Classic Fighters Air Show

The RNZAF were able to give us a display on each of the three days of the show.

As well as apperances by the Lockeed Orion, Beech T-6C Texan, NHI NH90 and Agusta-Westland A109LUH helicopters, this was billed as the final public display by the Air Force’s venerable UH-1 Iroquois fleet after 49 years of service

NZ3816 was delivered 1996 as replacement for the destroyed NZ3813. Operated by No. 3 Squadron RNZAF.

As well as local use, this squadron operated in East Timor as part of the United Nations INTERFET and later UNTAET units from 21 September 1999 to 10 December 2002. Each of the helicopters was required to display a UN identity code during this time. NZ3816 is known to have been allocated UNO-076 during service in that area.

NZ3816 gave its traditional display of troop insertion and recovery.

At the conclusion of the RNZAF session on the third day, NZ3816 did a final flypast displaying the NZ flag as a fitting farewell.

And that’s my farewell to this coverage.
In 14 hours I’m off to the other side of the world for seven weeks.

In the meantime, enjoy and keep the faith.

The Eastern Bloc was represented by two Aero L-29 Delfin jet trainers, both operated by Soviet Star Ltd., Timaru, and these are operated on commercial warbird flights.

ZK-SSU is ex-Romanian Air Force where it flew as ’64’.

It then passed on to an owner in Norway in late 2006 before transitting through the USA to New Zealand, where it was registered to Pacific Airways Ltd., Auckland in March 2008.

Carrying out its initial flight testing at Ardmore, it moved to its Timaru base in July 2011.

The second L-29 was previously flown by the Ukraine Air Force as ’45’.

It then passed to a civil operator in the Ukraine as UC-BCB in September 1996 before transitting through to New Zealand where it became ZK-VAU with owner Coromandel Pharmacy Ltd. in May2006.

The aircraft was active in the Tauranga area before moving south in 2009.

Earlier thread on the V-1 replica
http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?134517-V-1-Replica

That V-1 is just brilliant!

Moving on to the post-war jets, de Havilland DH112 Venom Mk1 ZK-VNM (3rd itteration) is a Venom Mk FB1, built in Switzerland by F+W Emmen in 1956, Serial No. S-296. Swiss Air Force S/No. 840, and when sold moved to the  Swiss civil registration HB-RVA.

Arriving in New Zealand, it was registered to Wanganui Sea and Air Charters (2006) Ltd. on 10Oct2012.  First flight locally was on 11Nov12.

It wears the RAF colours of WE434, as did ZK-VNM the first back in 1987-91.

As Omaka’s runways are grass, these jets operated out of Woodbourne for their airshow display routines.

The other classic British jet at the show was BAC 167 Strikemaster Mk.88 ZK-STR.

This has a long local history with the RNZAF as NZ6370 before spending time in Australia as VH-RBA.

It returned to NZ recently and became ZK-STR in April 2011.

You’d need to ask a technical expert that one – I just drive the camera.

How did they do away with the top carburetor top air scoop normally found on all Allison powered Yak’s?

Something that has certainly not been seen in the air for many years is the Fiesler Fi 103, also known as the V1 (Vergeltungswaffen or Vengeance Weapon 1).

The V1 was perhaps the world’s first cruise missile and the first guided missile to be used en-masse. The pulsejet engine had a grid of flap-valve springs in its inlet, which alternately admitted fresh air and then were blown shut against ram pressure by the ignition of the duct. The vibration made the engine noise and led to the infamous ‘buzz-bomb’ noise which would suddenly stop when the V1 was over its target.

The 85kg replica/reproduction/call-it-what-you-will that took part in the airshow was 75% of full size, and the ducted fan units ran on battery power so it was quite earily quiet in flight. Basicaly it is a radio-controlled model, and the crew certainly seemed to have mastered the art of contolling it both in the air and on landing.

The catapault pyrotechnics seemed to be just stage effects, and played no part in the actual launching the beast.

I am in awe of the work that went into this.

The crew have every reason to feel proud.

Love the banking shot of the Spit!

Seconded! A glorious shot. Watching that display it was hard to believe she had less than three hours “on the clock” since second restoration. It was amazing to see!

The Yakovlev Yak-3M ZK-YYY, being a conversion from a Yak-11 trainer, is a much older aircraft than ZK-VVS.

The Yak-11 was developed from the radial-engined Yak-3U, and served with many Warsaw-pact countries. Examples were also exported to a number of African, Middle Eastern and Asian states, including Egypt.

This airframe started life with the Egyptian Air Force in 1947 and was stored from 1970 to 1985 before sale to the Alain Capel & Jean Salis partnership. Passing through France, it then migrated to Neil R. Anderson, Fort Worth, Texas from 1986 where it was allotted the markings N11SN.

Bought by Ray Hanna in 1990 it was moved to Russia in 1991 for rebuild by Yakovlev as Yak-3U. During this time the marks G-BWOE were allotted to it as from March 1996.After a six-year restoration it arrived back at Duxford in May 1997 still requiring some work.

It was shipped to NZ ex Duxford in December 2003 for completion of the restoration to airworthy Yak-3M standard and installation of the Allison engine.

Still unfinished, it passed into the hands of Arthur Dovey in February 2005. The work was then completed and the aircraft took its first post-restoration flight at Ardmore on 14Apr2005. Now based at Wanaka as Soviet AF “12”

Love the banking shot of the Spit!

