New Zealanders in Foreign Aerobatic Display Teams

Royal Air Force Teams

Royal Australian Air Force Teams

Civil Teams

 

Royal Air Force Aerobatic Display Teams

No. 25 Squadron Aerobatic Team

No. 43 Squadron The Fighting Cocks

No. 73 Squadron Gladiator Aerobatic Team

Four-ship Hunter Team 1957

The Blue Diamonds

The Red Pelicans

The Black Diamonds

The College of Air Warfare Team

The Red Arrows

 

 

No. 25 Squadron Aerobatics Team

Display Dates	Venue	New Zealand Pilot	Notes
The No. 25 Squadron Aerobatic Team _______________________...Hawker Fury
June 1933	Hendon Air Day	F/O Arthur Clouston	_
Note: No. 25 Squadron flew a nine-ship formation tied together for the Hendon display

 

No. 73 Squadron Aerobatics Team

Display Dates	Venue	New Zealand Pilots	Notes
The No. 73 Squadron Aerobatic Team 1937___________________..Gloster Gladiator
29th of May 1937 _	Empire Air Day , RAF Upper Heyford	Dereck 'Bill' Kain	_
The No. 73 Squadron Aerobatic Team 1938 ___________________..Gloster Gladiator
28th of May 1938	Empire Air Day, RAF Hendon	Dereck 'Bill' Kain Edgar 'Cobber' Kain	_
Note:

 

The Fighting Cocks

Display Dates	Venue	New Zealand Pilot	Notes
The Fighting Cocks - No. 43 Squadron Team ____...........................................________..Hawker Hunter
1955	_	S/L Roy LeLong	No. 1
Note: This was a three-ship team of Hunters led by Kiwi pilot S/L Roy LeLong, with the othjer two aircraft flown by Sgt T.E. Lampitt and Sgt N. Lamb. This was the RAF's first display team flown in supersonic-capable aeroplanes.

 

1957 Hunter Four-ship Team

Display Dates	Venue	New Zealand Pilot	Notes
The ?? Team _______________...........................................________..Hawker Hunter
1957	_	Ray Hanna	No. 1
Note: This was a four-ship team of Hunters lead by Ray Hanna

 

The Blue Diamonds (The No. 92 Squadron RAF Display Team)

Display Dates	Venue	New Zealand Pilot	Notes
The Blue Diamonds ____.......................___________________ ..Hawker Hunter F6
9th of Sep 1961 ? September 1961 20th of Oct 1961 23rd of Oct 1961 14th of Oct 1961 16th of Oct 1961 17th of Oct 1961 ? 13th of Oct 1962	Farnborough Air Show Furstenfeldbruck, West Germany RAF Gaydon Teheran, Iran Elefsis, Greece Akrotiri, Cyprus Nicosia, Cyprus Episkopi, Cyprus Malta RAF Middleton St George	Trevor Bland	_
Note: The team (and No. 92 Squadron) were based at RAF Leconfield. Their first public display was at the Farnborough Air Show on the 9th of September 1961 In Malta the No. 92 Squadron Blue Diamonds team competed with teams from many other countires, including Iran, Greece, Italy, USA, France and Belgium The Middleton St George, County Durham, display on the 13th of October 1962 was the last display for this team Out of interest, the Blue Diamonds used the following Hawker Hunters in their team: Hawker Hunter F.6 XE520 Hawker Hunter F.6 92 Sqdn. Blue Diamond XE532 Hawker Hunter F.6 41H/679907 92 Sqdn. Blue Diamond XE592 Hawker Hunter F.6 41H/679950 92 Sqdn. Blue Diamond XE656 Hawker Hunter F.6 41H/680000 92 Sqdn. Blue Diamond XF521 Hawker Hunter F.6 S4/U/3367 92 Sqdn. Blue Diamond XF522 Hawker Hunter F.6 S4/U/3368 92 Sqdn. Blue Diamond XG137 Hawker Hunter F.6 41H/680005 92 Sqdn. Blue Diamond XG186 Hawker Hunter F.6 41H/680011 92 Sqdn. Blue Diamond XG198 Hawker Hunter F.6 41H/680023 92 Sqdn. Blue Diamond XG207 Hawker Hunter F.6 41H/680032 92 Sqdn. Blue Diamond XG211 Hawker Hunter F.6 41H/680036 92 Sqdn. Blue Diamond XG231 Hawker Hunter F.6 41H/680043 92 Sqdn. Blue Diamond XG232 Hawker Hunter F.6 41H/680044 92 Sqdn. Blue Diamond Hawker Hunter F.7 T.7 XL571/V T.7 XL605 was used as the lead aeroplane on several occasions

