017
Duration: 57 minutes 40 seconds
Derrick was born in England, and as a young man he joined the Royal Air Force as an engineer during WWII. He trained at RAF Halton and worked in the RAF for 10 years. [...]
Guests: Peter Mason, Peter Lewis, Warwick Jones, Cliff Hawley and Norm Sanson
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 25th of September 2016
Released: 29th of March 2017
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes 29 seconds
In this episode we hear some of the speakers who appeared at the WONZ Forum Meet at Te Atatu Memorial RSA, in Te [...]
Guest: Captain Michael Cater senior (retired)
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 17th of February 2017
Released: 23rd of March 2017
Duration: 2 hours 33 minutes 48 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood talks with his good friend Captain Mike Cater, who served as a pilot in the Royal Air Force and then flew as an airline [...]
Guests: Julie Bubb, Neroli Henwood and Judy Costello
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 18th of March 2017
Released: 19th of March 2017
Duration: 34 minutes 05 seconds
In this episode, recorded in the open air at Te Kowhai Aerodrome, Hamilton, Dave Homewood talks with three ladies at a Fly In of the New Zealand Association of [...]
Guest: Edith Josephine “Josie” Miller (nee McGovern)
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: July 2012
Released: 8th of March 2017
Duration: 1 hour 06 minutes 37 seconds
In this episode Dave delves into the archives to present this great interview with Josie Miller, who was a member of New Zealand’s Womans Auxiliary Air Force during WWII. She [...]
Guest: Flight Lieutenant Alwynne ‘Bud’ Rose
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 25th of September 2016
Released: 2nd of March 2017
Duration: 40 minutes 35 seconds
In this episode, which was recorded live during the Te Atatu RSA WONZ Forum Meet, former RNZAF engineer and flight engineer Bud Rose talks about his career. He worked on the [...]
Guest: Frederic ‘Ric’ Martini
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 6th of March 2016
Released: 22nd of February 2017
Duration: 46 minutes 29 seconds
In this episode, which was recorded live during the March 2016 WONZ Forum Meet at the New Zealand Warbirds Association hangar at Ardmore, guest speaker Ric Martini tells the story of his father, [...]
Guest: Jack Marshall DFC (pff)
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 27th of October 2016
Released: 17th of February 2017
Duration: 40 minutes 8 seconds
Jack Marshall was born in London in 1920, and moved to Napier, New Zealand in 1937, at the age of 17. He worked as a steward in a Gentleman’s Club, but when [...]
Guest: Don Simms
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 30th of October 2016
Released: 7th of February 2017
Duration: 1 hour 27 minutes 52 seconds
RNZAF Skyhawk historian and author Don Simms gave a fascinating presentation at the Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet held on the 30th of October 2016 at the Air Force Museum of [...]
Guest: Vic Jay
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 24th of January 2017
Released: 2nd of February 2017
Duration: 1 hour 1 minute 7 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood talks with Vic Jay, via Skype from England. Vic has recently released his book “The Mallon Crew” detailing his late father Bob Jay, an RAF Flight Engineer, [...]
Guest: Ron Reid (Warrant Officer Ronald James Reid NZ402821, RNZAF Pilot – 30/01/1918 to 02/03/2014)
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 25th of November 2010
Released: 26th of January 2017
Duration: 59 minutes 37 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood interviewed the late WWII Royal New Zealand Air Force pilot Ron Reid, at his home in Tauranga [...]
Guest: Ross Brodie
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 30th of October 2016
Released: 19th of January 2017
Duration: 41 minutes 13 seconds
Ross Brodie is an inspirational young aviator who is a fourth generation pilot, and grew up with aviation not only in his blood but all around him. He lives on the famous Brodie family [...]
Guest: Andrew Gormlie
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 13th of January 2017
Duration: 25 minutes 13 seconds
With the first big New Zealand airshow of the year coming up, Dave talks with Andrew Gormlie of Classic Flyers Museum in Tauranga about their “Classics To The Sky 2017” airshow. This year’s event is subtitled “Strikemasters At Sunset” [...]
Guests: Bruce Cooke, Matt Austin and James Kightly
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 12th of December 2016
Published: 18th of December 2016
Duration: 1 hour 25 minutes 27 seconds
In this special Dave and his guests Bruce, Matt and James celebrate both the Christmas season and the Wings Over New Zealand Show’s 5th Birthday. This episode [...]
Guest: Aviation artist Juanita Franzi
Hosts: Dave Homewood and James Kightly
Recorded: 27th of November 2015
Duration: 29 minutes 42 seconds
In this final episode in the Wings Over Australia sub-series, Dave and James discuss aviation profile art with Juanita Franzi of Sydney. Juanita has a background in engineering and graphic design, and she is [...]
Guest: Terry Hetherington, Manager of the Australian Fleet Air Arm Museum
Hosts: Dave Homewood and James Kightly
Recorded: 26th of November 2015
Duration: 1 hour 21 minutes 15 seconds
In this penultimate episode in the Wings Over Australia sub-series, Dave and James visited the Fleet Air Arm Museum of Australia at HMAS Albatross, Nowra, south of Sydney. There they met with the [...]
Host: Dave Homewood Guest: Haydn Finbow Recorded: 11th of July 2016 Duration: 2 hours 6 minutes 20 seconds
Born and brought up in a small village in Suffolk, England, Haydn Finbow joined the Royal Air Force in 1941, with the desire of becoming a Spitfire pilot. In this episode Haydn details his journey through the [...]
Guests: Jim Thurstan, and Bob Delahunty
Hosts: Dave Homewood and James Kightly
Recorded: 26th of November 2015
Duration: 59 minutes 35 seconds
Dave Homewood and James Kightly continue the Wings Over Australia Tour with a visit to the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society at Albion Park in Illawarra, New South Wales. They talk first with Jim [...]
Host: Dave Homewood Guests: Matthew O’Sullivan (Air Force Museum of New Zealand Keeper of Photographs), and Simon Moody (Air Force Museum of New Zealand Research Curator) Recorded: 28th of October 2016 Duration: 1 hour 36 minutes 20 seconds
This episode, which follows on from the previous show here, continues our look behind the scenes at [...]
