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Post by Brett on Jul 16, 2012 19:24:30 GMT 12
I see the theme for Classic Fighters 2013 is "The Yanks are coming!"
So............who are the Yanks that are coming, and what aircraft are they bringing with them?
Let the wild speculation begin.
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Jul 16, 2012 19:31:59 GMT 12
Well....whatever the theme, I will be there.
I haven't missed a single Classic Fighters airshow since attending the first one in 2001.
And as an appetiser, there is Wings Over Wairarapa a few weeks before Classic Fighters. Plus, TVAL's Remembrance Airshow a couple of months before that.
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Post by ZacYates on Jul 16, 2012 21:12:05 GMT 12
Spitfire XIV? Nope, not American....the USAAF used Ansons maybe? Yak-3s were a big part of American aviation history.....
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Post by beagle on Jul 16, 2012 21:20:20 GMT 12
B29
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Post by nuuumannn on Jul 16, 2012 22:59:55 GMT 12
Well, they managed to pull off "Viva Italia" without a single Italian aeroplane!
I guess it'll be Mustang, Kittyhawk, Corsair and maybe the odd AT-6...
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Post by JamesStokes on Jul 17, 2012 10:42:31 GMT 12
Would be nice if the Americans sent a Hellcat or two...
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Post by ErrolC on Jul 17, 2012 16:20:02 GMT 12
Would be nice if the Americans sent a Hellcat or two... Aren't there other American types (that we don't have examples of anyway) that we worked with more? I wonder if TVAL have any new builds due in American colors? |
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Jul 17, 2012 17:11:29 GMT 12
Would be nice if the Americans sent a Hellcat or two... Talk nicely to Kermit....doesn't he own an airworthy B17 Fortress? I suppose it would be possible to fly it from Florida to Omaka. Who knows, perhaps he could carry a WWI figher reproduction or two home from TVAL inside the B17. ;D |
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Post by corsairarm on Jul 17, 2012 17:55:22 GMT 12
Perhaps Kermit could bring down a certain ex New Zealand P51 and take back one of the others  or, even better, we could get a Dauntless down here. That would look good with the Avenger. ;D Ahhh dreams are free. Getting warbirds here isn't.  |
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Post by FlyingKiwi on Jul 17, 2012 20:33:53 GMT 12
Would be nice to see an overseas visitor, but I suspect it will be the traditional P-51, P-40, Avenger, DC-3 etc. Not that there's anything wrong with those aircraft of course! I rather doubt we will see a P-38 or P-39, my two American favourites. (along with the Brewster Buffalo which we definitely won't be seeing anytime soon)
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Post by Brett on Jul 17, 2012 21:22:40 GMT 12
The B-29 is a great idea. Seeing Fifi operate off grass will be worth the price of admission. And if Keith Skilling gets to make his signature pass in it...
If Kermit brings anything over I would like to see the Sunderland. Operating that out of Omaka would be a challenge. What with the lack of wheels and everything.
Jerry Yagen is another Yank with some old favourites I wouldn’t mind seeing at Omaka. DH89. DH98. La9. I-16. I-153. P-40.
Paul Allen could bring some interesting planes over. Ki-43. I-16. Or his Fw-190...
But in the real world, something from Old Rhinebeck or Pioneer Flight Museum would be interesting, and relatively cheap to transport.
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Post by TS on Jul 18, 2012 10:48:19 GMT 12
Hi all I have been lurking around this forum for awhile, take it easy on me but wouldnt it be nice if the US Navy filled up an aircraft carrier with a very nice selection of aircraft. Sailed out here anchoured off Blenhiem, then we would have an airshow to die for. Dont get me wrong but Omaka is great already it would just give another twist to the Amercian Theme :-). I seem to recall that ,that could have happened many years ago when Gorge Gair was in Parliment but I think the golf war interferred with that,as the US Navy said that if the carrier was needed they would push the aircraft over the side ?? Now that would NOT have been funny. Anyway nothing ventured nothing gained I say,after all the US Military relations are warming to us
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Post by nuuumannn on Jul 18, 2012 11:56:33 GMT 12
Well, if WoW can get a Zero here, than what's stopping Omaka's organisers from pulling a rabbit out of a hat (or a B-17 out of America, although I heard when a US outfit took a B-17 to the UK a few years back it nearly ruined them financially)? It's about contacts, I guess. Not what you know, but who you know. TVAL don't run Omaka, so their input will be minimal.
