Skyhawks make historic last pass

12:30 pm - By SCOTT MacLEOD transport reporter

As the dull rumble of Skyhawk jet engines echoed off central Auckland buildings for the last time today, a tiny clutch of people watched from central city rooftops.

Six Skyhawks roared over Auckland at 10.10 am - over the Air New Zealand building and over a New Zealand flag fluttering in a carpark.

Those symbols of flight and nationhood were somehow significant.

This was the last time a Skyhawk formation would be seen in New Zealand skies. It was a farewell gesture from the three RNZAF squadrons that will be disbanded tomorrow.

Eight people watched from one Wyndham St building as the Skyhawks swept over Waitemata Harbour. Two of those people walked back inside as the attack jets peeled into a slow turn.

The aging attack planes left from Ohakea Airbase, 22km west of Palmerston North, at 9.20 am today. They passed over Waiouru and Taupo, in the central North Island, and Whenuapai Airbase, 35km north east of Auckland, returning to Ohakea before midday.

On the ground in Wellington, Squadron Leader Ric Cullinane spoke of the sombre mood among pilots and ground-crew at the nation's air force bases.

He said staff had known since May that the Skyhawks were to go, but that did little to quell their emotions.

"When it happens in a concrete way, then we feel it more than we think it."

Five of the Skyhawks were soon gone from the Auckland skies, but one remained. It's pilot wrenched the jet into a series of loops and barrel-rolls over the harbour.

Three more people walked inside from the Wyndham St roof.

National party defence spokesman Max Bradford said this was a "black week" for our air force. He said it was ironic that the air combat wing was being scrapped at a time when air power was helping to win a new form of war against terrorism.

"We will not be able to play a full part in future because we will have no air power and our ground troops will have to beg and borrow air support from other nations," he said.

Former Skyhawk pilot Ross Ewing said the jets were still capable, despite their age of 30 years or more. Although they had never seen action, they served as a deterrent.

Dr Ewing said yesterday's flypast was the last time combat aircraft would be seen in NZ.

"Ours, that is."

But Prime Minister Helen Clark defended the decision to disband the squadrons.

She said defence priorities had changed, and the available money had to be spent in the most sensible way. Our pilots had served their nation loyally.

"It's no reflection on their ability as pilots that we're not continuing with the service, and I personally wish each of them well" she said. "But yes, in a sense it is a sad day - the end of an era."

From tomorrow, the squadrons numbered 2, 14 and 75 will be no more - ending up to 85 years of tradition.

Number 75 Squadron was formed in World War I to shoot down Zeppelin airships raiding Britain, and became a New Zealand squadron during World War II.

Number 14 Squadron was formed in 1942, flew Kittyhawk and later Corsair fighters in the Pacific, and was part of the occupation forces in Japan after her surrender. It now flies 17 Aermacchi trainers, which will be sold.

Number 2 Squadron was formed in 1930, flew Ventura and Hudson bombers in the Pacific during World War II, was later disbanded, then reformed in 1984 to fly Skyhawks. Those jets were pulled from their Australian base on Sunday.

Ten minutes after they first appeared, that lone Skyhawk was still rolling and looping over Auckland, as though its pilot did not want to stop.

There was no-one left on the roof of the Wyndham St building.