Host: Dave Homewood Guests: Michelle Sim (Air Force Museum of New Zealand Communications Officer), and Nathan ‘Barf’ Bosher (Air Force Museum of New Zealand Safety and Surface Technician, in the Restoration Workshops) Recorded: 28th of October 2016 Duration: 1 hour 41 minutes 29 seconds
Quick Links: • The Air Force Museum of New Zealand Website
[...]
Hosts: Dave Homewood and James Kightly
Recorded: 24th of November 2015
Duration: 1 hour 49 minutes 24 seconds
In this Wings Over Australia episode, Dave Homewood and James Kightly visit the world famous Australian War Memorial in Canberra. This is a superb museum covering all aspects of Australia’s military history from the Boer War and [...]
Guest: Jamie Croker
Hosts: Dave Homewood and James Kightly
Recorded: 23rd of November 2015
Duration: 1 hour 57 seconds
Another stop that Dave Homewood and James Kightly made on the epic Wings Over Australia tour last year was to the Australian War Memorial’s Treloar Technology Centre in Mitchell, Canberra, ACT. There they met the facility’s [...]
Guests: WWII Period – Ron Mayhill (Bomb Aimer), John Swale (Lancaster Air Gunner), Jack Meehan (Wireless Operator-Air Gunner), and Alan John (Bomb Aimer) Mosquito Period – Jim Arnold Vampire and Skyhawks Period – Warwick Jones Canberra Period – Barrie Gilliver Skyhawk Period – Nick Osborne Skyhawk Period and Association Secretary Glen Turner
Hosts: Dave Homewood
[...]
Guest: Matt Austin
Hosts: Dave Homewood and James Kightly
Recorded: 22nd of November 2015
Duration: 1 hour 6 minutes 2 seconds
Whilst in rural New South Wales to attend the Temora Airshow during the Wings over Australia tour, Dave and James’ host for the weekend was Matt Austin in the historic town of Junee. They [...]
“We Span The Ocean” The No. 5 Squadron RNZAF 75th Anniversary Reunion
Show Guests, As Below: • Wings Commander Daniel “D.J.” Hunt Current Commander of No. 5 Squadron, Navigator, P-3K and P-3K2 Orions • Wings Commander Gordon Ragg AFC, JP Former Commander of No. 5 Squadron, Pilot, P-3B Orions, and No. 5 Squadron [...]
Guest: Ron Hildreth
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: December 2011
Duration: 1 hour 5 minutes 59 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood interviews Ron Hildreth of Hamilton, who joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in September 1942, and trained as a Rigger. Following his course at RNZAF Station Rongotai he was posted to No. 16 [...]
Guest: Andy Bishop
Hosts: Dave Homewood and James Kightly
Recorded: 22nd of November 2015
Duration: 53 minutes 54 seconds
Following the Warbirds Downunder 2015 Airshow at Temora last year, Dave Homewood and James Kightly got the rare opportunity to sit down with Andy Bishop, the Temora Aviation Museum’s chief engineer, to record an interview for [...]
Introduced by: Des Underwood MRAeS (Chairman, Bay of Plenty Branch, RAeS)
Main Speaker: Brian Lockstone MRAeS
Recorded: Friday 2nd of September 2016 in the Boeing Room at Classic Flyers Museum, 9 Jean Batten Drive, Mt Maunganui, Tauranga, recorded by Dave Homewood
Duration: 1 hour 19 minutes 2 second
In this episode we hear a recording [...]
Guests: Mark Awad, Bevan Dewes and Stewart Wilson
Hosts: Dave Homewood and James Kightly
Recorded: 21st and 22nd of November 2015
Duration: 2 hours 5 minutes 1 second
Whilst attending the Warbirds Downunder 2015 Airshow at Temora, in New South Wales last year, Dave Homewood and James Kightly found some time between looking at air [...]
Guest: John Wall
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 27th of July 2016
Duration: 1 hour 43 minutes 6 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood chats with Mr. John Wall, of Hamilton. Born in London in 1923, John fell in love with the Supermarine Spitfire at the age of 16 and determined he’d join the Royal Air [...]
Guest: Steve Death
Hosts: Dave Homewood and James Kightly
Recorded: 19th of November 2015
Duration: 59 minutes 14 seconds
Dave Homewood and James Kightly continue the Wings Over Australia tour in this episode by dropping in on one of Australia’s most well known pilots, Steve Death, at his Hazair headquarters at Albury Airport in New [...]
Guest: Daniel Leahy
Hosts: Dave Homewood and James Kightly
Recorded: 19th of November 2015
Duration: 31 minutes 24 seconds
In this episode – part of the Wings Over Australia sub-series – hosts Dave Homewood and James Kightly met Daniel Leahy for lunch in the Albury Airport cafe in New South Wales, where they discuss Daniel’s [...]
Guest: Tim Costley
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 23rd of July 2016
Duration: 24 minutes 15 seconds
In this important episode Dave Homewood speaks with RNZAF pilot Tim Costley, who is one of the trustees of the Missing Wingman Trust. This trust was set up in 2010 as a means of supporting the families of RNZAF [...]
Guest: Judy Pay
Hosts: Dave Homewood and James Kightly
Recorded: 18th of November 2015
Duration: 1 hour 11 minutes 41 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood and James Kightly interview legendary Australian warbird owner and pilot Judy Pay for Wings Over Australia, at her home airfield of Tyabb, on the Mornington Peninsula, south-east of Melbourne, [...]
Guests: Ian Slater, Bruce Slater and Graeme Sutherland
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 10th of July 2016
Duration: 54 minutes 20 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood speaks with Ian Slater, Bruce Slater and Graeme Sutherland, all of the Typhoon Legacy Co. Ltd. team who are working to rebuild WWII Hawker Typhoon fighter-bomber JP843 back to [...]
