The “Kiwi Red” was an aerobatic display team drawn from No. 75 Squadron of Royal New Zealand Air Force. This team flew six A-4K Skyhawk fighters with no special color scheme but which were equipped with white smoke generators. The team lasted from 1988 until 1990.
The “Kiwi Red” team performed in airshows a maneuver not used by any other team in the world. While in a diamond formation, the leader's aircraft #1 would refuel the slot aircraft and this continued while they performed a barrel-roll with the two planes connected.
On October 24, 1989 during practice flight, two of the team’s aircraft, #3 and #4, collided in mid-air and crashed, killing one of the pilots. This accident ultimately led to the team’s disbandment.
