The Vildebeest Display Team

A three-ship display team of Vildebeest biplane reconnaissance bombers/advanced trainers, this is probably the first dedicated RNZAF display team formed for public displays. The team was made up of Flying Training School pilots from RNZAF Station Wigram.

Display Dates	Venue	Pilots	Notes
4th of June 1938	Rongotai		This was the RNZAF's first airshow

The No. 42 Squadron Harvard Display Team

Display Dates	Venue	Pilots	Notes
The No. 42 Squadron Harvard Display team - 1950
16th of Sept 1950 _	RNZAF Ohakea Visitor's Day, 1950
Note: This team is noted in the programme for the RNZAF Ohakea Visitor's Day on Saturday the 16th of September 1950. The programme notes that from 3.50 till 4.00pm there would be "Formation Aerobatics by Harvards of No. 42 Squadron." This is all I know.

 

Seasprites

The display team of No. 6 Squadron, RNZAF consists of a pair of Seasprite helicopters, more commonly seen aboard the RNZN's frigates. They debuted at Warbirds Over Wanaka 2006

Display Dates	Venue	Pilots	Notes
14-16 of Apr 2006 (Easter)	Warbirds Over Wanaka. Luggate, Wanaka	? ?

 

Kiwi Thunder

Display Dates	Venue	Pilots	Notes

RNZAF Solo Display Performers

Display Dates	Venue	Pilots	Notes
No. 41 Squadron Douglas C-47 Dakota
16th of Sept 1950	RNZAF Ohakea Visitor's Day, 1950
Note: This flypast is noted in the programme for the RNZAF Ohakea Visitor's Day on Saturday the 16th of September 1950. The programme notes that from 3.00 till 3.10pm there would be "Supply drop by a Dakota of No. 41 transport Squadron."
No. 42 Squadron Auster
16th of Sept 1950	RNZAF Ohakea Visitor's Day, 1950
Note: This flypast is noted in the programme for the RNZAF Ohakea Visitor's Day on Saturday the 16th of September 1950. The programme notes that at 3.20pm there would be "Flying Demonstration by an Auster of No. 42 Squadron."
No. 75 Squadron de Havilland Mosquito
16th of Sept 1950	RNZAF Ohakea Visitor's Day, 1950
Note: This flypast is noted in the programme for the RNZAF Ohakea Visitor's Day on Saturday the 16th of September 1950. The programme notes that at 3.30pm there would be "Aerobatics by Mosquito aircraft of No. 75 Squadron."
No. 42 Squadron de havilland Devon
16th of Sept 1950	RNZAF Ohakea Visitor's Day, 1950
Note: This flypast is noted in the programme for the RNZAF Ohakea Visitor's Day on Saturday the 16th of September 1950. The programme notes that at 3.40pm there would be "Formation demonstration by a Devon of of No. 42 Squadron."
Central Flying School Harvard
June 1968 till December 1968	Various	F/O Ken Gayfer
1969-1970	Various	John Lanham
24th of June 1977	RNZAF Wigram, on the day the Harvards retired officially with a mass formation flypast	Jim Barclay
Harvard NZ1015 of the RNZAF Historic Flight of the CFS
1980 - 1982	Various including "Harrier Day" Ohakea	Sqn Ldr John Bates
28th of Feb 1981	Air Force Day 81, Ohakea	Flt Lt R. Ginder
1st of Apr 1987	RNZAF 50th Anniversary RNZAF Wigram	Sqn Ldr M. Panther
Vampire
28th Mar 1955 ________________	RNZAF's 21st Anniversary, Ohakea	Fg Off Murray Turnbull
Canberra (No. 75 Squadron)
18-29 Mar 1961	Accompanying the Central Flying School Aerobatic Team on their 'North Island Tour' to... Stratford, Hamilton,Kaitaia, Kaikohe, Whangarei, Dargarville, Tauranga, Matamata, Paeroa, Thames, Morrinsville, Gisbourne, Wairoa, Napier, Hastings and Waipukurau	Flt Lt Barry Gordon F/O Peter C. Pennell ______________________	Pilot Navigator
Note: Former RNZAF Navigator Peter Pennell has sent this memory of his role in a solo Canberra act in 1961. "In 1961 while at Ohakea I was teamed up with Barry Gordon in a B.12 for a recruitment tour of NZ.   The Red Checkers, accompanied by a Bristol Freighter, toured NZ cities and towns, while we flew in from Ohakea each day 'beating up' two designated towns on the way and putting on quite a display at the airfield where the others were..."   The towns mentioned above are only thoise where the Red Checkers displayed and stayed on their tour. The list does not include the two other towns per display that Barry Gordon and Peter Pennell 'beat up'. Sadly Peter lost his logbook in a fire so this list is all I have at this stage. Thanks to Peter Pennel for his memories of these displays.
1967 - 1970	23 displays	Gavin Trethewey	Pilot
Note: Gavin Trethewey recalls the following about his solo Canberra display days:   "It was a lovely aeroplane and with a minimal fuel load and no weapons it had a good surplus of power.  It was theoretically not aerobatic, but if you were careful it could do an impressive display of noise with limited aerobatics.  My standard displays included rolls, an inverted run, a power off loop (pulling up at 400kts with the engines at idle right round the loop).  If the display commenced from take off, I would start with a roll off the top.  To achieve that we would get airborne, get the gear up but hold the aeroplane right down just above the ground till 190 kts, then a 3 'G' pull up and over.  Because we had a 4 'G' limit and it was easy to overstress, the gunsight was removed for displays and an accelerometer was fitted in its place so I could monitor the 'G' loading carefully.   Lots of fun.  We always carried a navigator and they were very brave guys to ride through it all." Thanks to Gavin Trethewey for his memories of displaying the English Electirc Canberra.   Above: Gavin Trethewey flies past the Ohakea tower at 480kts on his last Canberra solo display before the Canberra was retired to Woodbourne. Photo courtesy of Gavin Trethewey
Canberra (No. 14 Squadron)
1969	Various	John Lanham	Pilot
Skyhawk (No. 75 Squadron)
		Sqn Ldr Roger Henstock
		Flt Lt Rod Anyan
1975-1976	Various	John Lanham
1983-85	Various	John Bates
1985-86	Various	Bruce Keightly
20-22 Nov 1992	Air Expo 92, Mangere
Strikemaster (No. 14 Squadron)
		Garry Rasmussen
		Nick Pedley
		Gavin Howse
1973	Various	John Lanham
Note: Jim Barclay reports that Garry Rasmussen, Nick Pedley and Gavin Howse were all solo Strikemaster display pilots during his time as CO of No. 14 Squadron.
Macchi (No. 14 Squadron)
P-3K Orion (No. 5 Squadron)
28th of Feb 1981_	Air Force Day 81, Ohakea	Sqn Ldr Gordon Ragg and crew
4th of March 1990	Ardmore Airshow
C-130 Hercules (No. 40 Squadron)
28th of Feb 1981	Air Force Day 81, Ohakea	Sqn Ldr Al King and crew
4th of March 1990	Ardmore Airshow
2003	Ardmore Airshow
Tiger Moth NZ662 (RNZAF Historic Flight)
1st of April 1987 _	RNZAF 50th Anniversary RNZAF Wigram	Flt Lt Edwards
Avro 626 (RNZAF Historic Flight)
1st of April 1987 _	RNZAF 50th Anniversary RNZAF Wigram	Wg Comm John Lanham
1984-1987	Various including Hamilton	Wg Comm John Lanham
Note: Wing Commander John Lanham was the only pilot to fly the Avro 626 after its restoration. The aircraft was retired to the RNZAF Museum.