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WONZ 337 – Nick ‘Oz’ Osborne
Guests: Air Commodore Nick Osborne
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 8th of October 2025
Released: 8th of October 2025
Duration: 1 hour 41 minutes 29 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood interviews Air Commodore Nick Osborne RAAF, known to all as Oz.
Oz is a former fast jet pilot in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, who then transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force in 2002. He talks about training in the NZAI CT/4B Airtrainer and the BAC 187 Strikemaster Mk. 88 jet, before being posted to fly Skyhawks with No. 75 Squadron during a particularly busy period with exercises and other work.
He had a varied career thereafter, including an exchange posting to the RAAF flying Aermacchi 326’s and Pilatus PC-9s, becoming staff at the Central Flying School and a member of the famous Red Checkers aerobatic team, and also instructing on RNZAF Aermacchi MB339CB’s with No. 14 Squadron.
He was made Commanding Officer of No. 2 Squadron at Nowra, NSW, in Australia, on one of the best postings in the RNZAF. He then went to Kosovo in a UN role as a peacekeeper. And at the end of his stint there he was promoted and appointed to become Commanding Officer of No. 75 Squadron which he took up on his return to New Zealand.
He would be the final commander of that famous squadron, and he talks about that period of the RNZAF losing its Strike Wing.
In 2002 Oz transferred to the RAAF, and joined No. 76 Squadron at Williamtown, instructing on Hawks. Over a period of a decade h worked his way up to become C.O. of that unit before heading to Afghanistan in charge of a drone reconnaissance unit.
He finally ended up in non-flying staff roles, and he continues to work for the RAAF now as a Reservist with the rank of Air Commodore.
Quick Links:
• The No. 75 Squadron Association Facebook Page
• A previous episode that Nick appeared in briefly, WONZ 120
Air Commodore Nick Osborne (from Nick’s Facebook page)
Above: Air Commodore Nick Osborne during the Zoom interview.
Passing out parade of No. 8/81 Air Crew course on the parade ground at RNZAF Base Wigram.
Group Captain Max Hope presenting Pilot Officer Nick Osborne his Pilot’s badge.
WgG1237-82
Group Captain Max Hope presenting Pilot Officer Nick Osborne his Pilot’s badge.
WgG1237-82
Nick’s Pilots course 8/81, Strikemaster phase, in front of No. 14 Squadron Strikemaster NZ6366. RNZAF Base Ohakea. L-R: Back; D Post, Nick Osborne, AR McGuire, DL Houghton, TDW Lang. Front; DB Saggs, HJ Kim, MG Woodhouse, Rod Fortune, PFA Muysert. OhG2750-82
Nick as a Skyhawk pilot (from his Facebook page)
Below: The North And South article from February 1987
Below: Don Simms has kindly provided the following photos of Nick’s RNZAF service from his archive:
Above: 75 Sqn Exercise Vanguard: – Wing Cmdr CO 75 being interviewed by TV3.
Major Davis being farewelled by Nick Osborne – the last USAF exchange pilot 1986 RNZAF Official
75 Sqn Exercise Vanguard: – Wing Cmdr CO 75 being interviewed by TV3.
2 Sqn Last Exercise, All the pilots in front of A/C NZ6213.
Closure of the Air Combat Forces (ACF) 02, 14 & 75 Sqn’s – Parade.
2 Sqn Officers and Oz
Elevated view of the base with F-16A Fighting Falcon aircraft of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing parked in the foreground and A-4 Skyhawk aircraft of Squadron 75, Royal New Zealand Air Force, in the background. The aircraft are being used during the joint Australian, New Zealand and US (ANZUS) Exercise TRIAD ’84.
2 Sqn last exercise, Base Commander(RAAF Pearce) Group Captain Johnston meet 2 Sqn CO Sqn Ldr Jason Easthope and Wg Cdr Nick Osborne.
2 Sqn last exercise, Base Commander(RAAF Pearce) Group Captain Johnston meet 2 Sqn Air Crew for a briefing
2 Snq last Exercise, CO 75 Wg Cdr Nick Osborne signing out A/C
2 Sqn Last Exercise, Skyhawk NZ6213 7000hrs birthday. Wg Cdr Nick Osborne and AC Ben Braggins cutting NZ6213’s birthday cake
Mirage III aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force are parked on the flight line during the joint Australian, New Zealand and US (ANZUS) Exercise TRIAD ’84.
Oz unpacking Pannier on arrival Cope Thunder 84 USAF Photo
2 Sqn pilots Christmas Card 1997
Jason Easthope leads 2 Sqn out of HMAS Albatross 7 Dec 2001 RNZAF Official
An in-flight view of a Royal New Zealand Air Force pilot in the cockpit of a Mark 88 Strikemaster aircraft during the joint Australian, New Zealand and US (ANZUS) Exercise TRIAD ’84.
