Friendly flier drops in at Dannevirke's Lamason Field

ENB NZ1076 still has the original RNZAF markings.

The unmistakable sound of a Harvard aircraft buzzing over Dannevirke on the afternoon of Sunday, January 16, got this reporter out of the garden and out to Lamason Field to see what all the commotion was about.

There, parked by the hangar, was ENB NZ1076 - with pilot Rex Brereton, of Feilding, taking a break before returning home.

Rex is the proud owner of the Harvard, which he bought from the air force in 1978 when it became "surplus to requirements". It had served as a training aircraft since 1943, when it came off the production line as the number "1076" 86D Mk3 – one of the later models out of the 200 used in New Zealand.

Rex said it was a great training aircraft – strong and resilient, very forgiving, with a tailwheel, which made it ideal for allowing pilots to progress to other aircraft like Corsairs, Mosquito bombers and Kittyhawks (which my father flew in the Pacific in World War II. Dad trained on Tiger Moths and Harvards.)

Rex said he had always been interested in aircraft and while serving for 50 years at Ohakea Airbase, he had the opportunity to learn to fly and leapt at the opportunity to buy a Harvard.

He also owns a Piper Cherokee and regularly visits Dannevirke's Lamason Field in the annual Dawn Raids in one or other aircraft.

He said there have been some dicey moments coming over the Ruahines, but Sunday's flight was great and the views of the Te Ahu a Turanga Manawatu-Tararua Highway were spectacular and the progress over the past few months likewise.

Rex picked Lamason Field because the airstrips are grass and travel both north-south and east-west, allowing for flexibility in landing. Harvards are better at landing on grass than seals and he needed some landing and take-off practice to keep up his hours. The north-south runway is 1.2km long, allowing for more flexibility and decreasing the margin for error.

Rex has not been involved in Dawn Raids for a year or two thanks to Covid and the weather, but he plans to come this year – elements being favourable. He is a member of the Dannevirke Flying Club and enjoys the camaraderie, which brings fliers from all over to this excellent field.