The Wings Over New Zealand Show

Guest: Squadron Leader Geoffrey Maurice Rothwell, DFC+Bar, BC Clasp, CDeG1940 + Palme(Bel), COdLeoll + Palme(Bel), LdH (Fra). RAF 42726, RNZAF. WWII. POW#58653 April 1920 to 5 November 2017 Hosts: Dave Homewood Recorded: 4th of March 2015 Released: 9th of November 2025 Duration:  1 hour  22 minutes 56 seconds In this Wings Over New Zealand Show episode Dave Homewood interviews the remarkable WWII veteran Geoff Rothwell, in this recording from the archive, recorded a decade ago. Geoff was an RAF bomber pilot. He joined in July 1939 after working for the construction company that was building RAF Station Benson and watching the Fairey Battles there. He trained on de Havilland Tiger Moths and Avro Ansons, before converting onto the Vickers Wellington. Once training was complete he joined No. 99 Squadron at RAF Newmarket Heath, and flew Wellingtons during the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain. Following his first tour, Geoff became an instructor on Wellingtons for a period. He was then sent to the USA to do instructing work there in Alabama for RAF trainees who were being trained by American instructors and needed teaching the British methods they’d need when they reached operations. He was also expected to act as an ambassador for the RAF, giving educational talks based on his operational experiences to all sorts of groups in the USA about how the war really was. When posted back to Britain Geoff was posted to No. 75 (NZ) Squadron as a Flight Commander, again at Newmarket. He was not there for long however before he was removed from the squadron dure to a policy that Flight Commanders and Squadron Commanders on New Zealand squadrons had to actually be Kiwis. He took his New Zealand crew, and moved to No. 218 Squadron. They completed their second tour with that squadron. Geoff’s next posting was to No. 138 (Special Duties) Squadron, tasked with air dropping SOE Agents and supplies for the Resistance people in Europe. He completed 70 operational sorties, but on the 71st he was brought down in his Stirling over enemy territory and became a prisoner of war. Geoff was also previously featured telling his story in the television documentary series Kiwis At War. He passed away on the 5th of November 2017. Huge thanks to Stuart Russell for his assistance in rescuing the original recording, which had audio issues that he magically removed. Quick Links: • The New Zealand Bomber Command Association • The New Zealand Bomber Command Association Facebook Page • The 75 (NZ) Squadron Blog Page on Geoff Rothwell • Buy the book “Last Man Standing – : Geoffrey Rothwell, Survivor of 71 Missions, POW and Last of the SOE Pilots” by his widow Gabrielle McDonald-Rothwell on Amazon “Rothwell’s Ruffians”, just after the crew had left No. 75 (NZ) Squadron and moved onto No. 218 Squadron RAF. Left to right: ‘Ginger’ Negus (Mid Upper Gunner), Mac McGrevy (Flight Engineer), Jock Howat (Rear Gunner), Jacky Drawbridge (Navigator), Geoff Rothwell (Pilot), ‘Whistle’ Entwhistle (Wireless Operator) and Wal Fielding (Air Bomber). Photos from The New Zealand Bomber Command Association Archive via the late Peter Wheeler. The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud

Guest: Malcolm Laird Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 29th of September 2025 Published: 30th of September 2025 Duration: 1 hour 52 minutes, 48 seconds Joining Dave Homewood on the Wings Over New Zealand Show this episode is Malcolm Laird of Ventura Publications. Malcolm has spent decades working in aviation publishing and the model aircraft industry, and is one of New Zealand’s most well known model products manufacturers. His company Ventura Publications produces decal sets as aftermarket add-ons to scale model kitsets. He also researches, writes and and publishes books on aviation topics and Air Force history, often in collaboration with other historians. He has also been a small-run kitset manufacturer, both vacuum formed and injection moulded, through his original company Falcon Models, which is now owned by Tory Martin. Malcolm discusses all this, and he details his newly released book, Pacific Kittyhawk, which he has co-authored with the eminent RNZAF historian, David Duxbury. Quick Links: • Ventura Publications website • Ventura Publications on Facebook • NZDF Serials (Part of ADF Serials) • The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Photo Archive Page Malcolm Laird. Below is a video version of the episode so you can see the books and models Malcolm is discussing: Below are some examples of the decal instructions, etc., from the Ventura Publications Facebook page: Pacific Kittyhawk, the latest book released by Ventura Publications. Check out this video Malcolm made for Brett Green’s Hyperscale site giving a great overview of Pacific Kittyhawk. The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.