Guests: Tim Martin and Rickey Rau
Hosts: Dave Homewood and James Kightly
Recorded: 19th of November 2015
Duration: 31 minutes 16 seconds
In this Wings Over Australia episode of the WONZ Show Dave Homewood and James Kightly chat with pilots Tim Martin and Rickey Rau, the pilots who fly Coulson Aviation’s amazing civil Lockheed [...]
Guest: Don Mackenzie
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 2nd of September 2009
Duration: 1 hour 20 minutes 39 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood has delved into his archive and pulled out one of his early interviews from back in September 2009 with the late Flight Lieutenant Donald Malcolm Mackenzie AFC, mid, RNZAF, retired (NZ401776) of [...]
Guest: Murray Wallace
Hosts: Dave Homewood and James Kightly
Recorded: 16th of November 2015
Duration: 1 hour 12 minutes 25 seconds
In this Wings Over Australia episode, Dave Homewood and James Kightly speak with Murray Wallace who spent five years as an engine fitter in the RAAF in the 1950’s before transferring to the Australian [...]
Guest: Nick Veronico (Public Affairs spokesman for NASA’s SOFIA project)
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 18th of June 2016
Duration: 49 minutes 48 seconds
In this episode Dave talks with Nick Veronico of San Carlos, California, USA, who is currently working in Christchurch, New Zealand, with the NASA SOFIA project. SOFIA is an acronym for Stratospheric [...]
Guest: Matt Henderson
Hosts: Dave Homewood and James Kightly
Recorded: 15th of November 2015
Duration: 1 hour 37 minutes 40 seconds
In this Wings Over Australia episode, Dave Homewood and James Kightly speak with Matt Henderson, who keeps his pristine NZAI CT/4 Airtrainer and Cessna Bird Dog at Kyneton Airport, in rural Victoria, Australia. They [...]
Recorded: 12th of June 2016
Duration: 1 hour 26 minutes 52 seconds
In this episode we hear the recording of the New Zealand Bomber Command Commemorative Service held in the Hall of Memories of the Auckland War Memorial Museum. This annual event remembers the thousands of New Zealanders who served with Bomber Command in the [...]
Guests: Andy Wright, Ron Gretton and Geoff Matthews
Hosts: Dave Homewood and James Kightly
Recorded: 15th and 17th of November 2015
Duration: 2 hour 2 minutes 9 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood and James Kightly visit the Royal Australian Air Force Museum at RAAF Point Cook in Victoria. James is [...]
Guest: Matt Jolley, James Kightly
Hosts: Dave Homewood and Grant McHerron
Recorded: April-May 2016
Duration: 3 hour 16 minutes 11 seconds (179 MB)
In this special episode we celebrate marking the 100th episode of the Wings Over New Zealand Show. Host Dave Homewood is joined by his WONZ Live Show co-host Grant McHerron, and together [...]
Guest: Mac Bettjeman
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 30th of October 2015
Duration: 1 hour 39 minutes 26 seconds (136 MB)
In this episode Dave Homewood talks with Mac Bettjeman, who lives in a retirement home in Tauranga. Mac talks about his childhood in the fascinating wilderness settlement in the Maungapurua Valley, near the Whanganui [...]
Guest: Ian Whitney
Host: Dave Homewood and James Kightly
Recorded: 14th of November 2015, at Romsey, Australia
Duration: 2 hours 5 minutes 20 seconds
In this episode, in the Wings Over Australia sub-series, co-hosts Dave Homewood and James Kightly interview warbird recovery expert and restorer Ian Whitney. Ian talks about his background in aviation and [...]
Guest: Lindsay Budge
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 30th of October 2015
Duration: 43 minutes 57 seconds (60.3 MB)
In this episode Dave Homewood chats with WWII RNZAF veteran Lindsey Budge of Tauranga, who is now aged 96. He was a herd tester before the war,then spent some time in the Army before he transferred to [...]
Guest: Andrew Gormlie
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: Friday 8th of January 2016
Duration: 28 minutes 36 seconds (41 MB)
In this episode we hear from Andrew Gormlie of the Classic Flyers Museum in Tauranga about the upcoming “Classics To The Sky” Tauranga City Airshow, taking place on the 23rd of January 2016. He discusses what [...]
Guest: Nat Eichler
Host: Dave Homewood and James Kightly
Recorded: 15th of November 2015, at Werribee, Australia
Duration: 59 minutes 27 seconds
In this episode, another in the Wings Over Australia sub-series, co-hosts Dave Homewood and James Kightly are given a guided tour of the magnificent ex-RAAF Consolidated B-24 Liberator restoration at Werribee, near Melbourne, [...]
Guests: Dave Sodastrom, Ewan McArthur and Ashley Briggs
Host: Dave Homewood and James Kightly
Recorded: 14th of November 2015, at Moorabbin, Australia
Duration: 1 hour 57 minutes 46 seconds
In this episode the “Wings Over Australia” co-hosts Dave Homewood and James Kightly visit The Australian National Aviation Museum at Moorabbin Airport near Melbourne, in Australia. [...]
Guest: Phil Vabre and Maurice Austin
Host: Dave Homewood and James Kightly
Recorded: 13th of November 2015, at Essendon, Australia
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes 30 seconds
In this episode, in the Wings Over Australia sub-series, co-hosts Dave Homewood and James Kightly are given a guided tour of The Airways Museum at Essendon Airport, Melbourne, [...]
Guest: Wing Commander Peter Stuart Isaacson AM, DFC, AFC, DFM
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 12th of November 2015, in Melbourne, Australia
Duration: 45 mins 47 seconds
In this episode, part of the Wings Over Australia sub-series, Dave met and interviewed WWII veteran bomber pilot Peter Isaacson, who flew Vickers Wellingtons, Handley Page Halifax and Avro [...]
Guest: Gavin Conroy
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 20th of November 2015, at Temora, Australia
Duration: 52 minutes 4 seconds (71.5 MB)
In this episode Dave catches up at Temora with well known kiwi aviation photographer Gavin Conroy to discuss his latest book, “Fighters and Bombers”, as well as talking about doing photo shoots around the [...]
