Flightpath AugustSeptemberOctober 2017

FLIGHTPATH|73

I

fitisEasterinanoddyear,thenBlen-
heim, New Zealand, is the place to be
for the bi-annual Classic Fighters air-
show at Omaka. This year’s show fea-
turedquiteafewfirsts:thefirsttimea
husband and wife team have flown a Spit-
fire demonstration; the first appearance
by an RAAF C-27A Spartan; and the first
time the RNZAF’s Black Falcons, flying
thenewBeechTexan II, have displayed at
Classic Fighters.

TheBrisbane-basedYak-3‘Steadfast’

wasshippedacrossforanairracedisplay

with the local Yak-3 and Corsair. Its R-2000

engine has an amazing sound, and the

smoke generators add an incredible ele-

ment to its performance.

Great War fans were treated to seven Fok-

kerDr.IsandtheD.VIIinformation,followed

by the W.W.I segment featuring those air-

craftandtheNieuport11,DH.5,Pfalz,and

Sopwith Camel and Snipe. The aircraft bat-

tled it out over a ground show featuring

tanks and soldiers in period uniforms.

There was a pioneer air race with a Bleri-

ot,McNairMynar,andothers.Thegolden

yearsofaviationwererepresentedbyaRyan

STM and Percival Vega Gull. The resident

Bristol Freighter taxied along the crowd line

whiletwoDC-3sflewpassengers.

TheW.W.IIshowfeaturedthreeSpitfires,

two Kittyhawks, one Avenger, the Yak-3,

Corsair, Bill Reid’s Avro Anson (a local fa-

vourite) and the welcome return of Catali-

na ZK-PBY after its long refurbishment.

The remote-controlled V-1 replica returned

totheskyaspartofthegroundshow.The

special effects team excelled with the fi-

naleoftheW.W.IIsegment,whenaPanjan-

drum (explosives wheel) was rolled in to

blow up the German position. The Anson

then made a pass and dropped poppies to

close the show.

Most of New Zealand’s Harvards, Nan-

changs and Yak-52s were present, with the

‘Roaring Forties’ and the Yak-52 formation

team performing their popular routines.

The weather was not very accommodat-

ingearlyon,buttheorganiserspulledto-

gether another great show and the count-

down to Classic Fighters 2019 has begun.

Words and imagesJohn Freedman

ABOVE:Gert van Kruiningen takes to the air in the 1909 Bleriot

XI during the entertaining Pioneer Air Race, where early forms

of transport, bicycles, and vintage cars led to early aircraft.

LEFT:Guy Clapshaw’s Percival Vega Gull replica was built from

a Percival Proctor I by the Croydon Aircraft Company.

ABOVE:After spending years as an instructional

airframe at Woodbourne, ex-RNZAF DH.104 Devon

NZ1805 (ZK-ZKF) is now back in the air thanks to

Mit and Rex Brereton.

RIGHT:Three Spitfires flying together is a rare

sight in the Southern Hemisphere.