WONZ 265 – Vampire Month: Mayn Hawkins

Guest: Maynard Roger Hawkins, known as Mayn.

Host: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 21st of July 2022

Released:  18th of November 2022

Duration: 1 hour minutes seconds

November 2022 marks 50 years since the RNZAF’s de Havilland Vampire fleet retired from service. The Air Force operated 58 Vampires within New Zealand, and at least 44 more leased Vampires in Cyprus and Singapore.

In this episode of the WONZ Show, Dave Homewood talks with former RNZAF de Havilland Vampire pilot Mayn Hawkins. He was one of the RNZAF’s early jet pilots, flying the Vampire in New Zealand, Cyprus and Singapore. He also flew the de Havilland Venom at RAF Tengah in Singapore.

Upon return to New Zealand he became an instructor, at No. 1 Flying Training School, and then the Central Flying School. He became the Commanding Officer of the latter unit, and was the most highly rated instructor in the RNZAF. He also flew in and later led the Central Flying School Harvard Aerobatic Team.

Whilst a CFS instructor, Mayn flew a variety of types, such as the Harvard, Devon, Auster, Vampire, Canberra, etc., whilst ensuring standards were being maintained by units of the RNZAF.

On his retirement from the RNZAF he went to TEAL, which later became Air New Zealand. He flew the Lockheed Electra, the Douglas DC-8, the McDonnel Douglas DC-10 and the 747. With his training background he became a training captain at the airline. Among other achievements in the airline, Mayn was pilot on the first Antarctic flight made by Air New Zealand in the DC-10. He then went to Singapore Airlines, where he finished his career before retirement.

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

Quick Links:

New Zealand Defence Force Serials for de Havilland Vampires

The WONZ Episode with Rod Dahlberg

WONZ 246 – Great Escapes 1: Geoff Hubbard

WONZ 263: Vampire Month – Tommy Thompson

WONZ 264: Vampire Month – Dave Greenlees

Jet pilots, with a Vampire as backdrop. Mayn is fifth from left.

Mayn Hawkins during the interview.

A newspaper cutting from Mayn’s logbook from the days when he first graduated as a pilot.

Mayn leading the CFS Aerobatic Team, in a photo from his logbook.