The Wings Over New Zealand Show

Guests: Elliott Marsh-Healy, Huw Hopkins, Greg Marsh, Harry Measures and Oliver Stevenson

Host: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 12th of November 2024

Published: 12th of November 2024

Duration:  1 hour 18 minutes, 21 seconds

In this episode Dave Homewood talks with the team behind the brilliant new magazine, The Vintage Aviation Echo. Joining Dave on this show are the magazine’s editor, Elliott Marsh-Healy, sub-editor Greg Marsh, editor-at-large Huw Hopkins, photographer and visuals lead Harry Measures, and graphic designer Ollie Stevenson.

The guys talk about their background in aviation, and their passion for the warbird scene – both the aeroplanes and the people involved. They speak about how The Vintage Aviation Echo came about, first as a fantastic website and now as a gorgeously printed in-depth magazine. And the team also discusses the UK airshow scene and the warbird restorations that they most look forward to seeing in the air in the near future.

And as an exclusive to The Wings Over New Zealand Show, we get to see the first preview of an article that will be upcoming in the future Volume II, that will be out around May 2025. To see this preview, you can watch the YouTube version of this episode below.

Quick Links:

• The Vintage Aviation Echo site

• The Vintage Aviation Echo on Facebook

• Fighter Flights for New Zealand and Australian sales of the VAE

• Oliver Stevenson – Wartime Artwork

Below is an unedited video version of the episode, but at the 41.00 minute mark you can see the exclusive preview from Volume II, the article on Mark Miller’s ex-New Zealand de Havilland Fox Moth.

Guest: Graham Bethell

Host: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 20th of October 2024

Published: 21st of October 2024

Duration:  53 minutes, 58 seconds

In this episode Dave Homewood talks with well known Mustang pilot Graham Bethell about his life in aviation. Graham’s father flew fighters in the RNZN with the Fleet Air Arm in WWII, and Graham wanted to fly from a young age.

He joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1968, and by the age of 21 he was a fighter pilot, flying de Havilland Vampire jets with No. 75 Squadron RNZAF. In 1970 Graham became one of the first pilots to fly the new McDonnell Douglas A-4K Skyhawks with the same squadron.

Graham left the Air Force after six years’ service and joined Air New Zealand, flying the McDonnell Douglas DC-8, and later the DC-10. He then moved to Hong Kong and took a job with Cathay Pacific, where he flew for the rest of his commercial flying years as a 747 captain.

In 1990 he was convinced by his friend John Sagar that they should go in together and purchase the North American P-51D Mustang ZK-TAF, which had been flying in New Zealand with Tim Wallis’s Wanaka-based Alpine group since 1985. It had come up for sale so that Tim could finance his Spitfire XVIe. So Graham and John bought the Mustang, and six years later Graham bought out John’s share and he became the sole owner. For many years the display pilot for TAF remained Trevor Bland, who had also flown it for Tim, but eventually Graham worked up his own routine and he debuted his Mustang display at Warbirds Over Wanaka 2004.

Graham displayed the Mustang around New Zealand for 20 years till his emotional farewell display at Warbirds Over Wanaka in 2024. The Mustang, which has also been a popular aircraft for paying passenger rides over the years too, was sold in 2024 and it is heading to Ross Pay’s collection at Scone, NSW, in Australia.

Quick Links:
• NZ Warbirds Association Inc.

Thanks to Mike Cater for helping to make this episode happen.

Guest: Andrew “Stewie” Stewart and Nicola “Nix” Brooke-Stewart

Host: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 11th of October 2024

Published: 12th of October 2024

Duration:  1 hour, 56 minutes, 29 seconds

In this episode Dave Homewood talks with Andrew “Stewie” Stewart and Nicole “Nix” Brooke-Stewart, husband and wife team who are both NH-90 helicopter pilots with No. 3 Squadron RNZAF.

They both talk about their training on the PAC CT/4E Airtrainers and Beech King Airs, and their progression onto helicopters. Stewie joined the Air Force a few years earlier than Nix, and he was able to fly operationally on the Bell UH-1H Iroquois, or Huey for short. Nix had a few flights on the Huey, but both progressed to the Augusta A109 LUH (NZ). And from there, on to the mighty NH Industries NH90.

