Episode 141 – The Te Atatu Forum Meet

Guests: Peter Mason, Peter Lewis, Warwick Jones, Cliff Hawley and Norm Sanson

Host: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 25th of September 2016

Released: 29th of March 2017

Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes 29 seconds

In this episode we hear some of the speakers who appeared at the WONZ Forum Meet at Te Atatu Memorial RSA, in Te Atatu, Auckland, in September.

The first speaker is Peter Mason, who helped set up the meet in his local RSA club. Peter has worked for the RNZAF for fifty odd years, first as a Safety and Surface Worker, then as a Helicopter Crewman, then as an Air Loadmaster, and as a Bandsman, and now works in Air Movements at RNZAF Base Whenuapai.

We hear from Peter Lewis who is talking about the Aviation Historical Society of New Zealand’s attempts to modernise and appeal to younger aviation enthusiasts. And Warwick Jones talks about the Royal Aeronautical Society’s activities too. Sadly I did not get a photo of Warwick.

Cliff Hawley details his days in the 1950’s Compulsory Military Training Scheme where he ended up a member of the RNZAF’s Light Anti-Aircraft Squadron, a Hobsonville-based Bofors gun unit.

And lastly Norm Sanson talks about his experiences as a pilot of the Grumman Widgeon and Goose flying boats in the small maritime airlines of New Zealand and up in the Pacific. Norm had just released his autobiographical book A Deviation From The Norm.

Sadly there is a little electronic interference from an unknown source during Norm’s talk. It lasts a short while and is rather annoying, but you can still hear Norm telling his story, and so it has been decided rather than edit the noise and thus cut down the story, you get the full version. Bear with it, it does stop after a bit if time. My apologies for the inconvenience.

Quick Links:

• The Te Atatu Memorial RSA

• The Aviation Historical Society of New Zealand

• The Aviation Historical Society of New Zealand on the WONZ Forum

• The Royal Aeronautical Society – New Zealand

• The RNZAF Light Anti-Aircraft “Forgotten” Squadrons on the WONZ Forum

• A Deviation From The Norm

• A Deviation From The Norm on the WONZ Forum

Above: Peter Mason