 

The Red Pelicans

Display Dates	Venue	New Zealand Pilot	Notes
The Red Pelicans Central Flying School of the RAF Team _______________........___..Jet Provost T4
1962	_	S/L Ian McKee	No. 1
Note: This team was led by Kiwi pilot S/L Ian McKee

 

 

The Black Diamonds

Display Dates	Venue	New Zealand Pilot	Notes
The Black Diamonds Aerobatic Team (RAAF)___________________...Hawker Fury
November 1962	7th British Empire and Commonwealth Games, Perth	Sqn Ldr Vance Drummond	Team Leader_
February 1963	Royal Hobart Regatta
June 1964	Opening of House of Assembly, Port Morseby, Papua New Guinea
Note: The Black Diamonds were the Royal Australian Air Force's premier aerobatic display team and were lead from October 1962 till December 1964 by Squadron Leader Vance Drummond, who was born and grew up in Hamilton, New Zealand. He had served in the RNZAF in WWII as a pilot, then in the New Zealand Army's 'J' Force postwar, before joining the RAAF in 1949. The team flew a five-ship formation of CAC Sasbre jets and were the team of No. 75 Squadron, RAAF, based at Williamtown.

 

 

The College of Air Warfare Meteor Team

Display Dates	Venue	New Zealand Pilot	Notes
The College of Air Warfare Team 1963_................................________..Gloster Meteor
_	_	Ray Hanna	_
Note:
The College of Air Warfare Team 1964_................................________..Gloster Meteor
_	_	Ray Hanna	_
Note:

 

