Canberras: Unbroken Records: Never before seen photographs come to light

Canberra bombers in the 1950s: 

Unbroken Records and Never before seen Photos

I grew up with the Canberra bomber being a low-level subsonic bomber and photo reconnaisance aircraft in South Africa. My cousin's late husband, Nick Barkhuizen, was a navigator/photographer in these interesting aircraft during the Border War in South Africa. Some of his photographs form the first posts on my blog. I just wish I had access to more of his photos from this era.

I have long realised that many of my patients have fascinating military (and civilian) aircraft careers behind them, and often have priceless photographs of these magnificent flying machines they served in and on.

I often regret not having asked permission to share or copy many of these amazing photos I have seen or stories I have heard. In the past I have seen pictures from the Desert War in North Africa during WW2, Coastal Command's Short Sunderland's, RAF Lancasters and Mosquito's, many of which I fear are now lost. One pilot was even awarded the freedom of Paris for his squadron's work escorting B17 bombers in P51s during WW2 !

Recently I was given a gift of a calendar with A3 shots of  WW1 planes. I put this up on my surgery wall.

All of a sudden all the fellow aircraft nuts came out of the woodwork! I have now made a point of asking if I may share their stories and photos (with permission, of course)...

I will endeavour to share some of their stories and photos. So here goes with the first one:

From Warwick Avery: I have known him for 14 years, but I never new his history of being in the ground crew with RNZAF Territorial forces. Some great pics of Canberra bombers from the last great air race:
London to Christchurch 1953, and then some. (Watch my blog for more from him)


So I undertook to a bit of research about this fascinating event. This is what I dredged up:

From Wikipedia:
1953 London to Christchurch Air Race:

"The winner of the race was WE139 a Royal Air Force English Electric Canberra 

piloted by Flight Lieutenant Burton, now on display at the Royal Air Force Museum London:"

Wikipaedia picture of the winning aircraft

The 1953 London to Christchurch air race, the "Last Great Air Race", was 12,300 miles (19,800 km) long, from London Heathrow to Christchurch International Airport in New Zealand and took place in October 1953 after Christchurch took the decision to declare their airport as International in 1950.

The race was divided into an outright speed section and a section for commercial transport aircraft types.

The speed section was won by a Royal Air Force English Electric Canberra PR.3 flown by Flight Lieutenant Roland (Monty) Burton and navigated by Flight Lieutenant Don Gannon. The plane touched down at Christchurch Airport 41 minutes ahead of its closest rival — after 23hr 51min in the air including 83 minutes on the ground; to this day the record has never been broken.

Here is Warwick's photographs of the winning aircraft, never published before:
You can pick out the numbers. The winning aircraft, that of F.Lt Burton, no 3, is the furthest away from the camera:

The aircraft serial numbers and race numbers can clearly be seen in this photograph

Photo Copyright Warwick Avery (Click on photos for larger image)

BEA's  Vickers Viscount Aircraft, with the winning KLM DC6 in the background

Copyright Warwick Avery

There have been many films made about the commercial section of this race: a Vickers Viscount which finished first, followed by a Douglas DC-6A of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines which was declared the winner on handicap. A Royal New Zealand Air Force Handley Page Hastings also took part.

 The victory of the Canberra has been less publicised, flying at an average speed of 495 miles per hour (797 km/h). The distance, by the route followed, was 12,270 miles (19,750 km) so that the actual speed was 515 miles per hour (829 km/h) (or 546 miles per hour (879 km/h) including immediate stops).

Second in the speed section was Squadron Leader Peter Raw of No. 1 Long Range Flight RAAF in an Australian-built Canberra.

Competitors:
Race Number Pilot Operator Aircraft Identity no
1 Wing Commander Hodges, 540 Squadron Royal Air Force, Canberra PR7, WH773
2 Flight Lt Furze, 540 Squadron Royal Air Force, Canberra PR3, WE142, Third in race
3 Flight Lt Burton, 540 Squadron Royal Air Force, Canberra PR3, WE139, Winner: 22 h 25 minutes
4 Wing Co Cumming, No.1 Long Range Flight Royal Australian Air Force, Canberra B20, A84-202
5 Squadron Leader Raw, No.1 Long Range Flight Royal Australian Air Forc, Canberra B20, A84-201         Second in race section in 22 hours 29 minutes

Handicap Section (Commercial airliners)
Number Pilot Operator Aircraft Identity Note
21 Captain Kooper, KLM, Douglas DC-6B, PH-TGA Winner of £10,000 prize in the Handicap section with a handicap time of 44 hours 29 minutes and 31 seconds
22 Wing Commander Watson, 41 Squadron Royal New Zealand Air Forc, Handley Page Hastings NZ5804 Did not finish, withdrew in Ceylon with engine problems
23 Captain Baillie, British European Airways, Vickers Viscount, G-AMAV Second in the Handicap section

Wikipaedia: Douglas DC-6A PH-TGA of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines at London Heathrow wearing racing number 21 when competing in the 1953 London-Christchurch Air Race. It carried a group of Dutch emigrants. It is here displayed at London Heathrow before departure for New Zealand.

