WONZ 309 – Legend Aviation WONZ Forum Meet 5: Patch Nelson

The Wings Over New Zealand Show

Guest: Wing Commander Barry ‘Patch’ Nelson RNZAF
Host: Dave Homewood
Recorded: 28th of April 2024
Released: 2024
Duration: 1 hour 8 mins 19 secs

This episode is the fifth and last of the recordings from the Legend Aviation WONZ Forum Meet, hosted by Bevan Dewes and Lucy Newell of Legend Aviation at Hood Aerodrome, Masterton, on Sunday 28th of April 2024.

Wing Commander Barry ‘Patch’ Nelson joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1982 and is still serving today as a pilot. After completely a BSc at Canterbury University in the University Cadet Scheme that the RNZAF ran, he completed his Wings course and Fighter Lead In course in 1986. In 1987 he joined No. 2 Squadron RNZAF for conversion to McDonnell Douglas A-4K Skyhawk strike aircraft, and he was posted to No. 75 Squadron in 1988.

In 1990 Patch flew as Red 2 in the famous No. 75 Squadron Skyhawk display team, Kiwi Red. He talks about those exciting times, with highlights such as opening and closing the Commonwealth Games, and meeting HM Queen Elizabeth II, and the lowest point when the team lost Graham Carter in a tragic accident during a practice session.

Patch enthuses about his favourite deployment, back to No. 2 Squadron RNZAF, now in Nowra, NSW, Australia. He was training new pilots and flying strikes against Royal Australian Navy ships to train the crews how to react to air attack. He also flew dissimilar air training against the RAAF’s F/A-18 Hornets.

He talks about all sorts of aspects of operating the Skyhawk, from the weapons systems that had, to air-to-air refuelling using the buddy-packs, to the differences between the original Skyhawks they called dinosaurs and the upgraded Kahu Skyhawks. He remembers exercises in Asia as part of the Vanguard deployments too, and so much more in this brilliant talk.

Note: When Patch refers to the previous talk by Steve, he means this one recorded earlier that day, given by Steve Davies Howard

Air to air view of No. 75 Squadron Skyhawk NZ6203, flown by Flying Officer Chis Hutchison, firing CRV 7 rockets over White Island at Volkner Rock. Photographed from a TA-4K flown by W/C Frank Sharp with Patch Nelson in the back seat. Air Force Museum of New Zealand, cropped from OhC260-88.

Barry “Patch” Nelson during his presentation (Phil Treweek photo)

Barry “Patch” Nelson during his presentation (Phil Treweek photo)