The Red Arrows

Display Dates	Venue	New Zealand Pilots	Notes
The Red Arrows 1964/65______________________________..........___Folland Gnat
_	_	Sqn Ldr Ray Hanna	Red 3
The Red Arrows 1966_________________________________..........___Folland Gnat
_	_	Sqn Ldr Ray Hanna	Red 3
The Red Arrows 1967_________________________________..........___Folland Gnat
_	_	Sqn Ldr Ray Hanna	Red 3
The Red Arrows 1968__________________________________..........___Folland Gnat
1968	_	Sqn Ldr Ray Hanna Wg Comm Ian Dick	Red 3
Notes: Wing Commander Ian Dick was origianlly trained by the Canterbury Aero Club, Christchurch, New Zealand
The Red Arrows 1969__________________________________..........___Folland Gnat
1969 _________________	_	Wg Comm Ray Hanna Wg Comm Ian Dick F/L Euan Perreaux	Red 1 Red Red
F/L Euan Perreaux joined the team in March 1969, bringing the total number of New Zealanders in the team to three.
The Red Arrows 1970__________________________________..........___Folland Gnat
1970	_	Wg Comm Ray Hanna F/L Euan Perreaux	Red 1 Red
The Red Arrows 1971__________________________________..........___Folland Gnat
1971	_	Wg Comm Ray Hanna F/L Euan Perreaux	Red 1 Red
New Zealander Flight Lieutenant Euan Perreaux was one of four Red Arrows pilots killed on the 20th of January 1971 when two Gnats they were in collided during a practice of the "rollette" mock collision manoeuvre. The two aeroplanes were supposed to fly head-on at each other and peel away when only 15 feet apart. However the two Gnat jets touched. One banked steeply with part of one wing torn away and then plunged about 100 ft into the ground near Kemble air base. Each of the planes carried two men. The second man in each cockpit was just along for a joyride. Euan Perreaux, aged 31, was one of the observers killed in the crash. He was married, with five-year-old twin daughters, and was the oldest, most experienced of the Red Arrow team. The two pilots were Lieutenant Colin Armstrong, aged 26, and Flight Lieutenant John Lewis, aged 27. The other observer killed was Lieutenant John Haddock, aged 27. F/L Perreaux was born in Hamilton aud educated in Palmerston North. His parents, Mr and Mrs J. R. Perreaux, lived in Kawiti Avenue, Tamaki. He joined the R.A.F. in 1957, and was granted a permanent commission after graduating from the R.A.F. College, Cranwell. From 1960 to 1962, he flew operational sorties in Hunter jet fighters from Aden. Later he became an instructor at the Central Flying School, teaching embryo pilots to fly the Provost jet trainer.
The Red Arrows 1972__________________________________..........___Folland Gnat
1972	_	Wg Comm Ian Dick	Leader
The Red Arrows 1973__________________________________..........___Folland Gnat
1973	_	Wg Comm Ian Dick	Leader
The Red Arrows 1974__________________________________..........___Folland Gnat
1974	_	Wg Comm Ian Dick	Leader
The Red Arrows 1984_________________________________..........__......_BAe Hawk
1984	_	Ross Boyens	Red 7 (Synchro 2)
Notes: Ross Boyens was RAF-trained and was brought in in 1984 as a replacement for the designated Red 7 for 1984, Flt Lt Hirst, who left the team. He was a former Harrier pilot, and had served on No 1(F) Squadron, deploying the Falklands in 1982
The Red Arrows 1985_________________________________..........__......_BAe Hawk
1985	_	Ross Boyens	Red 6 (Synchro Leader)
The Red Arrows 2007 _________________________________..........__......_BAe Hawk
25th of May 2007 26-27 May 2007 27-28 May 2007 2-3 June 2007 5th of June 2007 5th of June 2007 9th of June 2007 9th of June 2007 10th of June 2007 15th of June 2007 _ 15th of June 2007 16th of June 2007 16th of June 2007 17th of June 2007 17th of June 2007 _ 22nd of June 2007 23-24 June 2007 24th of June 2007 28th of June 2007 29th of June 2007 12th of July 2007 _ 14-15 of July 2007 19th of July 2007 21-22 July 2007 22nd of July 2007 25th of July 2007 25th of July 2007 26th of July 2007 26-27 July 2007 28th of July 2007 28th of July 2007 29th of July 2007 29th of July 2007 11th of Aug 2007 15th of Aug 2007 15th of Aug 2007 16th of Aug 2007 17th of Aug 2007 18th of Aug 2007 18-19 Aug 2007 23rd of Aug 2007 24th of Aug 2007 26th of Aug 2007 29th of Aug 2007 30th of Aug 2007 31st of Aug 2007 1st of Sept 2007 2nd of Sept 2007 5th of Sept 2007 6th of Sept 2007 8-9 Sept 2007 8th of Sept 2007 _ 13th of Sept 2007 13th of Sept 2007 15-16 Sept 2007 15thof Sept 2007 _ 22-23 of Sept 2007 23rd of Sept 2007 30th of Sept 2007 ________________	Private Event, Details Unknown Spirit of Adventure, Abingdon, UK Southend Airshow 2007, Essex, UK Biggin Hill International Airshow Isle of Man TT Races, Ramsey Isle of Man TT Races, Douglas HMS Collingwood Field Gun Day Isle of Wight Festival RAF Cosford Air Show 2007 Whitehaven International Maritime Festival, Cumbria GoldCoast Oceanfest, Croyde Queen's Birthday Flypast, London Margate Airshow, Kent Kemble Air Day Falklands Campaign 25th Anniversary Flypast, London Fat Face Night Surf, Newquay Goodwood Festival of Speed Enniskillen Airshow, Nth. Ireland Tain Gala, Ross-shire, Scotland Private Military Event Central Flying School Association Reunion, RAF Cranwell RIAT, Fairford Private Military Event Blackpool Show 2007 Mablethorpe Illuminations Private Military Event Lyme Regis RNLI Show, Dorset Weston-Super-Mare Air Day Lowestoft Seafront Air Festival East Fortune 2007, Scotland Global Gathering, Long Marston Windermere Airshow, Cumbria Sunderland International Airshow Whitby Regatta, North Yorkshire Cromer Carnival, Norfolk Weymouth Carnival, Dorset Dawlish Carnival, Devon Bournemouth 2007, Dorset Yorkshire Airshow, Elvington Eastbourne International Airshow Fowey Royal Regatta, Cornwall Clacton Airshow, Essex Dunsfold Wings and Wheels 2007 Torbay Royal Regatta, Devon Private Military Event Dartmouth Royal Regatta, Devon White Air Festival, Isle of Wight Bex, Switzerland Krumovo, Bulgaria Private Event Duxford Airshow, Cambs The Northern Ireland International Airshow, Portrush, Nth. Ireland Guernsey Air Display Jersey International Airshow Welsh Festival of the Air, Swansea Middle Wallop Golden Jubilee Parade, Hants Southport Airshow, Merseyside Rennes, France Great North Run, Newcastle _____________________________	Andrew 'Boomer' Keith ___________________	Red 3
Notes: Andrew 'Boomer' Keith was RNZAF-trained and joined the RAF after the Strike Wing of the RNZAF was disbanded. Boomer suffered a broken hand in a fall in June 2007 and missed several displays when the team was reduced to eight aircraft. he returned to the team for a private military display at Cranwell on the 12th of July.
The Red Arrows 2008 _________________________________..........__......_BAe Hawk
2008	_	Andrew 'Boomer' Keith Simon 'Kermit' Rea	_
Note: Simon Rea was RNZAF-trained and joined the RAF after the Strike Wing of the RNZAF was disbanded. When selected to join the Red Arrows he was serving as a Harrier GR9 pilot from 20(R) Squadron at Royal Air Force Wittering near Peterborough