In popular culture: The film Bride Flight dramatising this last prize flight was released in 2008.

 

Bride Flight was a 2008 film about three women and one man from Holland, who all start new lives in New Zealand. It starts with the victory of the KLM flight in the 1953 London to Christchurch air race. It was directed by Ben Sombogaart and stars Rutger Hauer, Elise Schaap, Anna Drijver, Karina Smulders, Waldemar Torenstra and Rawiri Paratene.

The film premièred in 2008, with the first release in Belgium. The Dutch singer Ilse DeLange wrote and sang the title song for the movie: "Miracle".

New NZ Choppers take to the Skies in Exercise:

A109s

The Defence Force's newest choppers will be soaring through the skies above the Waiouru Military Camp this week ahead of a major training exercise later in the year.

The helicopter transition unit (HTU), based at the Ohakea Air Force Base, will spend this week at Waiouru with three NH90s and two A109s helicopters to train with soldiers from Queen Alexandra's Mounted Rifles regiment.

The training will help prepare the helicopters for the Southern Katipo exercise being held in South Canterbury in November.

About 1000 army, navy and air force personnel will take part in the large-scale exercise, which will run over several 

weeks.

NH90

Click here for NZ NH90s video: Video of NH 90s

It was the first time such training had been undertaken with the helicopters.

''[We're here] to test out and train for our ability to deploy, away from our home base of Ohakea.

''The aim is to maintain and operate helicopters from an austere environment without the luxury of hangars and the day-to-day help we get.

This will help us build up procedures so we can deploy the aircraft within New Zealand and overseas.''

The unit was practising flying techniques, including low flying, troop carrying and drop-off and pickup techniques in complex terrain.

The NH90 was ''quite different'' from the Iroquois in what could be done with them, as it was able to deploy in more situations, cope with harsher environments and combat high-tech opposition, he said.

(Photos off net, News item Manawatu Standard)

NZ Navy buys reject Aussie Seasprite Helicopters

NZ Navy buys SH2-G (I)  Seasprites rejected by Australia



Fairfax News:


The navy is to get eight new Seasprite helicopters that were originally built for the Australians but rejected by them.

Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman said the Government had approved the purchase of the upgraded and expanded Seasprite helicopter fleet.

They will be bought from the United States company Kaman Aerospace for $242 million, which includes two spare airframes, a training simulator, missiles, and additional components.

"The Defence Force currently has five Seasprites which have been in service since the late 1990s and are due for replacement," Coleman said.

The new helicopters are an upgraded variant, the Seasprite SH-2G(I).

The larger fleet will allow helicopters to be placed on board the frigates Te Mana and Te Kaha as well as on the offshore patrol vessels and the multi-role HMNZS Canterbury, he said.

"These helicopters come with modernised sensor, weapons and flight-control systems and will be a major boost to our maritime surveillance and search capability," Coleman said.

"The helicopters will also ensure that our naval fleet is able to operate at its full potential."


                               

The choppers have had a chequered past but the purchase is seen as a bargain on this side of the Tasman.

They were originally built for the Australian Defence Force, but in 2009 the Australian government cancelled the contract and decided not to introduce them into service after questions about their suitability for Australia's requirements.

"The New Zealand Defence Force and Ministry of Defence officials are acutely aware that the Australian government decided not to fully introduce these aircraft into service after concerns about a range of technical issues," Coleman said.

"As a consequence, the Ministry of Defence has invested considerable resources into examining all aspects of this project over the last two years.

"This included commissioning an independent study by Marinvent Corporation of Canada.

"Ministry of Defence officials have advised the government this aircraft will prove a very capable purchase, meet all of the New Zealand Defence Force's requirements, and can be introduced into service."

Based on that advice and after looking at other replacement options the Government approved the project.

"The replacement Seasprites will have a multiplier effect on the capability of the navy and what's more, the price is very good with alternative helicopter replacements costing three times the amount," Coleman said.

This was first reported in the media (Naval Technology in June 2012):


Kaman is set to begin negotiations with the New Zealand Government for the possible sale of 11 SH-2G(I) Super Seasprite helicopters to the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) following authorisation from the US Department of State.

The recent approval will allow New Zealand defence officials to seek better options for their future maritime helicopter requirements, although no investment decisions have been made yet by either party.
The possible sale includes a full motion flight simulator, training aids, spares inventory, publications and the introduction into service and through life support of the aircraft for the New Zealand Government.