Guest: Mike Murray Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 6th of September 2025 Published: 7th of September 2025 Duration: 2 hour 11 minutes, 57 seconds Mike Murray is one of the founders of the King’s Cliffe Airfield Museum. RAF King’s Cliffe was a wartime Air Force station in Northamptonshire. It is located 19 kms west of Peterborough, and lies between the villages of King’s Cliffe and Wansford. Initially used as a night landing ground during WWI, and returned to agriculture between the wars, work commenced to develop King’s Cliffe into a proper airfield in October 1940 as a new satellite to RAF Wittering, which is a permanent station. Kings Cliffe became a fighter station within No. 12 Group, with its first unit being No. 266 (Rhodesia) Squadron, moving in during 1941. They were replaced by No. 616 Squadron at the beginning of 1942, in which were several New Zealanders. In July 1942, No. 485 (NZ) Squadron moved in to RAF King’s Cliffe, taking over from No. 616 Squadron. This New Zealand squadron was flying Spitfire Vb’s at the time, under the leadership of Squadron Leader Reg Grant. They were part of the Wittering Wing that was commanded by another Kiwi ace, Wing Commander Patrick “Jamie” Jameson. No. 485 (NZ) Squadron flew convoy patrols, and Rhubarb low level sweeps over France and the Lowland countries from Kings Cliffe. They temporarily moved to Ballyhalbert, in Northern Ireland, in October 1942 to cover the departing convoy that was heading to North Africa for Operation Torch. They then returned to Kings Cliffe and continued operations. In early 1943 the squadron moved down to RAF Westhampnett, at Goodwood. Numerous other RAF squadrons and units spent time at Kings Cliffe, and the USAAF also moved various fighter squadrons in too. These included the 347th Fighter Squadron with Bell P-400 Airacobras, the 56th Fighter Group with Republic P-47 Thunderbolts, the 20th Fighter Group with North American P-51D Mustangs of the 77th Fighter Squadron and Lockheed Lightnings of the 79th Fighter Squadron. You can visit the King’s Cliffe Airfield Museum at Wansford Road, King’s Cliffe, Peterborough PE8 6PB, United Kingdom. The museum is open on the second Sunday of every month. See the Facebook link below to see more and to get in touch. Quick Links: • The Kings Cliffe Airfield Museum • The King’s Cliff Airfield Museum’s Fundraiser A montage of Mike Murray and the Kings Cliffe Airfield Museum, which opened in 2024. Kings Cliffe Airfield – 16 January 1947, British Government – Royal Ordinance Survey. Annotations on photo from Airfields Of The Eighth Then And Now, by Roger A. Freeman (1978). Via Wikipedia, Image from the CJ Sheddan log book. Personnel pushing No. 485 Squadron Spitfire OU-S backwards. Believed to be at RAF Station Kings Cliffe. Group of No. 485 Squadron pilots in front of a Spitfire at RAF Station King’s Cliffe, England. L-R: Flying Officer Doug Brown, Pilot Officer Ian Grant, Flying Officer Bruce Gibbs, Flight Lieutenant Lindsay Black, Squadron Leader Reg Grant, Flight Lieutenant John Pattison, Flying Officer Marty Hume, Pilot Officer Murray Metcalfe, Flying Officer AR “Tony” Robson, Sergeant Brown, Sergeant GM Buchanan, Sergeant Revell Steed, Flight Lieutenant MG Barret. Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo. Image from the Reginald William Baker personal collection. Group of people looking at the smoking wreckage of a Dornier 217, shot down by No. 485 Squadron pilot Lindsay Black. Wansford. Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo. Image from the Reginald William Baker personal collection. Group of people gathered around the rear of a NAAFI Refreshment Van, RAF King’s Cliffe, England. Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo. Image from the Reginald William Baker personal collection. Hay bailer at work on the airfield at RAF Station King’s Cliffe, Wansford, with No. 485 Squadron Spitfire OU-K behind. Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo. Group of No. 485 Squadron pilots with a Spitfire. Believed to be at RAF Station King’s Cliffe. L-R: Flight Lieutenant Gary Barnett, Flight Lieutenant John Pattison, Squadron Leader Reg Grant, Flight Lieutenant Reg Baker and Flight Lieutenant Lindsay Black. Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo. Mike Murray, left, with 20th Fighter Group veteran Joe Peterburs, when they got him up in the P-51D Mustang “Marinell”. Mike Murray with Colin and Bernard Wing to the museum. The two brothers, who lived in Apethorpe, remember their Dad taking them to look at Mac Cole’s Lancaster DV197 of 50 Squadron that had crash landed at the airfield on 31st July 1943. The plane ended up in a field just to the north of Apethorpe having gone off the end of the runway and across the railway line. Below are more photos from around the museum. The music is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.

