RNZAF Recruitment Ad- Cinema Advertising Slide

Description

In January 2023 the Royal New Zealand Airforce's P3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft made their last flight across Manawatu and Horowhenua. This advertising slide dates back to the 1960s when the Orions were 'exciting new aircraft' and the Air Force was looking for recruits to maintain them.

The Orions undertook Exclusive Economic Zone patrols, search and rescue missions and assisted Customs, Police, Fisheries and The Department of Conservation. They even helped our pacific neighbours in times of crisis.

The first of the RNZAF's P3s arrived in 1966 and by the time they retired they had undergone lots of upgrades. This slide shows where the twelve members of crew sat. Pilots, communications technicians, weapons officers and ordnance specialists were part of the team.

But note that the recruits wanted were all men. In the 1960s women were not part of 'main' Air Force, and the Women's Royal New Zealand Airforce would not merge with the regular service until 1977. Even then, women were not allowed to be on operational air crews until the 1980s, with the first women pilot in 1988.

As of 2024 a fleet of four Boeing P8 Poseidon  jet aircraft perform patrol duties at sea and both men and women can fly and maintain these critical parts of the Air Force. But we doubt you'll see a recruitment ad in the cinema! 

Identification

Object type

Image

Date

1960s