Guest: Keith Webb
Hosts: Dave Homewood and James Kightly
Recorded: 11th of November 2015, in Melbourne, Australia
Duration: 1 hour, 19 minutes, 14 seconds (File Size 108 MB)
Kicking off the Wings Over Australia interviews, Dave Homewood and James Kightly talk with Keith Webb of “Image Control”, who devotes his time to filming and recording [...]
Six days into the Wings Over Australia Tour, Dave Homewood and James Kightly give an “as live” report to listeners and supporters of the WOA series which is currently being recorded along the way. The schedule is intense and there has already been a lot of places visited, people met and recordings made. We just [...]
Guests: Bruce Cooke, Alistair McLaughlan, Doug King, John Farmer, Peter Beere, Willie, Tony Quayle, Peter Merwood, Bruce MacDonald, Gary Williams, John Lissington, Gavin Magill, Don Wilkinson and David Wilkinson
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 6th, 7th and 8th of November 2015, at Raglan, New Zealand
Duration: 2 hours 57 minutes 13 seconds
In this episode Dave [...]
Co-Hosts: Dave Homewood and James Kightly
Duration: 35 minutes, 28 seconds
Recorded: 3rd of November 2015
Topic: This is the first episode in the Wings Over Australia sub-series of the WONZ Show. Co-hosts Dave Homewood and James Kightly discuss the plans for the upcoming Australian aviation tour that starts on November [...]
Guests: Gavin Grimmer, Chris Rudge, and the Reverend Richard Waugh
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 1 hour, 7 seconds
Recorded: 10th of August 2015
Published:
Topic: Over the decades many aeroplanes have simply vanished mid-flight in New Zealand, disappearing without trace. Most are thought to have gone down into the bush-clad [...]
Guest: Noel Kruse
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 1 hour 17 minutes, 28 seconds
Recorded: 28th of July 2015
Published: 6th of September 2015
Topic: In this episode of the WONZ Show we continue the story of Noel Kruse’s aviation career. He talks about his time as a pilot, Flight Commander [...]
A recording of the speakers at a special evening hosted by the Cambridge Historical Society on the evening of the 13th of August 2015 about Gallipoli. The speakers heard, in order of appearance, are:
Tony Gainsford (Cambridge Historical Society President) Grant Middlemiss (Evening Organiser) Sue Milner (talking about her trip to Gallipoli in April for [...]
Guest: Bee Dawson
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 43 minutes, 11 seconds
Topic: Dave talks with author Bee Dawson about her history-based writing, her RNZAF service, and her RNZAF-themed books, including High Flyers, Spreading Their Wings, Hobsonville, Wigram and her upcoming book on the history of RNZAF Station Lauthala Bay in Fiji.
Guest: Peter Tremayne
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 2 hours, 20 minutes, 42 seconds
Topic: In this second episode with Peter Tremayne we begin by revisiting a few of the stories from episode one to add some corrections and a little more information. We then get into his fascinating post-Air Force career, from [...]
Guest: Peter Tremayne
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 2 hours 8 minutes, 5 seconds
Topic: In this episode of the “Wings Over New Zealand Show” the host Dave Homewood speaks with Peter Tremayne about his flying in the Royal New Zealand Air Force between 1957 and 1977.
Peter trained on Harvards and [...]
Guest: Flight Lieutenant Douglas Stanley Peche Smith, DFC (NZ41948)
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 54 minutes, 20 seconds
Topic: In this episode Dave Homewood talks with 97 year old WWII veteran pilot Flight Lieutenant Doug Smith, DFC, about his vivid and colourful memories from his flying days.
Doug, who now lives in [...]
Part One – The Wellingtons
Guests: Jack Wakefield and the late Nick Carter
Co-Hosts: Dave Homewood and Glen Turner
Duration: 1 hour, 57 minutes, 38 seconds
Topic: This is the first episode in a planned series detailing the long and proud history of No. 75 Squadron – both with the Royal Air [...]
Guest: The late Ron Noice
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 1 hour 42 minutes, 34 seconds
Topic: In this episode Dave Homewood talks with his late friend Ron Noice, an RNZAF veteran who flew in RAF Bomber Command. Ron was a Navigator-Bomb Aimer, training in New Zealand, Canada and Britain, before being posted [...]
Guest: Frank Parker
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 25 minutes, 24 seconds
Topic: In this episode, another recording from the Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet at the New Zealand Warbirds Association hangar at Ardmore, we hear from NZ Warbirds President Frank Parker, who talks about his experiences flying New Zealand’s one and [...]
Guest: Peter Wheeler, Roy Montrowe, Keith Boles, Bill Petersen, Reg Dunbar, Des Hall and Alan Taylor
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 39 minutes, 31 seconds
Recorded: 28th of September 2014
Topic: In this section of the Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet we had a panel in which questions were put to [...]
Guest: John Lanham
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 39 minutes, 06 seconds
Recorded: 7th of January 2015
Topic: In this episode we hear from well known airshow display pilot John Lanham in his capacity of the Display Director for the famous “Wings Over Wairarapa” airshow which is coming up next week. John [...]
Guest: Mark Helliwell
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 54 minutes, 33 seconds
Recorded: 28th of September 2014
Topic: Former RNZAF Strike Wing pilot and current NZ Warbirds pilot Mark Halliwell talks about the history of the McDonnell Douglas A-4K Skyhawk, and what it was like to fly in the Royal New Zealand [...]
Guest: Gavin Trethewey
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 36 minutes, 49 seconds
Recorded: 28th of September 2014
Topic: Well known New Zealand Warbirds display pilot and former RNZAF combat pilot Gavin Trethewey talks about the English Electric Canberras that he flew with the Royal New Zealand Air Force through the 1960’s.
Guest: Brett Nicholls
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 38 minutes, 21 seconds
Recorded: 28th of September 2014
Topic: New Zealand Warbirds pilot Brett Nicholls talks about his two ex-RNZAF BAC167 Mk.88 Strikemaster jet fighter-trainers, which are based at Ardmore.
