Royal New Zealand Air Force November 2019

[spbullimore]

Here is a small selection of current RNZAF (or RNZDF) hardware from a very pleasant November in the southern hemisphere.

Dropped by at Whenuapai on 30th October to try and bag an SH-2. No luck there but an NH90 arrived. Photography on the ground at Whenuapai is pretty much impossible due to a double fence but managed to stretch above it for this one.

NH90TTH NZ3307 3Sqn by Simon Bullimore, on Flickr

Next was the main RNZAF base at Ohakea. A quick-ish late afternoon stop on 6th November to get my bearings resulted in the same NH90 from Whenuapai arriving:

NH90TTH NZ3307 3Sqn by Simon Bullimore, on Flickr

Then a large twin on finals for runway 27 turned out to be a RAAF KC-30A for an overshoot & depart:

KC-30A A39-001 33Sqn RAAF final rwy 27 Ohakea by Simon Bullimore, on Flickr

KC-30A A39-001 33Sqn RAAF by Simon Bullimore, on Flickr

My plan was to spend all of the next day 7th November at the fence which I feared might be a tad boring. No such problem, was buzzing all day.

T-6C NZ1411 14Sqn takeoff by Simon Bullimore, on Flickr

T-6C NZ1410 14Sqn by Simon Bullimore, on Flickr

T-6C NZ1408 14Sqn roll by Simon Bullimore, on Flickr

T-6C NZ1407 14Sqn by Simon Bullimore, on Flickr

T-6C NZ1405, NZ1408, NZ1410 14Sqn Black Falcons takeoff by Simon Bullimore, on Flickr

T-6C NZ1405 14Sqn 'Texan 05' taxi by Simon Bullimore, on Flickr

T-6C NZ1404 14Sqn takeoff by Simon Bullimore, on Flickr

NH90TTH NZ3306 3 Sqn by Simon Bullimore, on Flickr

NH90TTH NZ3303 3Sqn by Simon Bullimore, on Flickr

NH90TTH NZ3301 3Sqn by Simon Bullimore, on Flickr

Beech 350i NZ2353 42Sqn by Simon Bullimore, on Flickr

King Air NZ2353 holding for Texan 05 final runway 27 by Simon Bullimore, on Flickr

Beech 350i NZ2350 42Sqn 'Kingair 50' by Simon Bullimore, on Flickr

A109LUH NZ3404 3Sqn by Simon Bullimore, on Flickr

A109LUH NZ3401 3Sqn by Simon Bullimore, on Flickr

Didn't think that a week in Akaroa on the Banks Peninsular would bring any military action but how wrong. What did we see when drawing the curtains in the morning but HMNZS Wellington moored in the bay. Better still was while eating our breakfast an SH-2 was towed onto deck. Identification was something of a challenge & it didn't fly. From the wonders of digital photography I'm quite sure it is NZ3619.

HMNZS Wellington & SH-2G(I) NZ3619 6Sqn by Simon Bullimore, on Flickr

Finally another surprise at Christchurch Airport on 22nd November, 3 NH90s very close to the fence including one new one for me.

NH90TTH NZ3308 3Sqn by Simon Bullimore, on Flickr

NH90TTH NZ3307 3Sqn by Simon Bullimore, on Flickr

NH90TTH NZ3306 3Sqn by Simon Bullimore, on Flickr

Hope these are of interest. Plenty more on my Flickr pages.

All the best

Simon

[david14]

Good places to visit Simon, Ohakea is a nice place to visit - would have liked to have been there when they were flying A-4s though! Thanks for posting

[Nighthawke]

Nice to see some NZ stuff on here for a change. Great set - thanks for posting.

[paddyboy]

Great to see some shots from down under, Simon

That is one impressive-looking helo there

Thanks for posting

Paddyboy

[Sparts99]

Nice to see shots for somewhere new.

[lardyboy999]

Very nice indeed!

I do like those NH90's...

[fisherman]

Nice indeed Simon, I really like the T-6C's and NH-90s...

[hawgwash]

Wow, what a great set. Thanks.

Matt

[LTFT5]

Great to see these, love the T-6Cs shots.
All the best
Andy

[BOLLO]

Some cracking shots ya got there chap.Thanks for posting .

[SW Sky Blue]

Great stuff

[spbullimore]

Thanks for all of the comments.

I have dug out & scanned some old prints from Ohakea in 2002 & posted them in the nostalgia section. Different types back then, few A-4s, MB339CBs, UH-1Hs, CT4Es, Beech 200s & training on Sioux.

All the best

Simon

[Blackcat1]

Lovely set of photos.

[Jason407]

Awesome shots mate, I live in Auckland and never get to see much, I did get a shot of the US Army MH 60's that were here a while ago and we sometimes get the NH 90's come over the house, but that's about all. I've tried to get some shots at Ohakea, but they moved me along, so you were lucky.

[spbullimore]

Thanks for that Jason407
I spent all day at the end of Frecklington Road at Ohakea & had no trouble at all. I had tried to arrange a base visit but that was denied. The base adjutant did state that I was very welcome to take photographs from outside the fence however. Lucky I didn't have to use it on any over zealous security!