Royal Australian Air Force Teams

The Roulettes

Display Dates	Venue	New Zealand Pilot	Notes
The Roulettes 2002_...________________________________..........___Pilatus PC-9
24th of May 2002 6th of Oct 2002 6th of Oct 2002 _ 1st of Nov 2002 _ 26th of Nov 2002 ?	Esperance Foreshore, WA Narromine Air Show Flypast of Narrowmine War Cemetary Flypast of RAAF Memorial Dedication, Canberra RAAF Wagga Wagga Albury Airshow 2002	Flt Lt Andrew Greaves	High Show   _ _
Notes: Squadron Leader "H" Greaves is now the Chief Flying Instructor at the Central Flying School, RAAF East Sale. He also previously flew with the RNZAF and served in the Red Checkers. He is perhaps the only New Zealander to serve in both the Red Checkers and the Roulettes. See news items here and here
The Roulettes 2007_...________________________________..........___Pilatus PC-9
3-5 Aug 2007 _ 17-25 Aug 2007 _ 19th of Aug 2007 1-2 Sept 2007 8th of Sept 2007 22-23 Sept 2007 7th of Oct 2007 14th of Oct 2007 _ 18-21 Oct 2007 27-28 Oct 2007 10-11 Nov 2007 _ 10-11 Nov 2007 _ 17-18 Nov 2007 _	Wide Bay International Air Show , Bundaberg, Queensland Hamilton Island Race Week , Whitsunday Islands, Queensland Mareeba Warbirds Air Show Riverfire , Brisbane Peanut Festival , Kingaroy, Qld Kite Festival , Coolum, Qld RAAF Museum , Point Cook, Vic Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, Phillip Island, Vic Indy 300 , Gold Coast, Qld Defence Air Show, Adelaide World Cup in Canopy Piloting (parachuting), Picton, NSW Oz Tag Australian Champs, Coffs Harbour, NSW Tasmanian Triple Challenge V8 Motor Racing	Flt Lt Derek Singer	Roulette 2
Note: Derek Singer was born in Australia, at Port Headland, but to a NZ family who moved back home when he was two years old. So he grew up in New Zealand from a very young age and was trained by the Royal New Zealand Air Force, serving as a pilot for ten years with the RNZAF, flying Andovers with No. 42 Squadron. Also during the time he went on an exchange with the RAAF and flew Caribou. In 1998 he left the RNZAF and joined the RAAF where he flew initially Twin Otters and B-200's, before becoming a fling instructor in 2000 and serving at No. 2 FTS on Pilatus PC-9/A's. Derek was then posted to RAAF Base East Sale, Victoria, flying King Air KA-350's, before returning to the Central Flying School in June 2006. With over 5200 hours flying experience, including more than 1000 hours on the PC-9/A, he joined the Roulettes in 2007

 

Foreign Civil Display Teams

The Aerostars

The Breitling Fighters

 

The Aerostars

Display Dates	Venues	New Zealand Pilots	Notes
The Aerostars 2007 ___________________________ ____..........___Yakolev Yak 50's
21st of Apr 2007 26-27 May 2007 27-28 May 2007 23-24 June 2007 21st of July 2007 21st of July 2007 26th of July 2007 28th of July 2007 25-26Aug2007 1-2 of Sep 2007	Birthday event in Lakes District Irish Countrysports Fair Southend on Sea Newtownards "Music in Flight", Sywell Airfield Duxford Proms Weston Super Mare Wings over Walney Air Show Rygge , Norway Lydd	Mark Rijske	Aerostar 5
Notes: Mark is in his sixth season with the Aerostars display team. He graduated from the Yak 52 formation school programme run biannually at North Weald airfield in Essex, where the Aerostars team are based. He trained as a lawyer in his native New Zealand and now is a partner in a property business based in London. He holds a Private Pilot's Licence and has over 300 hours experience on Yaks. See the website here

 

The Breitling Fighters

Display Dates	Venues	New Zealand Pilots	Notes
The Brietling Fighters ___________________________________..........___Warbirds
Easter 2004	Warbirds Over Wanaka, New Zealand_	Ray Hanna Keith Skilling	Leader (P-40E) Corsair
Notes:

 

 

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