I think Omaka need to think a bit more about how they are going to theme their events, personally.
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Post by ErrolC on Jul 18, 2012 13:24:36 GMT 12
Well, if WoW can get a Zero here, than what's stopping Omaka's organisers from pulling a rabbit out of a hat .... Having to front up with tens (hundreds?) of thousands of dollars, with no guarantee that the show will make money, I imagine. |
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Post by baz62 on Jul 18, 2012 16:31:20 GMT 12
I think Omaka need to think a bit more about how they are going to theme their events, personally. Why? Its worked out fine for them so far. And I'd say they know how to organise an airshow after doing at least 7 of them! |
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Post by Officer Crabtree on Jul 18, 2012 17:41:32 GMT 12
It'd be great if they somehow got a spad in...not aware of any in New Zealand but the Americans flew them near the end of World War One. Highly unlikely for CF, yes. But one can hope  |
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Post by ZacYates on Jul 18, 2012 19:03:39 GMT 12
I am amazed TVAL hasn't built any SPADs, so that's not a bad guess in my opinion.
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Post by Brett on Jul 18, 2012 20:22:47 GMT 12
I think the problem with building SPADs is the lack of original drawings. There has been the odd replica built based on examining an original example, but most seem to be external representations only.
The theme for Classic Fighters applies well for car displays, food choices, costume themes and ground theatre. Lets face it, if they were re-enacting the aerial components of the two world wars then we would have to wait a couple of years after the start before the Yanks even turn up.
An American-themed event will probably have a lot of participants. Certainly the car crowd support these sorts of things and I would expect a big turn-out from them. You can throw in a big-band, hot dogs, M*A*S*H static display and you'll keep the average punter happy. Maybe they can fly Jimi Hendrix back in?
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Post by nuuumannn on Jul 18, 2012 22:22:45 GMT 12
True, but I think the themes have been a bit weak of late. The Italian one was at any rate.
Look, running an airshow and picking a theme and requisite aircraft etc are two different things. I used to take part in the running of airshows in the UK and I saw a number of popular events go stale and eventually disappear. I'm not criticising how they run their show, just how its themed. Omaka is a great show but I think that they need to work at it to remain in business - and remain sufficiently unique. Lets hope they do bring something over or pull a rabbit out of a hat. (B-17 pleeeeese, maybe Temora's Hudson? I know that a few years back they looked at getting HARS' Neptune over)
The thing about airshows is, you don't run them to make lots of money; if you cover your costs and have a bit left, that's a great thing and you're doing well, but on the whole they are an altruistic exercise. Those guys who brought the Zero over wouldn't have made a penny off it, in fact it would have cost them a fortune just to bring it here.
The ins and outs of running an airshow in Blenheim means they cut it close to the bone at times. One big issue they have there is limited space - not much in the way of accommodation around. Just look at things that have happened there over the last few shows and you'll see how the finances have affected things. Which is part of the reason why I think that the themes have been a bit weak of late. Because of finances they have to really work at making the show something different. I know they can because they've got some great minds working for them.
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Post by baz62 on Jul 19, 2012 12:42:38 GMT 12
Yes you raised some good points there. Must be hard to come up with soemthing different from show to show (although I wonder what the reaction would be if I time travelled back to 1980 and told myself that in 30 years we would get bored watching Spitfires and Kittyhawks!! ha ha ha).
I suppose it's got to be different enough for the ones who go to every show (dare I say the hardcore)and expect to see something they haven't seen before.
I know! An Auster display calling in an artillery strike! ;D
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or, even better, we could get a Dauntless down here. That would look good with the Avenger. ;D