They talk about their experiences operating the helicopters in all sorts of missions, from the back of Royal New Zealand Navy ships in the Pacific Islands such as Samoa and Tokelau, and the sub-Antarctic Ocean and Papua New Guinea, to mountain rescue efforts, search and rescues in the sea and rivers and floodwaters, to Australian bush fires. They have some amazing stories, and a wide variety of operational experiences.

Quick Links:
• The Royal New Zealand Air Force

• The A109 in RNZAF Service

• The NH90 in RNZAF Service

• The No. 3 Squadron RNZAF Association

Photos courtesy of Stewie and Nix:

Above: Nix, centre, in the Sub-Antarctic Islands with her crew.

Guest: Air Commodore David Harrison RAF, retired.

Host: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 2nd of October 2024

Published: 5th of October 2024

Duration:  1 hour, 26 minutes, 19 seconds

In this episode Dave Homewood talks with David Harrison, who currently works for the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority, but he started his aviation career in the University of Liverpool Squadron of the Royal Air Force, and he made the RAF a career.

David talks about his training on Chipmunks, Bulldogs, Jet Provosts and Hawks, and his conversion to his dream jet, the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom. He would fly the Phantom for a decade, including tours in the Falkland Islands after the war, eventually was commander of the unit there on his final tour.

As he took on more senior positions he also converted to and flew the Panavia Tornado F3. He amassed around 3000 hours of fast-jet time, and he became both a weapons instructor and flying instructor. He was also commander of the RAF’s busiest flying training base at Linton-on-Ouse.

Whist stationed at RAF Coningsby, David also became an aircrew member of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, flying the two Hawker Hurricanes first, and progressing to their Mk. II, Vb, IX and XIX Spitfires. He flew displays around Britain and Europe with the BBMF during his three-year posting.

Upon his retirement from the RAF, David moved to New Zealand, and he became a CFI and examiner with Hamilton’s CTC Aviation. He then worked with Aviation Services Limited (now Aspeq). And then joined the CAA team. He has worked in several roles with CAA, and is now the Deputy Chief Executive of Aviation Safety. He now has around 7000 hours, and is a current A-Cat flight Instructor and GA examiner. 

Guest: Group Captain Roger Selwyn Holdaway

Host: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 2nd of May 2024

Published: 8th of September 2024

Duration:  2 hours, 4 minutes, 13 seconds

In this episode Dave Homewood chats with Roger Holdaway, a former RNZAF pilot who flew numerous types from the North American Harvard and de Havilland Devon to the Short Sunderland and the Douglas C-47 Dakota. Bell Iroquois helicopters between 1958 and 1984.

Roger details his training and learning to operate the Sunderland, and flying the big flying boats with No. 5 Squadron in Fiji. He recalls various search and rescue missions he was involved with, and also the sighting of a Soviet submarine during the last patrol of 1961.

He went onto No. 42 Squadron flying the Harvard, Devon and Dakota as a pilot on this VIP Transport squadron. He also did target drogue towing.

He then became an instructor and served at Pilot Training Squadron in that role.

His next posting was to Whenuapai to become an instructor on Bristol Freighters on No. 3 (Tactical Transport) Squadron. He trained new Freighter crews in this role, and also did all sorts of transport duties around New Zealand.

In 1974 Roger was posted to Singapore and joined No. 41 Squadron, flying Bristol Freighters operationally. He was involved in the very last chapter of the Vietnam War when the Allies were pulling out of the country.

When he returned to New Zealand he did a Staff Course, and was then made Commanding Officer of No. 1 Squadron, based at Whenuapai, and flying Hawker Siddeley Andovers.

And then Roger was sent to Wigram to learn to fly the Sioux helicopter, as he was being promoted Wing Commander, to take over No. 3 Squadron’s command, where he would be flying Iroquois helicopters. He converted to the Iroquois at Hobsonville.

And then Roger was posted to Woodbourne in 1982, to become the C.O. Base Wing of RNZAF Base Woodbourne. And then in 1984 he was posted to Defence Headquarters in Wellington for six months.

He then left the RNZAF for a job in Civil Aviation.