Brett Nicholls
By the way the small music [...]
Guest: Jonathan Pote
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 2 hours 17 minutes, 34 seconds
Topic: In this episode we hear about the amazing life in aviation that Jonathan Pote has had so far. He’s known to many as a regular article writer for vaious aviation magazines, and we hear about his life from [...]
Guest: Squadron Leader Les Munro DSO, DFC
Host: Dave Homewood
Interviewers: Dave Homewood and Richard Carstens
Duration: 1 hour, 24 minutes, 16 seconds
Topic: In this episode, part two of two, we continue with the very interesting interview with Squadron Leader Les Munro DSO, DFC, RNZAF. For part one please [...]
Guest: Squadron Leader Les Munro DSO, DFC
Host: Dave Homewood
Interviewers: Dave Homewood and Richard Carstens
Duration: 1 hour, 3 minutes, 25 seconds
Topic: In this episode, part one of two, we hear an extremely interesting interview with Squadron Leader Les Munro DSO, DFC, RNZAF. He was one of the original [...]
Guest: Noel Kruse
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 1 hour, 16 minutes, 04 seconds
Recorded: 19th of May 2014
Published: 26th of June 2014
Topic: In another instalment of the life of pilot Noel Kruse we hear about his posting to No. 38 Squadron RAAF, where he converted onto the ubiquitous [...]
Speakers: Phil Furner, Michael Frawley, Ron Mayhill DFC, Group Captain Mike Longstaff, Squadron Leader Stuart Hight, Squadron Leader Dr. Jonathan Pote MBE (rtd)
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 53 minutes, 36 seconds
Topic: The New Zealand Bomber Command Association has recently had the Avro Lancaster bomber at MOTAT, which the NZBCA looks after, [...]
Speakers: Phil Furner, Ron Mayhill DFC, Squadron Leader Stuart Hight, Boguslaw Nowak, Air Vice Marshal Mike Yardley (Chief of Air Force, RNZAF), and Group Captain Stuart Oliver (RAAF)
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 1 hour, 1 minute, 10 seconds
Topic: This recording was made by Dave Homewood during the annual Bomber Command Commemoration [...]
Guest: Max Lambert
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 38 minutes, 37 seconds
Recorded: 25th of May 2014, published 13 June 2014
Topic: In this episode Dave Homewood chats with well known author Max Lambert, who wrote “Night After Night” about the New Zealanders in RAF Bomber Command; “Day After Day” about kiwis [...]
Guests: Geoff Cooper, Jessica Cooper and Noel Kruse
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 57 minutes, 14 seconds
Recorded: 11th of May 2014
Topic:In this episode Dave Homewood talks with the operators of two classic aircraft that grace New Zealand’s skies.
In the first interview we hear from Geoff Cooper and Jessica [...]
Guest: Peter McKinlay, with Trevor McKinlay
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 1 hour, 40 minutes, 44 seconds
Recorded: 19th of December 2013, via Skype
Topic: In this episode Dave Homewood talks with 94 year old World War Two veteran Peter McKinlay of Cromwell, in Otago, New Zealand. Peter was a pilot on [...]
Guests: Warwick Jones, Melanie Salisbury and Ian ‘Iggy’ Wood
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 1 hour 26 minutes, 17 seconds
Recorded: 19th of January 2014, live at the Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet
Topic: This is the fourth and final episode of recordings from the Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet [...]
Special Correspondents: Denis Sharp and Tom Allett
The Speakers: At Hunsdon, England – Denis Sharp, Lay preacher David Scott, Linda Gough, Martin Gough, Glen Thompson, Arthur Wingate, Roy Howe, Andrew Payne and Jim Cosgrove
In Cambridge, New Zealand – Jenny Boon, Dave Homewood and Ray Tocker
In Amiens, France – Tom Allett, Pierre Ben and [...]
Guests: Peter Wheeler, and Robert Peel
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 55 minutes, 59 seconds
Recorded: 19th of January 2014, live at the Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet
Topic: This is the third episode of recordings from the Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet 2014 held at Karapiro, Cambridge, New Zealand. [...]
Host: Dave Homewood
Guests: Richard Stowers, Jonathan Pote and Barry Tod
Duration: 56 minutes 23 seconds
Recorded: 19th of January 2014, live at the Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet
Topic: This is the second episode of recordings from the Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet 2014. The guest speakers in [...]
Host: Dave Homewood
Guests: Larry Hill and Reg Wellington
Duration: 1 hour 5 minutes 11 seconds
Recorded: 19th of January 2014, live at the Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet
Topic: This is the first episode covering recordings made at the recent Wings Over New Zealand Aviation Forum Meet 2014, held [...]
Host: Dave Homewood
Guest: Peter Rowley
Duration: 51 minutes 14 seconds
Recorded: 7th of January 2014, via Skype to Peter’s home in Melbourne
Topic: Dave chats with well known and much loved kiwi actor Peter Rowley about his aviation background. As well as appearing on kiwi screens in such hits as [...]
Host: Dave Homewood
Guest: Doug McElwain
Duration: 2 hours, 2 minutes 44 seconds
Recorded: 15th of August 2013, at Hamilton
Topic: Dave Homewood talks with WWII veteran instructor and topdressing pioneer Doug McElwain about his life as a pilot. Doug gives a very detailed account of his RNZAF training, which is often [...]
Host: Dave Homewood
Guest: Noel Kruse
Duration: 37 minutes 54 seconds
Topic: Noel Kruse continues his story of flying in the Royal Australian Air Force, this time as a Fighter Weapons Instructor, flying predominantly Vampires and Macchi 326H’s.
By the way the small music is Magic Ghost from Danosongs
Host: Dave Homewood
Guest: Les Marshall
Duration: 45 minutes 47 seconds
Topic: Les Marshall completes his story of a life in aviation by talking about his lovely Ryan PT-22 trainer that is based at Ardmore Airport, and how he managed to find and buy it.
He also has a few more tales [...]