Guest: Squadron Leader John Barry (Retired) Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 11th of August2025 Published: 13th of August 2025 Duration: 1 hour 1 minutes, 39 seconds John Barry was born and bred in Wanganui. Upon leaving school he went to the Teacher Training School, and planned on a career as a school teacher. But while he was training as a teacher, he heard that the Royal New Zealand Air Force had Education Officers. He applied and in 1957 he was taken into the RNZAF in that role of the Education Officer, and also spent a lot time as Sporting Officer on various bases he was posted to. He served at Woodbourne, Lauthala Bay and Ohakea, before being posted to RNZAF Station Wigram, at Christchurch. It was while serving at Wigram in the late 1970s that John found himself given a new role, as the officer in charge of the historical collection that had been started in No. 7 Hangar at Wigram. As time went on, this role developed into the position of Director of the Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum. John oversaw the gathering of aircraft for the burgeoning collection through the late 1970s and early 1980s. Some were straight from RNZAF service and others were recovered from farms as wrecks that would be restored, while others still were swapped from other museums and Air Forces. The museum also gathered a major collection of documents, parts, ephemera and memorabilia from the Air Force’s past years. An amazing number of volunteer groups sprung up to assist in the mammoth task of creating a world class national museum from scratch. These included the Black Hand Gang, the Geriatric Air Force, the Moth Doctors and the Friends of the RNZAF Museum. John, now 94 and in retirement, looks back on those days fondly. Quick Links: • The Air Force Museum of New Zealand • The Geriatric Air Force on National Radio’s Roundabout programme from 1987 The music is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud. John Barry’s Facebook profile. Photos from the Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s collection, with thanks to Matthew O’Sullivan: Portrait of Squadron Leader JK Barry MBE, Director of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. RNZAF Base Wigram. Informal portrait of Squadron Leader JK Barry MBE, Director of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. RNZAF Base Wigram. RNZAF Museum Headquarters staff at RNZAF Base Wigram. In the background is the unfinished Museum building, 06/08/1986. L-R: Back; Sergeant Kevin Bennett (NCO in charge of Accession and Storage), Aircraftwoman T Melvin (Clerk Typist). Front; R Simpson (volunteer), Flight Lieutenant Bob Angelo (Administration Officer), Squadron Leader John Barry (Commanding Officer), M Watson (Archives volunteer). WgG733-86 Air Force Museum staff being interviewed in the glasshouse of No. 1 Hangar on the After the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the RNZAF, at RNZAF Base Wigram, 01/04/1987. L-R: Squadron Leader William “Sandy” Currie BEM (Museum Technical Officer), Squadron Leader John Barry MBE (Museum Director), Rodney Bryant (?). Unknown sound technician in the foreground. PF124-R3-3-87 Air Force Museum Defence staff in the Museum Atrium, 11/12/1987. L-R: Back; Leading Aircraftwoman DM Jamieson, Sergeant Les Bell, Corporal Dave Nicholson, Sergeant Lyn Buttle, Corporal John Harris, Flight Sergeant George Jaunzemis. Front; Flight Sergeant AJ “Jerry” Marshall, Flight Sergeant Alan Woodley, Squadron Leader William ‘Sandy’ Currie BEM, Squadron Leader John Barry MBE (Director), Flight Lieutenant Bob Angelo, Therese Dowman, Sergeant Kevin Bennett. WgG1034-6-87 Air Force Museum Staff in the Museum Atrium, 11/12/1987. L-R: Back; M Watson, Leading Aircraftwoman DM Jamieson, Sergeant L Bell, Corporal DR Nicholson, Sergeant Lyn Buttle, Corporal John Harris, Flight Sergeant George Jaunzemis. Front; D Shaw, Flight Sergeant AJ ‘Jerry’ Marshall, Flight Sergeant Alan Woodley, Squadron Leader William ‘Sandy’ Currie BEM, Squadron Leader John Barry MBE (Director), Flight Lieutenant Bob Angelo, Therese Dowman, Sergeant Kevin Bennett, J Barry. Air Force Museum Sunday Guides in the Museum Atrium, 11/12/1987. L-R: Back; Betty Barry, Jim Kirk, Rose-Marie Barry. Front; Ian Latter, Les Farnley, Pat Barry, Geoff Harrison. WgG1034-12-87 Air Force Museum No. 7 Hangar Technical Section personnel in the Museum Atrium, 11/12/1987. “The Black Hand Gang”. L-R: Back; Flight Sergeant George Jaunzemis, A Weir, B Roberts, B Vallender, Flight Sergeant Alan Woodley, L Heath, Sergeant L Bell, P Whittington, B Streeter, A Henry. Front; Brian Smith, D Gillian, Flight Sergeant Jerry Marshall, J Wright, Squadron Leader William “Sandy” Currie BEM, J Simpson, Corporal John Harris, R Townshend, T Ramsay. WgG1034-2-87 John Barry in 2025 during our Zoom interview.