Guest: Wing Commander Barry ‘Patch’ Nelson RNZAF
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 28th of April 2024
Released:  2024
Duration:  1 hour 8 mins 19 secs

This episode is the fifth and last of the recordings from the Legend Aviation WONZ Forum Meet, hosted by Bevan Dewes and Lucy Newell of Legend Aviation at Hood Aerodrome, Masterton, on Sunday 28th of April 2024.

Wing Commander Barry ‘Patch’ Nelson joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1982 and is still serving today as a pilot. After completely a BSc at Canterbury University in the University Cadet Scheme that the RNZAF ran, he completed his Wings course and Fighter Lead In course in 1986. In 1987 he joined No. 2 Squadron RNZAF for conversion to McDonnell Douglas A-4K Skyhawk strike aircraft, and he was posted to No. 75 Squadron in 1988.

In 1990 Patch flew as Red 2 in the famous No. 75 Squadron Skyhawk display team, Kiwi Red. He talks about those exciting times, with highlights such as opening and closing the Commonwealth Games, and meeting HM Queen Elizabeth II, and the lowest point when the team lost Graham Carter in a tragic accident during a practice session.

Patch enthuses about his favourite deployment, back to No. 2 Squadron RNZAF, now in Nowra, NSW, Australia. He was training new pilots and flying strikes against Royal Australian Navy ships to train the crews how to react to air attack. He also flew dissimilar air training against the RAAF’s F/A-18 Hornets.

He talks about all sorts of aspects of operating the Skyhawk, from the weapons systems that had, to air-to-air refuelling using the buddy-packs, to the differences between the original Skyhawks they called dinosaurs and the upgraded Kahu Skyhawks. He remembers exercises in Asia as part of the Vanguard deployments too, and so much more in this brilliant talk.

Note: When Patch refers to the previous talk by Steve, he means this one recorded earlier that day, given by Steve Davies Howard

Guest: Don Wilkie
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 28th of April 2024
Released:  14th of August 2024
Duration:  47 mins 56 secs

This episode is the fourth of the recordings from the recent Legend Aviation WONZ Forum Meet, hosted by Bevan Dewes and Lucy Newell of Legend Aviation at Hood Aerodrome, Masterton, on Sunday 28th of April 2024.

Aviation artist Don Wilkie talks about his book, Forgotten Heroes: Voices of No. 489 New Zealand Torpedo Squadron. The book covers No. 489 (NZ) Squadron from its inception on the 12th of August 1941 at the Royal Air Force Coastal Command’s station at Leuchars airfield in Scotland, right through to its disbandment at Banff on the 15th of August 1945.

Don has compiled the book using hours of interviews and delved deeply into personal accounts, albums and anecdotes to reveal the true character of No. 489 (NZ) Squadron.  Containing over 1,000 photos, the book is packed full of incredible detail that chronicles the squadron’s short but vibrant history. In this talk Don details how the book came about and tells some of the stories that he came across in the research for the 490-page book.

Quick Links:
• Don Wilkie’s Website

Guest: Tom Williams
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 28th of April 2024
Released:  9th of June 2024
Duration:  27 mins 36 secs

This episode is the third of the recordings from the recent Legend Aviation WONZ Forum Meet, hosted by Bevan Dewes and Lucy Newell of Legend Aviation at Hood Aerodrome, Masterton, on Sunday 28th of April 2024.

Tom Williams is a legend in the Wairarapa. He was responsible for setting up the Sport And Vintage Aviation Society in 1974 with Bob McGarry and Bill Dittmer, which eventually absorbed the Golden Age Flying Society from Blenheim. SVAS later became the Wairarapa Flying Tigers.

And Tom led the team that built the SVAS’s big hangar in 1978, and later he had the building moved onto the airfield that would become the George Hood Museum. This is the same building that the WONZ Forum Meet was held in, now known as the Legend Aviation Auditorium.

He talks about the inspiration that got him into aviation, and learning to fly Tiger Moths with the legendary instructor and ex-RNZAF WWII Mosquito pilot, Beryck Dalcom, at the Wanganui Aero Club. He then joined the Marlborough Aero Club, and then the Southland Aero Club with Ian Ritchie.

