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Classic Fighters airshow

Posted by Dave on Sat Apr 19, 2003 05:03:14 AM

Hi all

Just back from one & half days at Omaka Airfeild , Blenheim , NZ , where the second 'Classic Fighters' show is taking place. Training day Friday , with the main display days Sat / Sun . Due to work I could only spend Friday afternoon and Saturday .
Gerry Yagens' P-40E made its public flying appearance and looks stunning in the Chinese ' Flying Tigers ' livery. Unfortunately the La 9 didn't make it , although it was only a slight possibility anyway . It is getting a repaint into Russian colours , for reasons I can't fathom .. looked particularly good in its Chinese colours I thought .. and after all , that is the airforce it served with ;-0 . The engine troubles that have kept it in N.Z. are apparently compression related .
Pat Donovans' Po 2 was only able to taxi , due to a paperwork snag due to some over zealous official.
A full scale Ju 87 replica was complimented by the restored Hurricane [ which was one of the machines built for the B of B film , later donated to MOTAT and left to rot on a pole at Sir Keith Park memorial airield , Auckland.]
WWI types dominated the airspace with up to nine Fokkers Avro , Sopwith , Nieuport , Halberstadt wheeling in dogfights .. and of course Snoopy taking on the Triplane of the Red Baron . The Sopwith has an original engine and makes a sound like it is fuel starved [ there is no throttle ] and there is the smell of castor oil which is injected into the engine at intervals. All the aircraft are full scale flying machines , reproduced exactly as the originals.
What makes the show diffeent to Wanaka is the large amount of ground battles going on in period themes .While the WW1 dogfights are happening a replica WWI tank attacks the Kaisers troops , and in the WW2 theatre a replica Panther [ powered by a Mazda engine ] , leads the Afrika Corps to victory...

regards
Dave

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