WONZ 320 – WONZ 20th: Kenn Cox

The Wings Over New Zealand Show

Guest: Kenn Cox, former RNZAF jet fighter pilot

Host: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 23rd of February 2025

Published: 3rd of April 2025

Duration: 44 minutes, 40 seconds

In this episode we hear from Kenn Cox, the second speaker from the WONZ 20th Anniversary Forum meet at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, at Wigram, Christchurch.

Kenn was a young ‘bog rat’ Vampire pilot on No. 75 Squadron RNZAF in the late 1960s, and found himself as one of the ten pilots selected to be posted to Cecil Field in the USA in 1970 to convert onto the McDonnell Douglas A-4K Skyhawk, which had just been purchased by the New Zealand Government to replace the English Electric Canberras.

Kenn talks about the trip to the USA, the introduction to US Navy training, learning to fly the Skyhawk, and various adventures in the USA during the months that the group of pilots was there.

He also talks about operating the Skyhawk in the early days of its New Zealand service, navigating them around the country, and taking them up to Singapore for their first international exercises.

Quick Links:

• The Air Force Museum of New Zealand

• The Air Force Museum of New Zealand on Facebook

Thanks to Allan Udy for his assistance with recording this episode.

Above: Brand new RNZAF A-4K and TA-4K Skyhawks in the USA, Dec 1969, before the Kiwis took them over. McDonnell Douglas photo, via Don Simms.

Above: Kenn Cox during his talk at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. Dave Homewood photo.

Above: A brand new TA-4K Skyhawk NZ6251 in December 1969, before the Kiwis arrived in the USA. McDonnell Douglas photo, via Don Simms.

The chosen ten pilots from No. 75 Squadron RNZAF in front of the newly delivered TA-4K “T-bird” Skyhawk NZ6251. Left to right are: Graham Thompson, Ken Gayfer, John Woolford, Roger Henstock, Mike Callanan, Kenn Cox, Murray Abel, Ross Ewing, John Scrimgeour and Trevor Bland. Photo via Don Simms.

Training with the US Navy. Left to right, standing: A US Navy Instructor, John Woolford, Ross Ewing, Murray Abel, and Mike Callinan. Seated: Roger Henstock, Trevor Bland, John Scrimgeour, and Ken Gayfer. Squatted: Kenn Cox, and Graham Thompson. Photo via Don Simms.

Above: Handover for the first RNZAF Skyhawks from McDonnell Douglas to the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Photo via Don Simms.

Above: RNZAF Skyhawks lined up at Cecil Field, NAS Jacksonville, Florida, next to US Navy Skyhawks. Photo via Don Simms.

Above: Squadron Leader John Scimgeour, left, and Flight Lieutenant Trevor Bland, third from left, filling in Form 700 logbooks, with a US Navy instructor and an RNZAF Sergeant. Photo via Don Simms.

Above: RNZAF Skyhawks and a US Navy tug with a generator on the flight line at NAS Cecil Field, Jacksonville, Florida, USA.

Above: An RNZAF Skyhawk flying with an incognito Israeli A-4H Skyhawk. Photo via Don Simms.

Above: Air-to-air refuelling with the Buddy Pack. Photo via Don Simms.

Above: One of the RNZAF No. 75 Squadron pilots in a Skyhawk. Photo via Don Simms.

Above: One of the RNZAF A-4K’s, NZ6201, on the production line. Photo via Don Simms.

Above: Skyhawks for the RNZAF under construction at Douglas Aircraft Company, Long Beach, California, United States. Marrying fuselage to the wing of NZ6201. Photo via Don Simms.

Above: Onboard the USS Okinawa. Photos via Don Simms.

Above: The USS Okinawa berthed in Auckland as seen from Iroquois overhead. RNZAF Official Photo via Don Simms.

Protesters and NZ6254 RNZAF Official Photo via Don Simms.

The Skyhawks being towed from the Auckland wharves to RNZAF Base Whenuapai. Photo via Don Simms.

Above: Stripping the sealant from Skyhawk NZ6210 at Whenuapai. Photo via Don Simms.

Above: John Scrimshaw alights from NZ6254 at Ohakea after delivering aircraft from Whenuapai RNZAF Official via Paul Harrison

Above: The Commanding Officer of No. 75 Squadron RNZAF, Squadron Leader John Scrimshaw, left, and Group Captain Harold (Mo) Moss after arrival of first Skyhawk at Ohakea on 21 May 1970. RNZAF Official Photo via Don Simms.

Above: The A-4K Skyhawk cockpit in its original form. Photo via Don Simms.

Above: The first arrested landing at Ohakea, 1970. RNZAF Official Photo via Don Simms.

Above: A-4’s and Canberra’s Ohakea taken from 75 Sqn hanger roof 1970 Pat Leggitt Photo via Don Simms.

Above: A-4 line up Ohakea 1970 Pat Leggitt Photo via Don Simms.

Below: Some more ephemera from the early days of the RNZAF Skyhawks, via Don Simms.