Air Force Museum of New Zealand

Air Force Museum of New Zealand

15 hours ago

More news from our RNZAF outpost in England.

We've been delighted to be able to collaborate with Aerospace Bristol on this important project to restore the only surviving Bristol Freighter in Europe - and a RNZAF one to boot! ... See MoreSee Less

Air Force Museum of New Zealand

1 day ago

THE BOOK OF CHRIS: Sergeant Christopher Haliday dropped by to visit the training base he arrived at a short 50 years ago.

Back in April 1976, the young 17-year-old Aucklander hopped on a Bristol Freighter at Whenuapai for a luxury flight to Wigram to join a ‘eight-week wonder’ recruits’ course.

Looking at his class photo he observes there was not a lot to him in those days – and he really felt the cold at Wigram.

“I was so skinny that if I turned sideways, they reported me absent without leave,’’ he says.

Chills and weight issues aside, it was the start 21-year career and adventure as an avionics specialist in the RNZAF.

He made great friends and learned trade skills that set him up for life. Best of all he travelled all around the world – including ‘every island you can think of in the Pacific’, Canada, Singapore, the United States and Antarctica.

“Being back here made me realise what a colourful life it was. Entering at the time we did meant we got a huge amount of opportunity.’’

One particular job towards the end of his time stands out. While not making the best seller list, he did get asked to write a very important book – which became a suite of books.

After the RNZAF’s fleet of Skyhawks was given its new ‘Kahu’ avionics upgrade, he was given the job of writing the technical manuals.

“I asked for a camera and we contracted a draftsman, and we created an illustrated parts break down of every single part involved in Kahu. It became a suite of avionics books.’’

It was detailed work but that’s what RNZAF training was all about - close attention to detail and quality to hunt out faults in aircraft wherever they lurked.

“I realise now what a valuable set of skills I left with. Not only did they teach you to be good at fault finding, as you moved up the ranks you had to become a good trainer as well. You have to set the standards, you set out with the mindset that there’s a mistake and you’re going to find it. They were great skills for civvy street.’’

After he left the RNZAF, he went on to a career as a quality control manager in the pharmaceuticals industry using the skills he gained in the air force.

Now retired and living in Auckland, Chris returned to the Air Force Museum of New Zealand to catch up with volunteer guide Bob Janek, a fellow recruit from his course at Wigram.

They flew on the same Freighter and shared a barracks in 1976.

Chris is in the back row, second from right, in the course photo.

Thanks for your service to New Zealand, Sergeant Haliday, and for visiting your museum.

#rnzaf #rnzafpastandpresent ... See MoreSee Less

Air Force Museum of New Zealand

2 days ago

Yesterday we gathered to farewell a long-serving volunteer guide, Hadyn Clarke, who passed away recently at the age of 93.

Hadyn fell in love with aviation watching the mighty flying boats gracefully take off and land at Mechanics Bay in Auckland.

He biked from his home in Penrose to Mangere at the weekends to go plane spotting, and he was there so often a pilot eventually took pity on him and took him up for a joyride.

When he wasn’t able to join the RNZAF, Hadyn bought a one-way ticket and headed off to the United Kingdom to join the RAF.

He started out as a mechanic, qualified in signalling and gunnery before becoming a pilot. He qualified for three Brevets.

Hadyn flew a whole lot of aircraft including Jet Provosts, Chipmunks, Vampires, Neptunes and Shackletons and served all over the world during his 20-years on active duty in the RAF.

Of all those aircraft there was one he truly loved – the four engine Avro which he referred to as the ‘Shack’ and once flew so low he almost collided with a breaching whale.

When he returned to New Zealand with his young family in the 1970s he became an instructor for Air New Zealand and later Malaysian Airlines.

After retiring to Christchurch he joined our volunteer team, showing thousands of visitors around our museum for an astonishing 27 years.

He was also a keen member of the Wigram model flying club and was here every Thursday and Sunday over all those years.

We’d like to say thanks to his wife Barbara, and the rest of his family, for sharing this lovely man with us for so many years.

Blue skies and tail winds Hadyn, we will miss you.

#raf #avroshackleton ... See MoreSee Less