Host: Dave Homewood
Guest: Les Marshall
Duration: 1 hour 00 minutes 12 seconds
Topic: Les Marshall continues his story and talks about his time as a topdressing Douglas C-47 Dakota (DC-3) pilot with James Aviation Ltd.
He also recalls several interesting and a few scary incidents from his long topdressing career.
Host: Dave Homewood
Guest: Les Marshall
Duration: 49 minutes 19 seconds
Topic: Les Marshall very kindly sat down with Dave Homewood for a couple of hours in the Pioneer Aero Ltd hangar at Ardmore to talk about his long and interesting career in aviation.
He talks about his dicovery of aviation in [...]
Host: Dave Homewood
Guest: Noel Kruse
Duration: 1 hour 00 minutes 17 seconds
Topic: In this episode Cambridge-based pilot Noel Kruse discusses his Ryan STM-S2 which he recently completed a 33-year long restoration on, back to flying condition. Noel test flew his Ryan, which is known as “Charlie”, on the 16th of September [...]
Host: Dave Homewood
Guest: Richard Small
Duration: 1 hour 13 minutes 15 seconds
Topic: Richard is the CEO of Waikato Aero Club, based at Hamilton Airport. He’s also the President of the Royal New Zealand Aero Club (also known as Flying NZ). In this episode he talks about his own [...]
Episode Fifty – Ardmore Special
Host: Dave Homewood
Guests: Niqui Taylor, Paul McSweeny, Roy King, Warren Denholm, Brett Nicholl and John “JK” Kelly
Duration: 1 hour 26 minutes 29 seconds
Topic: This special episode marks fifty episodes for the series so far, and was recorded at Ardmore Airport, where host Dave Homewood talks [...]
Host: Dave Homewood
Guests: Noel Kruse, introduced by Roger Cruickshank
Duration: 43 minutes 25 seconds
Topic: This episode was recorded live at the Hamilton Airport Motor Inn on the evening of the 12th of July 2013, at the Royal New Zealand Aero Club Annual Dinner. The guest speaker was Noel Kruse, and he [...]
Host: Dave Homewood
Guests: Peter McQuarters (aka Peter Mac) and Jason McQuarters (aka Jason Mac)
Duration: 1 hour, 6 minutes 18 seconds
Topic: In this episode Dave chats with father and son, Peter and Jason McQuarters. Peter has been involved with aviation preservation since he was a teenager, when [...]
Host: Dave Homewood
Guest: Noel Kruse
Duration: 54 minutes 45 seconds
Topic: More wonderful and action packed memories from kiwi-born former RAAF test pilot Noel Kruse. In this episode he is still a test pilot at the Testing and Ferry Flight, No. 3 Aircraft Depot, at RAAF Amberley – but this episode covers [...]
Host: Dave Homewood
Guest: Noel Kruse
Duration: 1 hour 37 seconds
Topic: Following the completion of his operational tour at Butterworth, RAAF Sabre pilot Noel Kruse was hoping on his return to Australia to be placed onto a Fighter Instructor’s Course. However to his shock and dismay he found he was actually posted [...]
Episode Forty Five – The Mosquito Honour Dinner
Host: Dave Homewood
Guests: Peter McQuarters, Frank Parker, Peter Fahey, Peter Anderson, Allan George, Glyn Powell, Warren Denholm, Jerry Yagen, Richard Gates, Keith Skilling and Dave Phillips
Duration: 53 minutes
Topic: On the eve of the de Havilland Mosquito KA114 making its debut flight at [...]
Episode Forty Four – Skyhawk Pilot Barry “Patch” Nelson
Host: Dave Homewood
Guests: Barry “Patch” Nelson
Duration: 40 minutes, 16 seconds
Topic: Dave talks with Wing Commander Barry “Patch” Nelson, who flew the McDonnell Douglas A-4K Skyhawk with the Royal New Zealand Air Force from 1987 through till 1997. During that time he [...]
Episode Forty Three – Alistair Marshall
Host: Dave Homewood
Guests: Al Marshall
Duration: 1 hour, 44 minutes, 27 seconds
Topic: Dave talks with Christchurch-based pilot and aero engineer Al Marshall. Formerly an RNZAF aircraft technician-turned-pilot, and currently a Boeing 737 First Officer with Virgin Australia, Al is better known for leading the restoration [...]
Episode Forty Two – Classic Fighters 2013
Host: Dave Homewood
Guests: Dave Johnson, Colin Owers, Tony Wytenburg, Jessica Cooper, Melanie Salsbury, Jan Chisum, Jerry Chisum, Al Marshall
Duration: 1 hour, 03 minutes, 16 seconds
Topic: In this airshow special I wandered around the various stands and displays at Classic Fighters airshow at Omaka, [...]
Host: Dave Homewood
Guest: Noel Kruse
Duration: 1 hour, 27 minutes, 13 seconds
Topic: In part six of Noel Kruse’s fascinating life story we hear his memories of flying the CAC Avon Sabre Mk. 32 fighter jets of the RAAF detachment at the Thai base of Ubon. Their role was [...]
Host: Dave Homewood
Guests: Phil Furner, Peter Wheeler and John Wilding
Duration: 51 minutes, 24 seconds
Topic: Dave Homewood interviews Phil Furner, Peter Wheeler and John Wilding about New Zealand’s only preserved Avro Lancaster, ND752 (formerly WU13). They discuss the history, acquisition, restoration and preservation of the Lancaster, and also what the aircraft [...]
Host: Dave Homewood
Guest: Noel Kruse
Duration: 1 hour, 17 minutes, 06 seconds
Topic: Noel Kruse continues his story as a fighter pilot, now fying the CAC Avon Sabre Mk. 32 jets with No. 3 Squadron RAAF and No. 77 Squadron RAAF at RAAF Butterworth in Malaysia during the Indonsesian Confrontation conflict.
Host: Dave Homewood
Guest: Noel Kruse
Duration: 1 hour, 12 minutes, 10 seconds
Topic: In this episode Noel tells us about his time with No. 76 Squadron RAAF at Williamstown and Darwin, flying CAC Sabres in peacetime and in a time of war.
