Big Formations of Jet Aircraft at Ohakea, 8th April 1987

09 Jul 2024 1 Comment

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The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) began its 50^th Anniversary celebrations at RNZAF Base Wigram on 1^st April 1987 with a formal parade and flypast, followed by the official opening of the brand new RNZAF Museum.

Later, a 50^th Golden Anniversary Air Pageant was held at RNZAF Base Ohakea on 4^th and 5^th of April 1987, followed one week later by repeat 50^th Anniversary Air Pageant held at RNZF Base Auckland (Whenuapai air base) on 10^th and 11^th April 1987. I was the Display Director for both pageants.

In between the two air pageants, I planned, briefed and led a sortie that involved four aircraft types totaling 28 jet aircraft flying in close formation.

The First Formation – The first formation involved 18 Skyhawks, comprising Skyhawk Red of five A4s – led by me in A4K NZ6210, Jade with four A4s, Gold with four A4s, and Amber with five A4s. At that time I was OC Strike Wing and based at Ohakea. After the flight briefing we used Runways 27 and 15 at Ohakea to line up for takeoff, as shown on my kneeboard card below:

Once all 18 Skyhawk aircraft were airborne we joined up over the sea to the west of Ohakea for a photograph taken from a Strikemaster –

18 A4 Skyhawks in close formation. At the rear of the first flight of five Skyhawks is TA4F NZ6256 painted in a special gold colour scheme to mark the RNZAF 50th ‘Golden’ Anniversary; and the silver A4F/K NZ6215 at the rear of the formation had been stripped of paint ready for the dark green camouflage paint scheme to be applied – Photo RNZAF C252/97 8 Apr 87 taken from a 14 Squadron Strikemaster - with the fuel tip tank showing at the bottom of this photo.

My kneeboard chart below shows the disposition of the 18 aircraft formation and incudes the names of the pilots from 2 and 75 squadrons who were flying each aircraft – Red 2 was Gp Capt John Hosie Base Commander Ohakea, Amber1 was Wg Cdr Frank Sharp CO 75 Sqn, and Amber 4 was Sqn Ldr Jim Jennings CO 2 Sqn.

The Second Formation – The second formation, this time of 28 jet aircraft, comprised of 16 Skyhawks, four RAAF F/A18 Hornets callsign Baron Cobra, four RAAF Mirage IIIO callsign Despot Green, and four Strikemasters callsign Strikemaster Black. The disposition of the respective aircraft flights is seen on the kneeboard chart above, under (2).