The latest version of the multi-mission maritime helicopter of the SH-2G Super Seasprite, Kaman SH-2G(I) will boost New Zealand's vertical lift capabilities and replace its existing ageing SH-2G Seasprite helicopter fleet. In addition to providing exceptional performance and low operating costs, the SH-2G(I) aircraft will support the New Zealand Ministry's objective to enhance naval helicopter capabilities through to 2025.

Capable of operating from offshore patrol vessels, the new capability will also play a vital national role in extended reach, surveillance, and air-delivered weapons capabilities for the ANZAC frigates.

The SH-2G features fully-integrated, multi-mission maritime weapon system and has been designed to support anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), over the horizon targeting, surveillance, troop transport, vertical replenishment, search and rescue, as well as utility missions.

In May 2012, the RNZN conducted Kaman SH-2G Seasprite helicopter flight trials from its new Protector-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV), HMNZS Otago (P148) in the Hauraki Gulf and the Bay of Plenty areas.
The RNZN currently operates five SH-2G Super Seasprite helicopters.

In 1997, Australia signed an $A 667 million contract with Kaman to purchase 11 upgraded SH-2G (A) “Super Seasprites,” with modernized avionics. This compact helicopter design was thought to be well suited to operation from the RAN’s ANZAC Class frigates, and even from patrol boats with helicopter decks. The first helicopter was unveiled in 2003, but by 2005 up to 40 deficiencies had been identified including inability to operate in bad weather and low-light conditions, and inability to meet Australian airworthiness certification standards. Placing modern avionics into a 1960s air-frame proved challenging indeed; the helicopters were restricted to “passenger and supply transport in good weather” in 2005, then grounded in May 2006.

                        

By 2007, the project was 6 years behind schedule, costs had risen over 50% to $A 1.1 billion (about $900 million) for 11 helicopters, and the program was being used as a case study in the Australian Defence College’s leadership and ethics course. It’s estimated that at least $A 45 million more and 29 months of work was be required to make them serviceable, with full operational status unlikely until at least 2010. In 2007, Australia’s Liberal Party government elected to continue the Super Seasprite program – but their successor Labor government reversed that decision, and come to an interesting agreement with Kaman. 

NZ has now purchased these aircraft from Kaman.

Original article and further info from Defence Industry Daily

Of Hobbits, cars, trains and aeroplanes

Of Hobbits, Cars, Trains and Aeroplanes:
An unexpected journey

I traveled up to the Bay of Islands in New Zealand on a bit of a road trip with my family. On the way back we decided to visit the Waitomo Caves. We found this unusual motel, listed in the Top 10 or 20 Weirdest Motels in the World (Depending on which website you look at)

This place fitted perfectly with my type of weirdness. How much better can you get when it comes to quirky accommodation: Hobbit holes, train carriages, NZ Air Force Freighter Aircraft and a Fairmail Naval patrol Boat from 1942 ?

Woodlynpark has a variety of unusual lodging experiences for you to try. Billy Black and his team performs a unique New Zealand show and maintains these amazing motel units:

A 1950's Bristol Freighter Plane has been fully refurbished into 2 self contained motel units. This plane is purported to be one of the last allied planes out of Vietnam and is the only accommodation of its type in the world.

"The Waitomo Express" is a 1918 Rail Carriage beautifully refurbished into a completely self contained motel unit. Having 2 separate bedrooms, the Waitomo Express sleeps up to 6 people with 1 Double Bed, and 2 sets of single bunks.

Worlds First Hobbit Underground Motels with circular windows - straight out of middle earth! Built alongside the now well established Train Carriage and Aeroplane Motels, the Hobbits add yet another dimension to this unique complex. The Hobbits, like the other motels available at Woodlyn Park, are all self-contained with kitchens and own shower toilet facilities can accommodate between 2-10 people. Each has specially designed furniture and décor. Having been built using polystyrene blocks they are warm in the winter and cool in the summer. 

More about the plane: 

Allocated G18-113 to Bristol Aeroplane Company 11 September 1952. 

BOC RNZAF Whenuapai 23 October 1952 as NZ5906 with No.41 Squadron. Radio call sign ZMZBH. 

Hit by Indonesian ground fire in Vietnam on 13 October 1965 suffering minor damage but no casualties. 

WFU with No.1 Squadron Whenuapai 23 March 1977. Sold by GSB tender 19 June 1978. Registered to Dwen Airmotive NZ Ltd. as ZK-EPC on 17 August 1978. 

Ferried Whenuapai-Ardmore on 31 August 1978. 
To National Air Freighters 27 June 1984. 
To Hercules Airlines 12 November 1984. 
Cancelled from register 18 January 1991 as withdrawn from use. 
Derelict at Ardmore by 1992. 
Fuselage now in use as a motel unit at Woodlyn Park, near Waitomo Caves.

First Flight for NZ Mosquito

Mosquito in NZ Skies:

From World Warbird News: Mosquito FB.26 KA114 flew in Auckland recently

 Several videos showing the event are available on Youtube:

NZ Mosquito takes to the air