Noel Kruse next to a painting [...]
Host: Dave Homewood
Guest: Graham Orphan
Duration: 45 minutes, 24 seconds
Topic: In this episode we hear from Graham Orphan, the man in charge of the world renowned Classic Fighters airshow held every second Easter at Omaka Aerodrome at Blenheim, Marlborough, at the top of the South Island of New Zealand. We hear [...]
Peter Wheeler and the New Zealand Bomber Command Association
Host: Dave Homewood
Guest: Peter Wheeler
Duration: 37 minutes, 16 seconds
Topic: In this episode Dave Homewood talks with Peter Wheeler of the New Zealand Bomber Command Association about the history and current activities of the NZBCA
Quick Links:
• The New [...]
Guest: Noel Kruse
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 1 hour, 13 minutes, 50 seconds Recorded: 22nd of February 2013
Topic:. In this third interview Noel Kruse details his conversion training onto the CAC Avon Sabre, the Australian-built and improved version of the famous North American F-86 Sabre fighter jet. Noel [...]
Guest: Noel Kruse
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 36 minutes, 56 seconds Recorded: 15th of February 2013
Topic:. In this second episode in the series, Noel talks to Dave about his flying training experiences in the Royal Australian Air Force in 1962, where he re-learned all about flying in CAC Winjeels and de [...]
Guest: Noel Kruse
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 36 minutes Recorded: 15th of February 2013
Topic:. Dave Homewood talks with pilot and author Noel Kruse in the first of a series of episodes covering Noel’s more than 51 years in aviation in Australia and New Zealand.
In this episode Noel talks about his [...]
Guests: Carla McKnight
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 1 hour, 2 minutes, 48 seconds Recorded: 22nd of January 2013
Topic:. Dave Homewood talks with Cambridge-based artist Carla McKnight, who specialises in painting warbirds, horses and other animals in acrylics. Carla is soon moving away from Cambridge to Auckland due to a change in [...]
Guests: Bill Reid, Robin Reid
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 20 minutes, 15 seconds Recorded: 19th of January 2013
Topic:. Dave Homewood recorded a full engine run of the Reid family’s Avro Anson Mk. 1 from inside the cabin, whislt at the Wings Over Wairarapa 2013 Airshow. This short [...]
Guests: Greg Tyrrell, Bill Reid, Warren Denholm, Dave Phillips, Brett Emeny, Peter Anderson and Tom Williams
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 48 minutes, 29 seconds
Recorded: 18th-20th of January 2013
Topic:. Dave Homewood talks live in the field to various people at the Wings Over Wairarapa 2013 Airshow, which was held at [...]
Guest: Brian Farrell
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 1 hour 22 minutes, 59 seconds Recorded: 20th of November 2012
Topic:. Brian Farrell has had a long association with aviation. He joined the RNZAF in 1955 and trained as an Airframes Mechanic. Serving in that capacity on Vampires in New Zealand and Canberras in [...]
Guest: Bernie Lewis
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 53 minutes, 10 seconds Recorded: July 2010
Topic:. Bernie Lewis joined the Royal Air Force in 1950 and served as a jet fighter pilot on Vampires and Sabres before becoming an instructor. He was then selected to attend the Empire Test Pilots School, one of [...]
Episode Twenty Seven – Forum Meet at Don Subritzky’s Collection, 30th of September 2012
Guests: Gordon Glynn, Bob De Le Hunty, John Beeching, Murray Lane, James Kightly and special guest Jerry Yagen
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 47 minutes, 30 seconds (Recorded 30th September 2012)
Topic:. This recording includes most of the guest [...]
Guest: Wing Commander Thomas Welch Horton DSO, DFC* (pff) (retired)
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 51 minutes, 27 seconds (Recorded May 2012)
Topic: Wing Commander Tom Horton was a pilot in the Royal New Zealand Air Force during the Second World War. He was attached to the Royal Air Force in 1940, and [...]
Guest: Ryan Daum
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 25 minutes, 29 seconds (Recorded 12th of July 2012)
Topic: Ryan Daum is a longtime member of the Wings Over New Zealand Forum community, and though currently only 19 years old, he has quite an interesting background in aviation already. He took his first flying [...]
Guest: Warren Denholm
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 38 minutes, 32 seconds (Recorded 10th of July 2012)
Topic: Warren Denholm takes some time out of his very bust schedule to talk to us about his career in warbird restoration, and his company Avspecs Ltd. Recognised and followed around the world for a number [...]
Guest: Paul McSweeny
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 114 minutes, 59 seconds (Recorded 10th of July 2012)
Topic: Paul McSweeny tells us the story of his career in aviation, starting with his time in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and his subsequent career working on the restoration of warbird fighters at Pioneer [...]
Guests: Roy Browne, Phil Byrne and Lynnette James
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 25 minutes, 41 seconds
Topic: Following up on the restoration of the Ossie James topdressing Dakota ZK-AZL, Dave Homewood makes a visit to the APS, or Aviation Painting Services, facility at Hamilton Airport. There he is given a tour of [...]
Guest: Laurence Harcourt “Bunty” Bunt, RNZAF, NZ405799
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 67 minutes, 54 seconds
Topic: Flying Officer Laurence Bunt, NZ405799, known as Bunty to all his mates, is a local legend around the Marlborough region. One of the enthusiastic team of guides at the Aviation Heritage Centre at Omaka Aerodrome, Blenheim, [...]
Guest: Dave Starr
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 57 minutes, 44 seconds
Topic: Dave Starr had a long career in agricultural aviation, first as a loader-driver and then as a pilot. He flew Fletchers and Dakotas as a topdressing pilot, including with James Aviation. He also talks about his early memories of growing [...]
Guest: W/C Owen Hardy DFC
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 25 minutes, 8 seconds
Topic: Owen Hardy was a wartime fighter pilot. He flew Spitfires in combat in North Africa and Europe, including serving with No. 72 Squadron in Britain and in the desert, and No. 485 (NZ) Squadron. He is one of [...]
