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485 Squadron Reunion 27th February 2010

NOTE: Ohakea access - as the Spitfire is now located at RNZAF Ohakea, public access to the Spitfire is limited. Organised groups who may wish to visit the RNZAF Historic Flight where the Spitfire is now co-located, should in the first instance contact: Ms Denise Tanner, OSW COORD, RNZAF Ohakea, Private Bag, Palmerston North. Such access is at the operational discretion of the RNZAF.

	485 Squadron Reunion Whenuapai Spitfire PV270 departed Ohakea at 0940 on Saturday and touched down at Whenuapai at 1040. The 485 Squadron veterans along with widows of those not there and family members were able to get up close to the Spitfire as well as watch a display by Squadron Leader Sean Perrett at 1400. PV270 returned to Ohakea on Sunday morning. (Above): 485 Squadron veteran Max Collett returns to a Spitfire cockpit (Left): PV270 passes downtown Auckland and the Sky Tower as it tracks into Whenuapai on Saturday morning
	Tauranga City Airshow 2010 - 6th & 7th February 2010 Spitfire Alpha Lima arrived at Tauranga Saturday morning at 10-30am after the flight from Ohakea. As the cross wind got up in the afternoon it was decided not to fly her again that day and hope for the best for Sunday when the forecast cross wind was supposed to be only 5 knots. On Sunday we anxiously waited to see what the wind was doing but it began to get up again at midday with the sea breeze as it had on Saturday. We made a rapid decision to refill the wing tanks to allow the pilot, Sean Perrett, to have the option to land or return direct to Ohakea. The Spitfire was scheduled to fly a second time in the airfield attack/fighter flypast but the wind continued to increase to our crosswind limit and the decision was made to not attempt a landing and instead return direct to Ohakea in the interests of safety of the aircraft. Photo: Gavin Conroy
	The Palmerston North Aeroneers recently came out to have a look Spitfire PV270. The members had visited the restoration project on a number of occasions during the rebuild. Merv Matthews brought his 1/5 scale version of the original "AL" EN568. The model is powered by a 15cc four stroke engine and the model weighs in at 11 pounds. It flew twice at the Wings over Wairarapa airshow in January this year Photo: Merv Matthews Aeroneers web site
	The 2009 annual conference of the RNZAF Association is being held at Ohakea over the last weekend in October. A display by Spitfire PV270 was put on for the delegates
	Agreement has been reached with the RNZAF for Spitfire PV270 to remain permanently at RNZAF Ohakea. Construction on a new hangar for ITL Aviation will begin at Ohakea next month on a site near the previous Museum location. This area is designated for the Visitor's Centre complex planned for Ohakea and it is planned that the Spitfire and other aircraft in the hangar will be viewable by Visitor's Centre entrants. The 700 m²hangar will include a display area and will initially house Spitfire PV270 and Harvard NZ1037. Construction is funded by ITL Aviation and not the RNZAF. The agreement was signed by Air Vice Marshal Graham Lintott, Chief of the Air Force. Here AVM Lintott tries out the cockpit of PV270 in its present home of Hangar 1 Photo: CPE Ohakea
	Sunday 20th September - Battle of Britain Sunday - an informal and largely unpublicised display by Sean Perrett as part of the service at St Marks chapel at Ohakea for local veterans attracted around 300 people showing the power of word of mouth. The Base Air Security staff made many people's day when they allowed the public onto the base area where the Spitfire was operated from - at the threshold of runway 15 near the road - giving people a close up look (and listen) for the starting, run up process and take off from runway 15. Perfect spring weather helped make it a memorable occasion. Photo: Gavin Conroy
	Tuesday 15th September - Battle of Britain Day - Spitfire PV270 headed down to Wellington for a flyover at the National War Memorial at 12 noon after the official commemoration service. Here some of dignitaries look skywards as John Lanham flies the Spitfire overhead before making a pass down the runway at Wellington Airport. Photo: NZDF
	Thursday 20th August - Wings Parade RNZAF Ohakea. Spitfire Alpha Lima formated with 3 B200 King Airs for the parade flypast- here the formation passes over the parade just before the break Photo Bob Graham
	Prime Minister John Key and RNZAF Group Captain Davies-Howard review the graduating officers at Woodbourne as PV270 passes overhead right on cue Photo: NZDF
	After completion of the parade flypast at Woodbourne, the Spitfire rendezvoused with photographer Gavin Conroy before returning to Ohakea.
	Friday 19th June Spitfire Alpha Lima flew the short distance from Ohakea to Palmerston North to allow the staff of Fieldair Engineering to see the aircraft. Fieldair were a significant sub contractor on the project.
	On Wednesday 27th May the Governor General, his Excellency Hon Sir Anand Satyanand and Lady Satyanand visited RNZAF Ohakea and took time out from their schedule to have a look at the Spitfire. They are pictured here with two of the original restoration team, Joe Deere and Pete Burgess. Photo: NZDF
	Final stop on the ANZAC Day flypasts was Wanganui Airport where a crowd of somewhere over 500 people had gathered to see the Spitfire. The response was a bit unexpected and overwhelming and greatly appreciated by the team. It was a great honour to see the number of old soldiers and airman who had made the journey out to the airport. The traffic jam caused by people arriving to see the aircraft meant it stayed 1/2 an hour longer than planned to give everyone the chance to see PV270. Earlier the aircraft had made a circuit around Aramoho Cemetery in Wanganui where Alan Deere's parents (my grandparents) are buried as well as my father and mother and my wife's father - alongside many ex servicemen and women. In some ways this was the most important public viewing for PV270 - ANZAC Day - and we hope the people of the towns and cities it flew over will continue to remember and appreciate those that have served their country in every war and conflict - Brendon Deere
	Classic Fighters at Omaka was the public debut of PV270. The weather was perfect throughout the weekend allowing the aircraft to fly six times over the three days. Thanks to all who made contact and gave us positive feedback about the Spitfire. We were very proud to receive the award for Grand Champion Warbird at the airshow dinner on Sunday night.
	2nd April - Rush hour - Keith Skilling about to depart for another test flight, this time ranging as far as Marton and Wanganui as PV270 continued to perform well. The Tiger Moth is the "hanger mate" of PV270 in 1 Hanger at Ohakea where the RNZAF Historic Flight is based
	26th March - 4th test flight and an opportunity for some air to air photography by Gavin Conroy
	25th March - 3rd test flight - A unique view from the perspective of Keith Skilling above RNZAF Ohakea - Keith uses a digital camera to record gauge and instrument readings at different stages of the test flying - this is a bonus shot
	After the first flight - Keith Skilling, test pilot; Hon. Heather Roy, Associate Minister of Defence; Brendon Deere My thanks to my wife Shirley and my children Rebecca, Christopher, Joseph, Andrew and Lucy for all their support during this project - Brendon Deere
	Return to Flight - 1812 hours, 18th March 2009, grass vector 09, RNZAF Ohakea, pilot Keith Skilling Photo: Central Photographic Establishment, RNZAF Ohakea

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