Guests: Sjeord “Chewy” Bakker, Tony “Chipps” Chippendale, Keith “Buck” Harrison, John Lanham, Paul McSweeny, Rene “Red” Redmond. Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 20th of July 2025 Published: 23rd of July 2025 Duration: 1 hour 39 minutes, 21 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood chats with six ex-RNZAF members who were involved in the restoration and operation of the world’s only remaining complete Avro 626, back in the 1980s. It is now 40 years since the Avro returned to the skies. The Avro 626 was a 1930-designed advanced trainer from Britain. Four examples were purchased in 1934 by the New Zealand government, to replace the obsolete Bristol Fighters and to work alongside the Hawker Tomtits in training aircrew at Wigram. Purchased at the same time as the first twelve Vickers Vildebeests, the two new fleets became the the first new aircraft since the NZPAF had become the RNZAF in 1934. Described by the press reports in 1935 upon arrival as the “Last Word in Training Machines”. It had multiple roles:– Dual-control flying instruction.– Blind and night flying.– Offensive gunnery, with Vickers gun, or camera gun.– Defensive gunnery with Vickers, or camera gun.– Bombing by observer, prone position.– Bombing by pilot.– Wireless telegraphy and telephony using two-way radio equipment operating either on short or medium wave-lengths– Aerial photography and survey work– Navigation using elaborate navigating gear for the time which includes equipment for night flying.– Message picking-up.– Casualty evacuation The Avro 626s arrived on the 25th of September 1935 aboard the SS Middlesex. They were allocated to ‘A’ Flight of the Flying Training School, RNZAF Station Wigram. NZ201 was the first to fly in New Zealand, on the 4th of October 1935. NZ202, NZ203, and NZ204 were not assembled until early 1936. The Avros were used to train aircrew of both the regular RNZAF and of the Territorial Air Force. They also appeared at lots of air pageants around the country through the late 1930s. And when the first Wireless Operator-Air Gunner course was held at Wigram in 1939 for TAF aircrew members the Avros were used with the Scarff rings fitted. As the war progressed the Avros were replaced by the likes of the Harvards and Oxfords, and they took on secondary roles. All four had been retired by mid-1943, with three of them reduced to spares, but NZ203, which had spent part of the war as the Wigram station runabout, was converted in June 1943 to become instructional airframe INST90 with the Hastings Air Training Corps squadron. Popular belief has always had it that the aircraft was then sold to Jim Frogley of Havelock North in May 1947, but in this interview Red Redmond reveals what really happened there. Jim Frogley flew it occasionally till he sold it as a derelict airframe to the RNZAF Museum in October 1980. It was trucked in poor condition to RNZAF Base Ohakea, and between November 1981 and July 1985 the Avro 626 was painstakingly restored back to its former glory by a team of skilled staff. Wing Commander John Lanham flew it again for the first time after restoration on the 8th of July 1985. Some of the key members of the restoration team, the pilot and its last minder at the RNZAF Historic Flight all talk about those days when great things were achieved by highly skilled people. The music is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud. Quick Links: • The Air Force Museum of New Zealand • The Eventful Years – The Avro 626 NZ203 (ZK-ACP) appears in this 1958 documentary • The 1937 Shipment Mystery as mention is Solved Here on the Wings Over New Zealand Forum Below is a video version of this episode with lots of photos from the collection of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand to illustrate the stories. Air to air view of Avro 626 NZ203 in flight over hills after being fully restored. Above: Avro 626 NZ203 under restoration at RNZAF Base Ohakea. Avro 626 NZ203 on the tarmac at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram, Christchurch. Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram MUS21137. Group of staff involved with restoring Avro 626 NZ203. RNZAF Base Ohakea. 08 July 1985.L-R: Back; Sergeant Keith Braddock, Sergeant Paul McSweeny, Sergeant Tony “Chipps” Chippendale, Warrant Officer Mike Singleton. Front; Sergeant George, Corporal Rene ‘Red’ Redmond, Sergeant Sjoerd “Chewy” Bakker. OhC306-85Paul, Chipps, Red and Chewy are all in this episode. The Central Flying School’s RNZAF Historic Flight aeroplanes parked on the grass outside No. 7 Hangar at Wigram just prior to their flypast together for the 50th Anniversary of the RNZAF airshow, on 1st of April 1987. the Avro 626 was flown by W/C John Lanham, the Harvard by S/L Mike Panther and the Tiger Moth by F/Lt Glen Edwards. Maintenance staff were F/Sgt Johnny Miller and F/Sgt Buck Harrison. Photo taken by Buck Harrison. The article mentioned on the second 626 being dug up. From The Press, 3 January 1989.