Hi all,
Despite my best efforts (marriage breakup, quadbike accident, COVID last week) I managed to make it to Omaka for the Easter air show!
Now, I took
a lot of photos and I won't bore you with the non-WW1 types but you can, if you're a sucker for punishment, take a look through all of them
here.
Great War numbers were down on previous years but there were still some neat machines to be seen. All but one of the machines pictured call Omaka home.
In Restoration Row were three WW1 replica projects being worked on to fly. A long-time resident is Murray Miers' Fokker D.VIII (Murray's FW.190A-8/N and Spitfire XIV both flew in the show):
DSC_8881 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
DSC_8885 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
One of the Bristol F.2B Fighters built for the film
High Road To China:
DSC_8883 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
DSC_8890 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
DSC_8895 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
And one of three Airco DH.2s started in the US by members of an EAA chapter and now with a local syndicate.
DSC_8884 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
DSC_8886 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
DSC_8897 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
The syndicate-owned, Velie-powered Bleriot XI was displayed by Dan Coleman (with whom I stayed for the weekend). This is an Airdrome Aeroplanes kit with ailerons.
DSC_9468 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
DSC_9492 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
DSC_9496 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
DSC_9500 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
DSC_9540 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
Tony Wytenburg's company Classic Aero Machining Services has made a name for itself building new Gnome rotaries and had two runners on display, a 7cyl and a 9cyl. These were run throughout the weekend.
DSC_9316 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
The Great War scenario starred four aircraft, unfortunately all Allied (a trio of very exciting German machines were hoped to attend but were stuck in port) but still made for a great show. One of the
High Road To China Ranger-powered Biffs - finished in the scheme it wore in the film
Death Hunt in which it starred with Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson - was flown by Andrew Love in its Kiwi airshow debut; Murray Miers' CAMS rotary-equipped Sopwith Pup flown by Wayne Tantrum; RFC-schemed Nieuport 11 flown by Dan Coleman (again!); and a Nieuport 16 flown by Aaron Patchett, both these aircraft fitted with modern Rotec radials.
DSCW8966 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
DSC_9319 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
DSC_9314 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
DSC_9259 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
DSC_0249 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
DSC_0256 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
DSC_0270 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
DSC_0295 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
DSC_0298 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
DSC_0319 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
Untitled by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
Untitled by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
Untitled by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
DSC_0338 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
DSC_0351 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
DSC_0372 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
Untitled by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
DSC_0387 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
DSC_0392 by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
There was also a fifth aircraft on the flightline: a newly-finished Airdrome Aeroplanes Sopwith Pup. This is based (I believe) at Motueka, about 2hr drive away.
Untitled by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
Untitled by
Zac Yates, on Flickr
It was a great weekend but I now understand what jet lag is
