A4K's A-4K Thread

[nuuumannn]

Hi,

As per requests from forum member A4K in far away Hungary, this thread contains images of Royal New Zealand Air Force A-4K and TA-4K Skyhawks I took while based at RNZAF Base Woodbourne. For those of you not familiar with the Kiwi air force A-4 debacle, a little background:

In December 2001 the RNZAF took the unprecedented step of disbanding its strike force of A-4s and Aermacchi MB-339CB combat trainers. It was hoped, somewhat ambitiously as it turned out that the fleet of aircraft would be sold abroad. This did not happen and earlier this year it was announced that the aircraft would be passed on to museums, as many in NZ predicted. Those not going to museums are due to be scrapped.

The images I am supplying here are of the A-4s in storage indoors and outside, which took place because the hangar they were kept in was required for upgrades to the RNZAF's fleet of C-130 Hercules. It was believed that with the ambient humidity of the region where Woodbourne is located is very low (it's the largest wine growing region in NZ), the Skyhawks could be stored outdoors. This decision did not take into account the fact that it rains a lot in Marlborough! Because of this there were corrosion issues with instrumentation and ingress of water into the aircraft panels, despite them being sealed with 100 mph tape, was a problem.

First, a walk around of NZ6215.













Next, three of the aircraft outside the day after we had spent a weekend taping them up ready to be sprayed with Spraylat.









In the early 1990s, the RNZAF Skyhawks were modified with modern avionics, including APG-66(NZ) radar, a sophisticated nav attack system and HOTAS. How they managed to fit all the equipment into the confines of the nose of the A-4 is one of the Eight Wonders of the Modern World. Two of the instrument panel after the Kahu (Hawk) upgrade.





The barbed wire compound where the A-4s were contained was jokingly referred to by personnel I worked with as "Guantanamo Bay".





...and finally, one of my favourite aircraft I've worked on.

[Capt. Vick]

Cool and sad at the same time. Does NZ have any attack or fighter aircraft?

[FLYBOYJ]

You worked P-3s????? I worked for Lockheed 1980 - 90 and was a QA rep. I saw the last 138 aircraft built. Also worked on them in the USNR, some of the same aircraft I built were in my squadron.

[A4K]

Mate, great photos, thanks! ...and some almost tearful memories - I worked in No.4 hangar while at WB (I think that's No.2 in your photos isn't it?).

I also have photos of Orion NZ4202 in same pose (and place!) as yours. Interesting time capsule - she was still in the old hi-viz scheme then (1991). Also have shots of her in stripped condition for servicing, a future diorama project. If I can get some of the pics scanned, I'll post them. (All my A-4 pics are stilll in NZ unfortunately)

Many thanks for the thread and info!

Evan

[parsifal]

A sad end in my opinion. When the RAN scrapped the carrier, its my understanding our A4Gs and Fs were passed to the NZDF. Was that the case, if so, were these slightly earlier marks of the Skyhawk upgraded as well.

Pretty long serving aircraft for some of those airframes if they did. We acquired our A4s in '67, some were still flying in 1984 when transferred. I hope they were upgraded.

I could use a little upgrading myself come to think of it.....

[A4K]

Yep, 10 of our Skyhawks are ex-RAN, 8 A-4G and 2 TA-4G:

# NZ-6211 (A-4K) BuNo.154903, crashed 16 Feb 01. Former RAN A-4G "882", transferred to RNZAF JUL 1984.
# NZ-6212 (A-4K) BuNo.154904, rmd from srvc DEC 01. Former RAN A-4G "883", transferred JUL 1984.
# NZ-6213 (A-4K) BuNo.154905, rmd from srvc DEC 01. Former A-4G with RAN as "884", transferred JUL 1984.
# NZ-6214 (A-4K) BuNo.154908, rmd from srvc DEC 01. Former A-4G with RAN as "887", transferred JUL 1984.
# NZ-6215 (A-4K) BuNo.155052, rmd from srvc DEC 01. Former A-4G with RAN as "871", transferred JUL 1984.
# NZ-6216 (A-4K) BuNo.155061, rmd from srvc DEC 01. Former A-4G with RAN as "875", transferred JUL 1984.
# NZ-6217 (A-4K) BuNo.155063, rmd from srvc DEC 01. Former A-4G with RAN as "876", transferred JUL 1984.
# NZ-6218 (A-4K) BuNo.155069, rmd from srvc (damaged) 15 AUG 01. Former RAN A-4G "877", xfd JUL 1984.
# NZ-6255 (TA-4K) BuNo.154911, rmd from service DEC 01. Former RAN TA-4G "880", transferred JUL 1984.
# NZ-6256 (TA-4K) BuNo.154912, crashed 20 MAR 01. Former RAN TA-4G "881", transferred JUL 1984 and converted to TA-4K configuration about DEC 1986.
[Note: When converted from "G" to "K", the top of the tail is squared off during the installation of an "IFF" antenna. Plus a new radio antenna behind the cockpit, and the drag chute module is added under the tail.]

