It’s great to be on the Goverment tender list at times…
Listed today on “GETS”
"…In 2001 the then New Zealand Government disbanded the Air Combat Force (ACF). The ACF comprised 17 US made A-4K/TA-4K Skyhawk fighter aircraft and 17 Italian made Aermacchi MB339CB training aircraft. After several years of negotiations the sale of the ACF has not been concluded. The Government has therefore directed an end to efforts to sell the ACF as a ‘going concern’. A reduced Skyhawk package is now available for sale. The Aermacchi aircraft fleet will be dealt with separately.
The Skyhawk aircraft have been in storage since early 2002, initially hangared but more recently outside.
Throughout the storage period they have been subject to a formal maintenance package, including weather coatings and internal treatments, designed to preserve the integrity of the airframes and systems as far as is practical.
The Skyhawk package consists of three primary elements:
• Airframes: five (5) complete with engine A-4K aircraft and three (3) complete with engine TA-4K (tandem dual seat) training aircraft.
• Spare Engines, rotable spares, and consumables: including up to twenty (20) additional J52 engines.
• Support equipment: includes an extensive inventory of ground support equipment and tooling, as well as technical training and maintenance publications.
While Defence may prefer to sell the Skyhawk package as a whole, Defence could also elect to divide the package and sell selected parts of it to different respondent(s). "
So for all you keen modellers who constantly strive for “real world accuracy” heres your chance to own a 1:1 scale Skyhawk realistically and naturally weathered…
Now I just have to convince the missus to let me expand my collection a little…
oh and you may need “vetting” by the U.S. as a suitable buyer, they get a bit funny about foreign nationals it seems… still would one of these be eligble for the ANZAC GB?
hey , JAFA that,s a good article . The truth is I fell for a scenario similiar to that concerning boats . Result . I had a former COAST GUARD vessel that when acquired was able to go from the sale site to my home for kittke or nothing in maintenance . Shoot the engines had only i20 hours on them after yarding and all equippment except any large or small firearms she might,ve been equipped with . I wonder if I could use my old piggy bank money ?? Or It,s a go if it,s less than$ 229.00. My landlady would have a fit trying to figure out where to plant flowers in it . HE. HE . tankerbuilder
Sore point with NZ Coastguard, I am a volunteer on our local Coastguard boat, we are funded 95% from public donations, and are unarmed, purely rescue/recovery work. Sounds like you got a great deal on your coastguard boat though.
Shame HMS Ark Royal has a ski jump. The Ark, with a wing of Skyhawks & another of Harriers would make a sweet deal for anyone fancying a bit of megalomania on a budget, especially if you got a few ex soviet “special weapons” with the small change.
Heck, UKPLC would probably throw a couple of brand new Nimrod MRA4’s into the deal for a bit of long range ASW protection (why not, they are only headed for the acetylene torch anyway).
Once the waves have been ruled & a bit of advanced land based strike power is on the wish list, UKPLC will be having a bargain basement sale on a bunch of swing wing strike birds (unaffected by current operational demands) - their highly trained pilots will soon be found at the nearest job center, or if you prefer a cheaper option on drivers, there are already some part trained ones currently at the job center. Rumor has it that UKPLC will even consider up-gunning these aircraft FOC, as they have some spare bits left over from the Typhoon project!!
Sounds like a great opportunity for the right entrepreneur - naval air power for hire to those without the budget to maintain their own, available for short-term use in these tight economic times!