Skyhawk News

Press Release- 7th June 2011, First Skyhawk gets ready for display at Museum

In early April the Government announced that two aircraft of the RNZAF’s former Skyhawk fleet stored at Woodbourne would be allocated to the Air Force Museum of New Zealand at Wigram. The Museum is receiving both a single-seat A-4K and a two-seat TA-4K aircraft. The first of these, TA-4K NZ6254, was disassembled at Woodbourne in late May and will be transported to Wigram using NZDF transport on 8 June, arriving mid to late afternoon. The project team will unload the four vehicles first thing on the 9^th, and then start to reassemble the aircraft in the Museum’s restoration hangar in readiness for display. Members of the public who purchase a behind-the-scenes tour will be able to see it being reassembled. After almost 10 years in storage, the aircraft are in surprisingly good shape with very little evidence of corrosion, making the transition to display a lot quicker.

The Museum was keen to acquire NZ6254 as it was the first Skyhawk to fly in New Zealand skies following delivery in May 1970 aboard the USS Okinawa. It was also one of two Skyhawks to undertake test-firing of the Maverick air-to-surface missile in 1989, the other aircraft being NZ6205 which has also been allocated to the Museum. Both aircraft were the prototypes for Project Kahu which resulted in the aircraft fleet receiving a major upgrade to their avionics.

Skyhawk NZ6254 will be displayed in the Museum’s Aircraft Hall on 17 June exactly as it was when it was withdrawn from service in December 2001. The Museum currently has a Skyhawk on loan from the United States Navy, however visitors will now be able to see a genuine RNZAF example. The Museum’s Director, Thérèse Angelo, said that it was entirely appropriate that the Air Force Museum of New Zealand was chosen as the first institution to display these aircraft. “Our role is to preserve and present the history of New Zealand military aviation, and we tell the story of the RNZAF. We are absolutely delighted to be able to display these amazing aircraft so that visitors can get really close up to them” she said. The second Skyhawk, NZ6205, is expected later this year.

For further PR enquiries please contact Dave Clearwater, Business Manager, on 03 3439508 or 0274 375054; for enquiries relating to the aircraft and its history please contact David Watmuff, Collections Manager, on 03 3439538.

Press Release- 29th May 2011, Skyhawks prepare for trip south

The first of the RNZAF’s former Skyhawk fleet is currently being disassembled at Woodbourne, near Blenheim, as part of the Government’s decision early last month to place some of the aircraft in museums around New Zealand. NZ6254, a two-seat TA-4K Skyhawk, has had its protective coating removed and will shortly be dismantled into its major components ready for movement by NZDF transport to the Air Force Museum of New Zealand at Wigram, Christchurch, the birthplace of New Zealand military aviation.

The aircraft will travel via the Lewis Pass to its new home. This will be the second time it will have travelled by road. In May 1970 the newly arrived Skyhawks were transported by road from the port in Auckland to RNZAF Base Whenuapai.

The project manager responsible for overseeing the disposal of the fleet said that he expected the disassembly and preparation for movement to take a minimum of a week. Some delays were inevitable as it has been over ten years since an airworthy Skyhawk has had its large wing removed, which is a tricky process even with experienced staff and the right equipment. The aircraft is being disassembled by the Air Combat Force Disposal Unit comprising military and civilian staff with Skyhawk experience.

The Museum was very keen to acquire NZ6254 as it was the first Skyhawk to fly in New Zealand following delivery in May 1970 aboard the USS Okinawa. It was also one of two Skyhawks to undertake test-firing of the Maverick air-to-surface missile in 1989, the other aircraft being NZ6205, a single-seat model, which has also been allocated to the Museum. Both aircraft were the prototypes for Project Kahu which resulted in the aircraft fleet receiving a major upgrade to their avionics.

NZ6254 will be reassembled at the Museum by the Unit and will go on display soon afterwards so that visitors can get the opportunity of seeing the aircraft at close quarters.

POC: Mr David Watmuff, Collections Manager, Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Tel: 03 343 9538 and email: david.watmuff@nzdf.mil.nz.