Episode Eighteen – Forum Meet At Biggin Hill Hangar RNZAF Base Ohakea 2012
Guests: Brendon Deere, with support from Guy Stevenson and Kelly Rankin
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 57 minutes, 03 seconds
Topic: This is a recording of the really fascinating talk that warbird owner, historian and author Brendon Deere gave to [...]
Guests: Anthony Galbraith
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 71 minutes, 7 seconds
Topic: Anthony Galbraith is well known as one of New Zealand’s top scale aircraft modellers. He has a reputation for recreating exacting details with his kitsets, and he likes to concentrate on New Zealand aviation subjects, both RNZAF and civil. Many [...]
Guests: Neville Mines
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 79 minutes, 14 seconds
Topic: Neville Mines, known as ‘Shorty’ in his RNZAF days and on the Wings Over New Zealand Forum, is a fascinating mine of information (pardon the pun). His long and extraordinary background in aviation includes Air Training Corps, volunteering at the [...]
Guest: Rex Bunn
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 29 minutes, 7 seconds
Topic: Rex talks to us about King’s Crew, which is the unique Unit History of an exemplary Air Training Corps Squadron, No. 14 Squadron ATC, between 1941 and 2011. This is not merely a book, it is a multimedia history which gathers together the [...]
Guests: Lynnette James, Phil Byrne and Brett Puddle
Host: Dave Homewood
Duration: 14 minutes, 27 seconds
Topic: An episode recorded on site on the 8th of February 2012, the day that Dougas Dakota ZK-AZL was disassembled and moved from Mystery Creek to Hamilton Airport for repair and repainting.
Quick Links:
• The Ossie [...]
Guests: Squadron Leader Tony Iveson DFC, AE
Duration: 19 minutes, 34 seconds
Topic: President of the Bomber Command Association in the United Kingdom, Squadron Leader Tony Iveson visited the Museum of Transport and Technology on Wednesday the 11th of January 2012 to address the New Zealand Bomber Command Association. This recording is of [...]
Host: Dave Homewood
Guests: Jim Mungall and Don Subritzky
Duration: 55 minutes, 7 seconds
Topic: In this episode we discuss the history of the Hawker Hind in service with the Royal New Zealand Air Force from 1940 till 1943. Our guests are well known aircraft collector Don Subritzky and Hind owner and historian Jim [...]
Host: Dave Homewood
Guest: Peter Lewis
Duration: 42 minutes, 46 seconds
Topic: Peter Lewis has a renowned collection of photographs and data on New Zealand aircraft that he has keenly shared for many years on the Wings Over New Zealand Aviation Forum. In this interview we hear how he first became interested in aviation [...]
Squadron Leader Ross Horton Dedicating Plaque
Featuring: Squadron Leader Ross Horton – then Padre from RNZAF Base Auckland
Duration: 7 minutes, 19 seconds
Topic: This recording was made on Saturday the 13th of November 2004, during the official launch of the Wings Over Cambridge website and Air Force Reunion held at the Cambridge [...]
Guest: Bryan Cox – WWII Fighter Pilot and Author
Duration: 45 minutes
Topic: This recording was made on Saturday the 13th of November 2004 at the Victoria Room of the Cambridge Town Hall, at the official launch of the Wings Over Cambridge website. The event was also a reunion of [...]
Episode Eight – Forum Meet 2011 Part Four
Guest: Geoff Cooper – Airline Pilot and Dakota Captain
Duration: 13 minutes, 39 seconds
Topic: This recording was made on the 14th of May 2011 at the Cambridge Club, in Cambridge at the Wings Over New Zealand Aviation Forum’s annual gathering, which this year was [...]
Episode Seven – Forum Meet 2011 Part Three
Guest: Alan Peart DFC – WWII RNZAF Fighter Ace
Duration: 40 minutes, 7 seconds
Topic: This recording was made on the 14th of May 2011 at the Cambridge Club, in Cambridge at the Wings Over New Zealand Aviation Forum’s annual gathering, which this year [...]
Episode Six – Forum Meet 2011 Part Two
Guest: Larry Hill – Book Collector, Historian and Author
Duration: 17 minutes, 29 seconds
Topic: This recording was made on the 14th of May 2011 at the Cambridge Club, in Cambridge at the Wings Over New Zealand Aviation Forum’s annual gathering, which this [...]
Guest: Bob Glading – WWII Fleet Air Arm Pilot
Duration: 11 minutes, 29 seconds
Topic: This recording was made on the 14th of May 2011 at the Cambridge Club, in Cambridge at the Wings Over New Zealand Aviation Forum’s annual gathering, which this year was the Forum Meet and Veterans Day.
The [...]
Host: Dave Homewood
Guest: Bruce Cooke
Duration: 76 minutes, 09 seconds
Topic: We hear from Bruce his early introduction into aviation, and his very brief career in the RNZAF, followed by his training as an engineer in civil aviation. We hear about working at Gulf Aeronautics, Aeromotive at Hamilton and CityJet, among other [...]
Host: Dave Homewood
Guest: Gavin Conroy – Aviation Photographer and Author
Duration: 52 minutes, 23 seconds
Topic: In this episode we talk with well known aviation photographer Gavin Conroy of Blenheim about his famous air to air photography, his beautiful calendars that he has released over the years, his involvement with the organisation of [...]
Host: Dave Homewood Guest: Don Simms – Moderator of the Wings Over New Zealand Aviation Forum, former RNZAF Avionics Technicians and Co-Author of the book “SKYHAWKS” Duration: 113 minutes, 5 seconds total
Topic: We talk about Don’s career in the Royal New Zealand Air Force as an Avionics Technician servicing Bell Iroquois helicopters [...]
Host: Dave Homewood
Guest: Craig Brankin
Duration: 75 minutes, 15 seconds
Topic: In this introductory episode to the series I chat with the Wings Over New Zealand Aviation Forum moderator Craig Brankin, aka corsair67, about the genesis of the Wings Over Cambridge website and the Wings Over New Zealand Aviation [...]