In 1967 he bought his first Tiger Moth, ZK-BAT, the first of a number of aircraft Tom has owned over the years. He talks about his adventures in various types, and he talks about how he saved DH89 Dominie ZK-AKY from going overseas.

Tom also talks about his great friend Tim Wallis, and how he led a team that created an airshow in 1999, which in 2001 was renamed the Wings Over Wairarapa airshow. Tom was chairman of the organising committee for many years, and he has many memories of the airshow.

And he speaks about his fond memories of the WWII veterans that used to come along to the airshows.

Quick Links:
• Legend Aviation
• Legend Aviation Facebook Page
• The Wings Over New Zealand Forum
• Wairarapa Flying Tigers
• Wings Over Wairarapa

The music heard in this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Thanks to Allan Udy for the loan of his audio recording equipment.

Guest: Stephen Davies Howard
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 28th of April 2024
Released:  1st of June 2024
Duration: 1 hour 2 mins 37 secs

This episode is the second of the recordings from the recent Legend Aviation WONZ Forum Meet, hosted by Bevan Dewes and Lucy Newell of Legend Aviation at Hood Aerodrome, Masterton, on Sunday 28th of April 2024.

Stephen Davies Howard was a Royal Air Force fast jet pilot, flying McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantoms and Panavia Tornados during the Cold War, and the latter in the Gulf War. Steve joined the RAF in 1980 straight from school and the Air Training Corps, and following flying training he flew fighter jets. He was also an airshow display pilot in the Phantom. Later in his career he moved into strategic reconnaissance, and various British Ministry of Defence roles. After commanding squadrons and stations, he was posted to Washington D.C. in the USA as the Air Attaché at the British Embassy, where he was able to fly a number of the US fighter aircraft types including the F-15 and F-16. He eventually left the RAF as a Group Captain, and joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force, where he ended up as the Training Group Commander, also with the rank of Group Captain. Since leaving the RNZAF in 2010 Steve has run his own businesses, and is Deputy Commissioner of TAIC.

In this presentation, Stephen focuses his talk on his years as a young Phantom pilot during the Cold War years of the 1980s.

Quick Links:
• Legend Aviation
• Legend Aviation Facebook Page
• The Wings Over New Zealand Forum

The music heard in this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Thanks to Allan Udy for the loan of his audio recording equipment.

Guest: Bevan Dewes of Legend Aviation
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 28th of April 2024
Released:  25th of May 2024
Duration:  32 mins 19 secs

This episode is the first of the recordings from the recent Legend Aviation WONZ Forum Meet. This was a gathering of members of the Wings Over New Zealand Aviation Forum, hosted by Bevan Dewes and Lucy Newell of Legend Aviation at Hood Aerodrome, Masterton, on Sunday 28th of April 2024.

Bevan talks about his and Lucy’s experiences in aviation, and about the aeroplanes in their collection. He also talks about the set-up of their business, Legend Aviation, which they set up in 2023 to fly rides in their Harvard NZ1044 and Tiger Moths ZK-BFS and ZK-ANL.

Bevan takes the group outside to his hangar where he gives a guided tour of the Legend Aviation aeroplanes, Harvards NZ1044 and NZ1033, Tiger Moths ZK-BFS and ZK-ANL, and Chipmunk N861WP.

Quick Links:
• Legend Aviation
• Legend Aviation Facebook Page
• The Wings Over New Zealand Forum
• Wairarapa Flying Tigers
• Wairarapa Flying Tigers Facebook Page

Connected Past Episodes:
• Episode 114 – WOA – Temora Part One – featuring Bevan Dewes
• WONZ 197 – Christmas Forum 2018 – featuring Bevan Dewes
• WONZ 200 – 200th WONZ Show – featuring Bevan Dewes
• WONZ 218 – Lucy Newell – Canadian Bush Flying featuring Lucy Newell
• WONZ 250 – 10th Anniversary Special – featuring Bevan Dewes
• WONZ 273 – Harvard NZ1044 – featuring Bevan Dewes

The music heard in this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud.

Thanks to Allan Udy for the loan of his audio recording equipment.

Photos from the event from Phil Treweek: