Alternative buys for New Zealand

DarrenP2 · April 05, 2015, 04:56:40 AM

the Kiwis have the P3K which although based on the P3b is a very potent MPA. ATR42 I could see doing a inshore EEZ work. But who knows when the P3 needs replacing something of similar size to the ATR42 might suit the RNZAF

Weaver · April 05, 2015, 05:01:47 AM

Quote from: DarrenP2 on April 05, 2015, 04:41:04 AM
they had centurion in the 60's but sold them to i think Australia. But agree Saladin would have been a good choice.

They actually had 26 x Scorpions too.

rickshaw · April 05, 2015, 06:50:11 AM

Quote from: DarrenP2 on April 05, 2015, 04:41:04 AM
they had centurion in the 60's but sold them to i think Australia. But agree Saladin would have been a good choice.

They purchased 12 and they retired them without replacement.

DarrenP2 · April 05, 2015, 06:51:44 AM

Australians used them to repair some of their centurions that had had mine strikes in veitnam.

Weaver · April 07, 2015, 06:56:56 AM

Few more:

Mid 1950s: NZ gets some of the MAP Canadair Sabre Mk.4s when the RAF gives them back.

Early 1960s: NZ replaces the Vampires with Hunter FGA.9s and keeps them in service forever with Swiss-style updates (use the Revell kit with all the bells and whistles).

Mid 1980s: NZ wants to buy into Aussie F-18 program but can't afford it, so buys F-20 Tigershark (which was a success in this world) instead, thus getting common F-404 support with a cheaper airframe. This would follow on well from either a "buy Aus" backstory (Avon Sabre, Mirage IIIO, Mb.326) or an "all J-85" story (F-5A/E and/or A-37B).

DarrenP2 · April 07, 2015, 08:12:36 AM

mid 90's kiwis offered Aero Al159 Alca

Supertom · April 07, 2015, 02:06:13 PM

Could always buy Swedish. Drakens and Viggens, leading up to the Gripen?

Weaver · April 07, 2015, 03:45:45 PM

Quote from: Supertom on April 07, 2015, 02:06:13 PM
Could always buy Swedish. Drakens and Viggens, leading up to the Gripen?

Yeah, that occured to me. What if NZ went neutral and joined the non-aligned states movement? Could even backdate it further, with Tunnans and Lansens.

The Wooksta! · April 07, 2015, 03:59:20 PM

NZ gets CAC Avon Sabres. They could get Aussie Cranberries, but the B6 rather than their B(I)8s... The RAAF gets B(I)8s in return.

Really sneaky and subtle. RNZAF Mosquitos - FB6 but with two stage Merlins, a la the CAC Mosquito PR41. Paint them up as real and watch the JMNs scratch their heads.

RNZAF Furies instead of Corsairs. Spitfire F22 or Tempest F2? More sneaky subtlety - Commonwealth CA15s instead of Mustangs...

I've done NZ Hornets and Meteors, two of the latter featured in John Baxter's "The Alternate RAAF".

Weaver · April 07, 2015, 06:40:56 PM

NZ could get second-hand Sea Hawks instead of their Venoms.

rickshaw · April 07, 2015, 07:34:53 PM

Quote from: Weaver on April 07, 2015, 06:40:56 PM
NZ could get second-hand Sea Hawks instead of their Venoms.

The Venoms the RNZAF operated were Venoms, not Sea Venoms. They were loaned by the RAF for use in Malaya during The Emergency, to 14 Squadron RNZAF and were single-seaters. Why would the RNZAF want to operate Sea Hawks instead?

DarrenP2 · April 07, 2015, 10:38:11 PM

Always liked the thought of the Hunter for the RNZAF would work well with the strikemaster.
Then the Shorts Sunderlands being replaced with Avro Shackleton MR2 or MR3
The Kiwis use of the Bristol Freighter in Borneo was very effective but feel the Canadian DHC-5D Buffalo would have been a better replacement . They Had the Hastings and replaced them with Hercules.
And they got the Iorquois probably a better choice than the Westland Whirlwinds the RAF got or the Early wessex but I wonder if the Kiwis had stuck more closely to the UK would they have goten the Wessex HC2/HU5

Weaver · April 08, 2015, 06:09:04 AM

Quote from: rickshaw on April 07, 2015, 07:34:53 PM
Quote from: Weaver on April 07, 2015, 06:40:56 PM
NZ could get second-hand Sea Hawks instead of their Venoms.

The Venoms the RNZAF operated were Venoms, not Sea Venoms. They were loaned by the RAF for use in Malaya during The Emergency, to 14 Squadron RNZAF and were single-seaters. Why would the RNZAF want to operate Sea Hawks instead?

Didn't realise they were loaned: cheers.

Why not operate Sea Hawks from land? The Germans and Indonesians did, and it's a perfectly good attack aircraft for that era. If NZ were shopping for an early jet, the Seahawk would be a good choice. Remember it's what if, so you could always re-write their jet history: maybe the Seahawk was their first jet, or they selected it instead of the Vampire.

Weaver · April 08, 2015, 06:21:27 AM

NZ buys the Fiat G.91R to replace the Vampires in the mid 1960s. They could be G.91R/4s from the cancelled Greek/Turkish batch that IRL went to Germany, then eventually got transferred to Portugal.

Mossie · April 08, 2015, 06:43:32 AM

Quote from: Weaver on April 08, 2015, 06:09:04 AM
Quote from: rickshaw on April 07, 2015, 07:34:53 PM
Quote from: Weaver on April 07, 2015, 06:40:56 PM
NZ could get second-hand Sea Hawks instead of their Venoms.

The Venoms the RNZAF operated were Venoms, not Sea Venoms. They were loaned by the RAF for use in Malaya during The Emergency, to 14 Squadron RNZAF and were single-seaters. Why would the RNZAF want to operate Sea Hawks instead?

Didn't realise they were loaned: cheers.

Why not operate Sea Hawks from land? The Germans and Indonesians did, and it's a perfectly good attack aircraft for that era. If NZ were shopping for an early jet, the Seahawk would be a good choice. Remember it's what if, so you could always re-write their jet history: maybe the Seahawk was their first jet, or they selected it instead of the Vampire.

The RAF were the original customer for the 'Sea' Hawk, they cancelled it as they were geared up for the Meteor. So if the RAF had bought it, Meteor and Vampire/Venom operators are opened up.

Like this: http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,19753.0.html

RNZAF, Tenagh, Singapore

RNZAF, RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus