Joanie Barclay’s F4 Phantom ‘Burner Bust’

In early 1981, Joanie Barclay, wife of the then Squadron Leader Jim Barclay, a Royal New Zealand Air Force exchange pilot with the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing (31 TFW) at United States Air Force (USAF) Homestead Air Force Base (HAFB), located near Miami, Florida, was quick to respond to an invitation from Jim’s 308th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron (308 TFTS) to experience a ‘Burner Bust’. Like a number of other USAF squadrons, the 308 TFTS annually invited the wives of squadron aircrew to experience an overview of what their husbands did while away at work. ...

13 April, 2021

RNZAF/USAF F4 Phantom Exchange Posting 1979-1982 – Sqn Ldr Jim Barclay RNZAF

Sqn Ldr Jim Barclay F4E Phantom II AF66-309 309th TFS, 31 TFW, Homestead AFB, Florida, September 1979 In May 1979 I travelled to Florida, USA, with my family for a ‘two-years, plus training time’ RNZAF/USAF exchange posting flying the USAF F4 Phantom II with the......

01 June, 2020

The Last Battles of Hastings: 1969 and 1971, at RNZAF Base Ohakea

RNZAF Hastings in service – The RNZAF operated four Handley Page (HP) Hastings (serial numbers NZ5801 to 5804) CMk3 four-engined transport aircraft from 1952. These aircraft were flown initially by No. 41 Squadron, but they were transferred to No. 40 Squadron when it reformed on......

29 May, 2020

Flying RNZAF Skyhawks on Exercise Blue Denim, and ‘Riding a Mirage’, Darwin

May/June 1973, by Jim Barclay Flt Lt Jim Barclay strapping into the ejection seat of 77 Squadron RAAF two-seater RAAF Mirage IIID A3-104, RAAF Base Darwin, Australia 1st June 1973 Eight RNZAF A4K Skyhawks from No 75 Squadron were flown from RNZAF Base Ohakea on......

01 May, 2020

Flying Vampires with 75 Squadron 1969 – 1970

My introduction to flying in Vampires with 75 Squadron (Sqn) began when I was posted to Ohakea in April 1966 as an 18 year old Secretarial Officer. At that time 75 Sqn aircrew were located in the north western corner of No 2 Hangar at......

15 April, 2020

Skyhawk stories – Drop Tanks and a Flash-fire

A4 painted drop tanks – what some may think is ‘useless’ information – a photo of Skyhawk A4K NZ6208 at Ohakea carrying the first set of drop tanks with camouflage paint applied to the top part of the tank. Since we had had the Skyhawks......

23 March, 2020

RNZAF Skyhawks – A Short History

RNZAF Skyhawks – A Short History Compiled by Jim Barclay with information supplied by ‘Air Frame’ Fourteen A4K aircraft were ordered from the Douglas Aircraft Company by the RNZAF in 1968 (ten A4K single seaters, being ‘tail numbers’ NZ6201-NZ6210, and four TA4K two seaters NZ6251-NZ6254).......

24 April, 2013

Close Formation Bristol Freighter NZ5906

Here are a few photos taken in 1973 that you wouldn’t expect to be taken by a recent 75 Squadron Skyhawk pilot! By late August 1973, I had completed nearly 3 years flying Skyhawks on 75 Skyhawk Squadron (Sqn) at RNZAF Base Ohakea and I......

09 November, 1973

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