Nick Osborne’s final entry in unit history as CO 75SQN Dec 01
View all episodes
By Dave Homewood
4.8
66 ratings
Guests: Air Commodore Nick Osborne
Hosts: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 8th of October 2025
Released: 8th of October 2025
Duration: 1 hour 41 minutes 29 seconds
In this episode Dave Homewood interviews Air Commodore Nick Osborne RAAF, known to all as Oz.
Oz is a former fast jet pilot in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, who then transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force in 2002. He talks about training in the NZAI CT/4B Airtrainer and the BAC 187 Strikemaster Mk. 88 jet, before being posted to fly Skyhawks with No. 75 Squadron during a particularly busy period with exercises and other work.
He had a varied career thereafter, including an exchange posting to the RAAF flying Aermacchi 326’s and Pilatus PC-9s, becoming staff at the Central Flying School and a member of the famous Red Checkers aerobatic team, and also instructing on RNZAF Aermacchi MB339CB’s with No. 14 Squadron.
He was made Commanding Officer of No. 2 Squadron at Nowra, NSW, in Australia, on one of the best postings in the RNZAF. He then went to Kosovo in a UN role as a peacekeeper. And at the end of his stint there he was promoted and appointed to become Commanding Officer of No. 75 Squadron which he took up on his return to New Zealand.
He would be the final commander of that famous squadron, and he talks about that period of the RNZAF losing its Strike Wing.
In 2002 Oz transferred to the RAAF, and joined No. 76 Squadron at Williamtown, instructing on Hawks. Over a period of a decade h worked his way up to become C.O. of that unit before heading to Afghanistan in charge of a drone reconnaissance unit.
He finally ended up in non-flying staff roles, and he continues to work for the RAAF now as a Reservist with the rank of Air Commodore.
Quick Links:
• The No. 75 Squadron Association Facebook Page
• A previous episode that Nick appeared in briefly, WONZ 120
Air Commodore Nick Osborne (from Nick’s Facebook page)
Above: Air Commodore Nick Osborne during the Zoom interview.
Passing out parade of No. 8/81 Air Crew course on the parade ground at RNZAF Base Wigram.
Group Captain Max Hope presenting Pilot Officer Nick Osborne his Pilot’s badge.
WgG1237-82
Group Captain Max Hope presenting Pilot Officer Nick Osborne his Pilot’s badge.
WgG1237-82
Nick’s Pilots course 8/81, Strikemaster phase, in front of No. 14 Squadron Strikemaster NZ6366. RNZAF Base Ohakea. L-R: Back; D Post, Nick Osborne, AR McGuire, DL Houghton, TDW Lang. Front; DB Saggs, HJ Kim, MG Woodhouse, Rod Fortune, PFA Muysert. OhG2750-82
Nick as a Skyhawk pilot (from his Facebook page)
Below: The North And South article from February 1987
Below: Don Simms has kindly provided the following photos of Nick’s RNZAF service from his archive:
Above: 75 Sqn Exercise Vanguard: – Wing Cmdr CO 75 being interviewed by TV3.
Major Davis being farewelled by Nick Osborne – the last USAF exchange pilot 1986 RNZAF Official
75 Sqn Exercise Vanguard: – Wing Cmdr CO 75 being interviewed by TV3.
2 Sqn Last Exercise, All the pilots in front of A/C NZ6213.
Closure of the Air Combat Forces (ACF) 02, 14 & 75 Sqn’s – Parade.
2 Sqn Officers and Oz
Elevated view of the base with F-16A Fighting Falcon aircraft of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing parked in the foreground and A-4 Skyhawk aircraft of Squadron 75, Royal New Zealand Air Force, in the background. The aircraft are being used during the joint Australian, New Zealand and US (ANZUS) Exercise TRIAD ’84.
2 Sqn last exercise, Base Commander(RAAF Pearce) Group Captain Johnston meet 2 Sqn CO Sqn Ldr Jason Easthope and Wg Cdr Nick Osborne.
2 Sqn last exercise, Base Commander(RAAF Pearce) Group Captain Johnston meet 2 Sqn Air Crew for a briefing
2 Snq last Exercise, CO 75 Wg Cdr Nick Osborne signing out A/C
2 Sqn Last Exercise, Skyhawk NZ6213 7000hrs birthday. Wg Cdr Nick Osborne and AC Ben Braggins cutting NZ6213’s birthday cake
Mirage III aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force are parked on the flight line during the joint Australian, New Zealand and US (ANZUS) Exercise TRIAD ’84.
Oz unpacking Pannier on arrival Cope Thunder 84 USAF Photo
2 Sqn pilots Christmas Card 1997
Jason Easthope leads 2 Sqn out of HMAS Albatross 7 Dec 2001 RNZAF Official
An in-flight view of a Royal New Zealand Air Force pilot in the cockpit of a Mark 88 Strikemaster aircraft during the joint Australian, New Zealand and US (ANZUS) Exercise TRIAD ’84.
Nick Osborne’s final entry in unit history as CO 75SQN Dec 01
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