RIP Wayne Edwards

[Dave Homewood]

I heard this very tragic news this morning, and this statement has been forwarded tome tonight which I guess means it is now out in public, so I hope the family and friends at the Club will not mind me posting this from the Tiger Moth Club of New Zealand - my sincere condolences to Wayne's family:

It is with sorrow that we advise the passing of our esteemed Club/Committee member Wayne Edwards in an air accident over Northern Europe.
Wayne was flying one of his favourite aircraft, the Bucker Jungmeister in a formation of three aircraft which included two Klemms returning to Sweden from Lithuania.
The formation pilots, all members of The Tiger Moth Club of NZ, were Wayne, Peter McCoombe, and aircraft owner and personality Haken ‘Hawkeye’ Wijkander.
The accident is believed to have occurred near Bautista in Latvia.

Our thoughts are of Wayne and we wish to extend our deepest sympathies to Wayne’s family and close friends.

Committee
Tiger Moth Club (NZ) Inc

[Dave Homewood]

Another statement released this morning by New Zealand Warbirds:

Dear NZ Warbirds Members,

It is with much sadness that I advise the tragic passing of Wayne Edwards, son of long-time member Ace Edwards.

Wayne was participating in a flying Safari in Sweden with his friends ‘Hawkeye’ and Pete McCombe. His aircraft developed engine problems and crashed in an attempted forced landing.

I wish to extend sincere condolences on behalf of all Warbirds Members to Ace, Jeannie, Wendy, Holly, Angus and the wider Edwards Family.

RIP Wayne.

Frank Parker
President

(The attached photo of Wayne (smiling!) was taken 2 weeks ago in Sweden.
The Puss Moth was their next adventure, and is currently on its way to Australia by boat.
It was to be flown to NZ from Australia by Wayne and Hawkeye.
What you see in the photo is the “Kiwi Style” inflight oil top-up system.)

[ZacYates]

I learned this awful news through Frank Parker’s statementq on Facebook. Unfortunately I didn’t know Wayne but have seen him fly at several TVAL events in the past, and I’m sure elsewhere too. But that doesn’t diminish the loss being felt by his family, friends and aviation acquaintances. My condolences to them all.