Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] Three No. 3 Squadron Iroquois taking off in formation from Nelson airport. L-R: NZ3801, NZ3802, unknown.

Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] Airman scraping ice from the windscreen of a N0. 3 Squadron Iroquois.

Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] Corporal Card checking the tail rotor of a No. 3 Squadron Iroquois.

Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] Leading Aircraftman Christophersen checking the main rotor on a No. 3 Squadron Iroquois at Nelson airport.

Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] No. 3 Squadron pilot, Flight Lieutenant Oldfield, carrying out pre-flight checks on an Iroquois at Nelson airport.

Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] No. 3 Squadron ground crew packing up fuel equipment beside an Iroquois in a snow-storm at the forward camp in mountains in the Red Hills area.

Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] No. 3 Squadron Iroquois flaying away from the landing area near the forward camp in mountains in the Red Hills area.

Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] No. 3 Squadron Iroquois NZ3801 at the forward camp in mountains in the Red Hills area.

Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] Corporal Blakemore carrying out a fuel test beside an Iroquois.

Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] Leading Aircraftman Burke removing a door from an Iroquois.

Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] Leading Aircraftman R Hawke and Leading Aircraftman R Crabbe working on an Iroquois door.

Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] No. 3 Squadron Iroquois NZ3802 carrying fuel drums to the forward camp in mountains in the Red Hills area.

Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] No. 3 Squadron Iroquois NZ3802 carrying fuel drums to the forward camp in mountains in the Red Hills area.

Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] No. 3 Squadron pilot, Flying Officer Mills, standing beside an Iroquois.

Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] No. 3 Squadron pilot, Flying Officer Mills, standing beside an Iroquois.

Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] No. 3 Squadron pilot, Flying Officer Mills, in the cockpit of an Iroquois.

Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] No. 3 Squadron Iroquois NZ3803 back at Nelson airport after it suffered engine trouble in the mountains and was flown back by Squadron Leader Hubbard in Iroquois NZ3801.

Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] No. 3 Squadron Iroquois NZ3801, flown by Squadron Leader Hubbard, carrying Iroquois NZ3803 after the second aircraft suffered engine trouble in the mountains.

Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] No. 3 Squadron Iroquois lifting a patient by winch from the airfield.

Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] No. 3 Squadron Iroquois lifting a patient by winch from the airfield.

Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] No. 3 Squadron Iroquois lifting a patient by winch from the airfield.

Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] No. 3 Squadron helicopters taking off for a formation fly over Nelson city.

Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] No. 3 Squadron helicopters taking off for a formation fly over Nelson city. NZ3701 nearest, then NZ3705.

Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] Formation of No. 3 Squadron helicopters for a formation fly over Nelson city.

Exercise Blackbird 1 at Nelson Airport and the Red Hills area. [negative register calls this "Operation Blackbird", but for consistency with following 'Blackbirds', this has been called Exercise.] Formation of No. 3 Squadron helicopters for a formation fly over Nelson city.