Air Force past protected

New Zealand's Skyhawk fighter bombers will keep New Zealand colours and some markings when they are shipped to a new life in America.

The Government has sold the 17 Skyhawks and the 17 Aermacchi jet trainers to American company Tactical Air Services which will train fighter pilots for the American Air Force and other American allies.

The Skyhawks will stay in their New Zealand green colour and keep at least their No 75 Squadron and No 2 Squadron markings when their new owners begin contract work with the American Air Force and Navy and other friendly defence forces to train fighter pilots.

The New Zealand Kiwi, roundels and New Zealand numbers will be removed.

"We will preserve the great heritage of the RNZAF. We will do that, absolutely," Tactical Air Services chairman and former US Navy fighter pilot Hoss Pearson said yesterday.

"Whatever we are allowed to do to preserve the New Zealand heritage," he said.

The deal was worth $155 million, believed to be made up of about $50m for the Skyhawks and the balance for the Aermacchis.

It will take about $12m for the Skyhawks to be regenerated into flying condition by Safe Air in Blenheim.

With other costs deducted, including the cost of dumping the air combat wing, moving the Australian-based squadron back to New Zealand, maintaining the mothballed jets and marketing them internationally, the Government will get about $120m.

The Aermacchis need little or no work but Safe Air engineers were expected to start on the Skyhawks within a week or so and the first is likely to be shipped out of New Zealand before Christmas.

Mr Pearson said the aircraft were in "beautiful shape".

"The Macchis are really like new and maybe less than 10 per cent of their life has been used. It is the trainer of choice."

The Italian-built Aermacchis were bought by the Government between 1991 and 1993 and with a top speed of 960km/h, are considered an ideal training jet for fighter pilots.

"These aeroplanes were designed for 12,000 hours and only 1500 hours have been used. They are just great aeroplanes," Mr Pearson said from the United States.

Mr Pearson was involved with another American Company, Advanced Training Systems International, which almost bought the New Zealand Skyhawks in 2003.

The deal went sour with internal company woes, but Mr Pearson said then the Skyhawks had been well maintained and were in excellent condition.

The sale is conditional on the US State Department permitting the importation of the aircraft into the US but Defence Minister Mark Burton said on Monday that was not expected to be a problem.

- NZPA