Some absolutely fantastic shots, with very informative ‘commentary’

:applause: Fantastic photos and write up ,Thank you

The Supermarine Type 379 Spitfire FR.XIV NH799 was built at Aldermaston and delivered to 9 MU (Cosford) in March 1945. To 215 MU in May and then transferred to the RAF in India. Arrived in India on 28th July and attached to Air Command South East Asia and served with 49 Sqn.

To Indian Air Force on 29Dec1947. Little is known of its service in the IAF.

Doug Arnold purchased and shipped it back to the UK in 1981. Stored at Blackbushe and Bitteswell until it was acquired by the Fighter Collection and restoration began in 1986. Sent to Historic Flying Ltd for completion in 1993. Sold to Sir Tim Wallis of the Alpine Fighter Collection operating out of Wanaka, New Zealand. The first post restoration flight was made on the 21st of January 1994 as G-BUZU. Shipped on the 14th of February to New Zealand where it was registered ZK-XIV. Flight testing was conducted on the 31st of March and the aircraft then displayed at the Warbirds over Wanaka show the next three days. On the 2nd of January 1996 the plane flipped inverted on take-off, almost killing the pilot Tim Wallis. Purchased, from the insurers, by Brian Hare of Hamilton and American partner Paul Page. Restoration commenced in 1997 with AvSpecs in Rotorua and continued when the company shifted to Ardmore.

Ownership passed to Murray Miers and the aircraft was eventually completed just before the Omaka air show, the first post-rebuild flight taking place at Ardmore of 2April 2015.

The Spitfire arrived at Omaka at sunset in the afternoon of Friday 3rd, after a 75 minute direct flight from Ardmore. The final paint markings had not been applied at that time.

Well done, a great effort by all those involved.

The Yakovlev Yak-3M is a replica of the wartime Yak-3 recently manufactured by Yakovlev for the warbird market using the original plans and dies. These are powered by Allison V-1710 engines.

ZK-VVS originally went to the USA where it flew as N74FT until badly damaged in a take-off accident at Reno that destroyed its wings and undercarriage in about 1999. After the accident, the fuselage and tail group only changed hands a few times and were later coupled with a Czech-built Yak-11 wing by Chris Prevost at Sonoma, northern California. It was from there that Graeme Frew acquired the aircraft and shipped it to NZ where some work was done by Mike Nicholls before JEM Aviation took it on as a full time restoration. (When imported into New Zealand in November 2004 it was still in an unrepaired state).

After a major rebuild at Omaka during which it was converted to two-seater status, it flew again on 26Mar2012. Currently based at Omaka.

Love the weathered looks of Spitfire Mk.IX ZK-SPI.

A gazzilion tks for sharing the pics and the individual stories of each birds.

At the other side from down under in Canada (still colonials however)….this is truly appreciated!

Michel

The Grumman TBM-3E Avenger ZK-TBE has quite a convoluted history.

Starting out with the US Navy as Bu91110 in July 1944, it was withdrawn from service in  1953 @ 1422hrs. Stored, it was sold in 1958.

Becoming N6827C with TBM Inc., Tulare, CA in 1963 it then passed through a number of US owners before being exported to New Zealand in November 1992 having run up 4110hrs.

Registered as ZK-TBM on 18Nov1992 to Alpine Deer Group Ltd., Wanaka, it was painted as ‘NZ2518’ and worked the airshow circuit until sold into Australia in May 1999.

As VH-TBM owned by Malitone in Queensland it didn’t do much, and returned to New Zealand in February 2012 under Bredon Deere’s ownership. By that time ZK-TBM had been issued to a Cessna 525B CJ3 Citation so the Avenger became ZK-TBE with Brendon’s company ITL Aviation Ltd. of Palmerston North.

The original Avenger NZ2518 was the famous ‘Plonky’ often flown by Kiwi aviation identity Fred Ladd, and was shot down by AA fire over Rabaul 5Jun1944.

The second Spitfire at the show was Spitfire Mk.IX ZK-SPI.

Starting life with the RAF in September 1944 as PV270 it went intially to 9MU at Cosford and passed on to 82 MU at Lichfield in October 1944. Went into active RAF service in the Mediterranean theatre.

To Italian AF as MM4014 in 1947. To Israeli AF in 1953 as 20-80 where it was used in training role. To Burmese AF in 1955 and used for attacking Kuomintang guerrilas on the north-eastern border with China. Put into storage in 1956 and mounted on a pole at Hmawbi AB near Rangoon in in early 1970s.

In 1995 the aircraft was brought to Mingaladon AB to be preserved in the Defence Services Museum. Aquired by Brendon Deere in New Zealand. This Spitfire is actually made up of PV270’s fuselage and Spitfire SL633’s wings.

A complete rebuild was undertaken by ITL Aviation Ltd in New Zealand. First post restoration flight was completed at RNZAF Ohakea on 18th March 2009. PV270 has been restored to represent the Wing Leader’s Spitfire flown from Biggin Hill in 1944 by Brendon Deere’s uncle, the legendary New Zealander Air Cdre Al Deere.

Correct, and Judy Pay also has an ex-RNZAF Harvard too, but does she also fly a Spitfire. I think Liz is the only lady in the world with both Spitfire and P-40 ratings right now. Not many men have that either.

Whilst not a P40N another P40 is flown often by Judy Pay in Australia.She was recently seen on the BBC series Coast and was very modest about her flying.