WONZ 259 – Larry Olsen: Strikemaster 50th

Guest: Squadron Leader Larry Olsen AFC

Host: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 12th of May 2022

Released: 15th of May 2022

Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes 17 seconds

Today as this episode is released it is exactly 50 years to the day since the first flight of the first Royal New Zealand Air Force BAC167 Strikemaster Mk. 88, NZ6361. It took off from Warton Aerodrome, at Preston in Lancashire, UK, on its test flight on the 15th of May 1972. It had been built to order by the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) following an order placed in 1970 by the New Zealand government for ten new Strikemaster. An order for a further six would follow a couple of years later.

Given the anniversary and the recent episodes involving the Strikemaster, I thought it would be good to look back at how this jet type ended up being chosen as the new jet trainer for the RNZAF. In this episode we hear from the pilot in charge of undertaking the evaluation process and who made the recommendation for it to be selected for purchase, Squadron Leader Larry Olsen.

As well as Larry’s memories of the Strikemaster evaluation, where its only competitor in the process was the Australian-built, Italian-designed Aermacchi MB326, he also talks about his interesting career in both the RNZAF and the airline industry.

In the course of his Air Force career various postings saw Larry flying the English Electric Canberra, the de Havilland Vampire, the BAC Strikemaster, the North American Harvard, and the de Havilland Devon among other types. He also did an exchange posting to the RAAF where he instructed on the Aermacchi MB326.

Larry also flew in and led both the No. 75 Squadron Vampire jet team and the Red Checkers Harvard display team. He talks about these and various incidents along the way.

On leaving the Air Force, Larry worked for numerous commercial aviation companies, including flying for Royal Brunei, and Qantas. He gives an overview of his civil career which lasted till he was 70.