Posted on 04/24/2010 7:59:39 PM PDT by naturalman1975
A ROYAL New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) helicopter crashed this morning, killing three and injuring one, as the aircraft made its way to a ceremony marking the nation's day of remembrance for its military personnel, The New Zealand Herald reported.
The New Zealand Defence Force confirmed the RNZAF Iroquois helicopter was one of three from Ohakea Air Base going to New Zealand's capital, Wellington, for an Anzac Day dawn service.
Police were alerted to the crash at 6:45am local time. They could not confirm if all four passengers on board were Air Force personnel.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.au ...
dang.
RIP.
My condolences. But I thought Helen had disbanded the New Zealand Air Force.
They don’t have any fighters any more, but still have a range of other aircraft.
Wow..... Funny thing, when I was in NZ three years ago, I was driving from Wellington to Rotorua, I stopped at the Air Force Museum at Ohakea Air Base. It was pretty cool. What I remember of the base, hardly saw any planes on the airfield.
The RNZAF only has about 50 aircraft in service. Their government gutted them, although they still do some good work with what they have.
Sad. For a nation of their size, 24 fighters would do, if nothing else than to exemplify national pride, and that terrorists might think twice.
Yes - they wouldn’t need a large force, but it also means you keep the skills intact for the future. Even if they’d just kept their last Skyhawk squadrons flying, at least you’ve got pilots flying and mechanics doing their job, meaning it’s easier to upgrade later. Now, they’d have to rebuild from scratch.
And the Skyhawks still had some credibility - equipped with Sidewinders they were a lot better than nothing.
Would have been better still if the F-16 purchase hadn’t been cancelled - but even after that, they could have maintained something worthwhile.
Eternal rest...
Actually, technically, they do have 17 Aermacchi MB-339s in storage, so if they trained pilots and ground crew, they could have some sort of force. And again the Aermacchi can handle Sidewinders and Mavericks. It’d be better than nothing.
I saw a kid marchin’ with medals on his chest.
He marched alongside Diggers marching six abreast.
He knew that it was ANZAC Day - he walked along with pride.
He did his best to keep in step with the Diggers by his side.
And when the march was over the kid was rather tired.
A Digger said “Whose medals, son?” to which the kid replied:
“They belong to daddy, but he did not come back.
He died up in New Guinea on a lonely jungle track”.
The kid looked rather sad then and a tear came to his eye.
The Digger said “Don’t cry my son and I will tell you why.
Your daddy marched with us today - all the blooming way.
We Diggers know that he was there - it’s like that on ANZAC Day”.
The kid looked rather puzzled and didn’t understand,
But the Digger went on talking and started to wave his hand.
“For this great land we live in, there’s a price we have to pay
For we all love fun and merriment in this country where we live.
The price was that some soldier his precious life must give.
For you to go to school my lad and worship God at will,
Someone had to pay the price so the Diggers paid the bill.
Your daddy died for us my son - for all things good and true.
I wonder if you understand the things I’ve said to you”.
The kid looked up at the Digger - just for a little while
And with a changed expression, said, with a lovely smile:
“I know my dad marched here today - this is ANZAC Day.
I know he did. I know he did, all the bloomin’ way”.
D. Hunte
My condolences.
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