(Info from this site: Royal New Zealand Air Force | A-4 Skyhawk Association )

[nuuumannn]

A4K, The walkaround of '6215 was taken in Hangar 4; that's the P-3 tail dock in the background of the front shots. In the fourth shot of the same you can see the Iroquois Group Servicing rig in the background, with an undercarriage skid just under the A-4's nose. The P-3 is NZ4201 at a quarter to seven in the morning the day after she had finished her Group. I miss WB sunrises; I used to cycle from Redwoodtown everyday, rain or shine since we only had one car and my wife worked on the far side of Renwick, so she needed it. We still own a house in Redwoodtown.

FLYBOYJ, Yep, but not for too long. P-3s are the perro's cojones. I prefer them to the C-130 to work on by a long shot. I'm an airliner spanner turner now; line maintenance on Dash 8s.

[nuuumannn]

Capt Vick; missed you out. Nope, not a sausage. The Vintage Aviator, film director Peter Jackson's reproduction aircraft building concern has a fleet of seven Fokker Triplanes, but that's about the sum of it.

Prior to their retirement, a squadron of A-4s (2 Sqn) was based at HMAS Albatross at Nowra, south of Sydney in Aussie for air combat training with RAN ships. I think there were only six or so of them. I have photos of RNZAF A-4s at an airshow at RAAF Richmond north of Sydney somewhere, I'll dig them out. When they left the Aussies were naturally none too happy as the Skyhawks provided an excellent training aid. I heard (I wasn't in NZ at the time) that the RNZN had to employ a civilian ex-Singapore Air Force Hawker Hunter to do the same once the A-4s were grounded.

[nuuumannn]

I could use a little upgrading myself come to think of it.....

Parcifal, we all could; trust me... and I'm not that old!

[Airframes]

Great stuff, but a darned shame to see good aircraft mothballed.

[FLYBOYJ]

FLYBOYJ, Yep, but not for too long. P-3s are the perro's cojones. I prefer them to the C-130 to work on by a long shot. I'm an airliner spanner turner now; line maintenance on Dash 8s.

Very cool! I know you guys were flying B models for ever. Yes, would rather work P-3s but C-130 squadrons were non-combat units in my world, a lot less stress. I help manage 2 Dash 6s (among other things) these days!

Back to the scooter!

[A4K]

Actually our p-3Bs have long been Ks Joe, though I 've found books that still refer to them as Bs. (In saying that, I can't tell you what modifications were made, apart from maybe the IR camera under the nose)

Nuuumannn...actually I did think that was No.4 hangar at first (especially because of the P-3 tail dock), but upon checking the old photos decided against it - it's changed a bit since I was there!
Now that I think about it, I should have remembered that No.2 also has/ had a dividing wall...

[nuuumannn]

A4K, yep, 2 Hangar has RNZAF Air Movements at the western end, with the C-130 upgrade in the other half; it used to house the A-4s.

Here are some more images of Kiwi A-4s illustrating the different colour schemes and markings they wore in their career. The following two wear the three tone 'Lizard' scheme applied once the Australian A-4s had joined the fleet, although most were resprayed at the time of the Kahu upgrade. Note the styles of roundel and fin flash. Between the red and blue there was a small space where white would have been located in high visibility markings. Compare the images with those in my opening post.

NZ6255 at an airshow at RAAF Richmond, north of Sydney, Australia. It wears the No.2 Sqn badge on its fin. 2 Sqn was based at HMAS Albatross, the Royal Australian Navy base at Nowra for combat training with RAN ships.



NZ6206 is pictured at RAF Waddington in the UK; I can't remember when, but it's carrying a load of bombs, so exercises were underway. It is also from 2 Sqn.



The next two images were taken at the RNZAF Museum and show their A-4F on loan from the USA. It has been converted to resemble an early A-4K; NZ6207, which was the first Kiwi Skyhawk lost in an accident. It wears No.75 Sqn badge on its intake. The colour scheme was as the aircraft were delivered to New Zealand.

[A4K]

Great pics mate!

Very minor point, but was the museum bird an A-4F or -L? Always read it was an A-4L originally.

[Wurger]

for both of you.