heh…360 no scope
Freddie Wong and his FreddieW Channel are something of a legend on YouTube. That’s thanks to his insanely well-produced videos, featuring Hollywood-level special effects. Most episodes are inspired by video games or action movies, but they’re also almost always laced with a bit of comedy. He’s so famous that he’s been able to get actors like Jon Favreau and Shenae Grimes to guest star.
Labour bollocks-ed up Defence like no other government in history. They destroyed capacity and wasted vast sums of money on bleeding edge and inappropriate technology.
Now it has been revealed that Phil Goff’s last big purchase the NH-90 helicopters are duds just like the LAVIIIs. Once again some consultant got a big fat brown envelope and the REMFs have delivered a crap, over-prices white elephant to the frontline troops.
Eight new airforce helicopters, worth more than $700 million, have a serious flaw that even when fixed will prevent use in snowy conditions.
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is the first military force to use the high technology NH-90s, winning criticism from Auditor-General Lyn Provost who says this country should not be buying “first of type” equipment.
Her comments came in a Defence Force report published on its website this week dealing with the military’s major projects.
The report also reveals that the P3 Orion $373-million upgrade project has hit problems again with the air force purchasing an “as is” used flight deck simulator that is not compatible with the new planes.
The NH-90s were ordered in 2006 by then Defence Minister Phil Goff to replace the air force’s Vietnam War era Iroquois helicopters.
Provost says in her report that no other airforce was using them when they were commissioned although she said 16 countries now have orders in for 500 NH-90s.
“The NH-90 was to be capable of being quickly deployed in a C130 Hercules aircraft,” she said.
But it cannot currently and Defence is “looking at other transport options”.
These include the helicopters flying themselves all the way across the Pacific if they can be refuelled, or going aboard the navy multi role ship HMNZS Canterbury – but only in certain safe sea state conditions.
The only aircraft available that can fly them anywhere are the ex-Soviet Union Antonov-124 transporter.
Other risks are present, including the NH 90 being “prone to damage” from debris drawn into the engines.
“To mitigate this risk, NHIndustries is to supply screens that can be fitted to the engines.”
Provost says once the screens are fitted, the helicopters will not be able to operate in snowy conditions.
North Korea’s missile launch was a fizzer, not only that they blew hundreds of million on the rocket which could have been used to feed their starving population:
North Korea has launched a long-range rocket that disintegrated shortly after blast-off, South Korean authorities say.
South Korea’s Defence Ministry said the rocket was launched at 7.39am (8.39am AEST) today, but failed shortly after.
“A few minutes after the launch, the rocket disintegrated into several pieces and lost its altitude,” Defence Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok told journalists.
This will be North Korea’s second consecutive failure to get a satellite into orbit, although it claimed success with a 2009 launch.
There was no immediate comment on Friday’s launch from North Korea’s official media, but an official statement was expected.
North Korea said it wanted the Unha-3 (Galaxy-3) rocket to put a weather satellite into orbit, although critics believed it was designed to enhance the capacity of North Korea to design a ballistic missile to deliver a nuclear warhead capable of hitting Australia or the continental United States.
Such a move would be banned by United Nations resolutions.
The regime spent more than $800 million on the rocket, enough to feed millions in the impoverished country, London’s Daily Telegraph reported.
Hunting and Fishing are running a competition where share your photo of a Hilux in a ‘tougher than you can imagine situation’, the grand prize is a Toyota Hilux, non-gay version.
Here is our entry from the weekend…I can’t see Craig Foss putting one of these on his gay ute:
A close up of the hood ornament:
When Gerry Brownlee focussed on David Shearer’s new found admiration for Finland, he missed out some vital information.
I doubt David Shearer had thought of this either, but it came to me while shooting and killing deer with my Finnish rifle.
Tikka and Sako are both top rifle brands, renowned for accuracy and Tikka especially known for value for money. I’m pretty sure that more Tikka and Sako rifles are sold than any other brands. The reason is they are simply the best bang for your buck.
I have a Tikka T3 Lite Stainless in .308 calibre.
The other thing the Finns are known for is their brilliant snipers. They don’t come much better than Simo Häyhä who was an absolute killing machine:
Nicknamed “White Death” by the Red Army, was a Finnish sniper. Using a modified Mosin–Nagant in the Winter War, he has the highest recorded number of confirmed sniper kills — 505 — in any major war. Häyhä was also credited with over 200 kills with a Suomi KP/-31 submachine gun, for a total of 705 confirmed kills.
Imagine what his kills would have been had he used the Sako TRG M10 instead of a Russian rifle.
I’d happily trade Fonterra for Sako and Tikka.
Back for a quick over night up the back blocks of Puotorino.
Bagged a couple of good size spikers from the track…
Last night I was riding on the back of the ute when one jumped up from some thick cover and bolted in front of the ute, my mate hit the picks and I nearly ended up over the bonnet. I chambered a round and shot it on the run.
Got up early this morning to go to another spot, it’s a bit of an effort and the ute can’t get up there so went early on the 4 wheeler and walked the rest of the way…was pretty quiet…actually like a morgue…so bailed out at lunch time.
We went to pick up my hootchie (yes a real one) that I left up the other track last night and my mate was walking up the track when a hind and a good-sized spiker bolted across in front of him. Well the Spiker dropped, the hind got away.
This is the second time I have been on this land, it is hugely enjoyable…I’ll be going back…and targeting the 12 pointers and above…didn’t have time to get onto those ones this times so just picked off targets of opportunity.
Still at least the freezer will be re-stocked.
The tipline
A reader emails:
Hey WO,
Saw your pic of the day and thought you might like this one from the Waiouru training area about 4 years ago before 1RNZIR Mortars was disbanded. The photo was taken by a Vehicle Mechanic/EIR tech Sgt Heath Palatchie who is also an amazing amateur photographer. Enjoy
Keep up the good work!
I love this photo.
Not only has the photographer captured the Mortar round in flight, but you can also see the dust spurts as the base plate compresses under the impact of the round exiting and the muzzle flash surrounding the round as it exits:
Yesterday I spent the morning writing blog posts…apparently you can’t hunt and blog at the same time…in the afternoon I went back to the vineyard at Otane I was at yesterday and spent the afternoon shooting waxeyes and starlings again.
Before that I picked up some supplies in Hastings. As I was walking down the street a guy introduced himself to me…turns out he is an avid reader…he offered to drop me off to where I was heading about 2 km down the road. It is always nice to meet up with readers, fans and the lurkers.
With the birding at the vineyard, I’ve tried a few techniques from sneaking along and popping up to striding down the middle of the vines. Sneaking is necessary against starlings…but the waits are long…once you bomb them up they tale 20 minutes to come back…and they watch you.
By far the most effective was striding down the middle of the vines, chatting loudly. We were about 6 rows apart and moved the length. This makes the birds jump and break above the vines and then we can bomb them up. It was much more productive.
Towards evening we got out the clay thrower and shot through a box of clays. I have fired about 300 rounds through my Beretta today with out a single jam or fault. I am very happy, apart from my shoulder which is a bit tender and red.
Today I am going to Putorino overnight to hunt some Reds. I called the landowner and they confirm that they are roaring nicely.
