RNZAF 75th Anniversary
2012 will be a big year for the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) as they celebrate their 75th Anniversary on 1 April 2012.
A busy schedule of events for the public is planned for the first quarter of 2012 stretching from February to April. The anniversary kicks off with Napier’s art Deco Weekend in February and culminates in Anzac Day celebrations on April 25.
Wing Commander and Event Director Bill Blaikie says “75 years of providing safe and effective military air operations for New Zealand is a real opportunity for us to celebrate with personnel, supporters of the Service—especially ex-RNZAF personnel—the Defence Force, the wider defence community, the Government, our general public and the international military aviation community.”
The theme for the Anniversary is the RNZAF’s contribution to New Zealand—‘celebrating 75 years of service to New Zealand’. The events will showcase RNZAF’s people and capabilities to the public, demonstrating their commitment to their mission: New Zealand’s Air Force: ready, resilient and respected.
Art Deco (Napier) is using the RNZAF Anniversary as its theme for next year’s Art Deco Weekend and the RNZAF will be participating with a Red Checkers air display, promotional activities, recruitment stand and performances by the RNZAF Band.
NZ Post will produce a commemorative stamp and coin issue that will be released in mid-March next year. The stamp issue will tell a comprehensive story of the RNZAF’s past, present and future.
Don’t miss the Air Force Air Show on March 31 at Base Ohakea, between Sanson and Bulls. This is the event that will bring together the RNZAF’s proud history and future capabilities. It’s here that you will see military aircraft from around the world in one spectacular event on show for the public.
RNZAF aircraft will be at Warbirds over Wanaka Air Show at Easter. The RNZAF will showcase its Historic Flight aircraft as well as their current fleet of aircraft including its new helicopter fleet and upgraded transport and surveillance aircraft.
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