Warbirds Over Wanaka 2010

[Deleted]

My apologies for not posting any pics, the day after my return home I was back at work so have had very little time to resize and post pics. I have a selection in folders, but won't be able to put them up until tonight or tomorrow.

Thoroughly enjoyed the show, as background noise I for one didn't mind the commentary. It was good for a laugh now and then, but I didn't like them referring to aircraft not actually in the display, such as mentioning the Polikarpovs during every Russian fighter display.

Sunday was a beaut show day, was freezing my a*se off on Saturday, and Friday was rather dull. Was disappointing to run into Brendon Deere on Friday arvo and have him tell me they practiced with the Spitfire the day before so didn't need to again. Argh!

Zero was a definite highlight although I wish the pilots could have really let loose with it, for an aircraft constantly trumpeted for its manoevrability (sp? too early!!!) the displays were very tame. Impressive climbout on Sunday though.

Was great to see the Hornets of the RAAF, will be interesting to see if they bring anything more over in 2012. Ditto for the USAF, it was interesting to have the LC-130 show up. Was disappointed the RNZAF Sioux weren't there as the show website had featured them for some time.

That's right folks, no WW1 or Vietnam scenarios. That latter point was very disappointing for me, but as a spectator there's not much I can do about it. No Me108, A-37, the Trojan turned up and sat there for the weekend, as did the Hurricane.

No comment on the Winjeel? Although it was only a couple of formations flypasts I for one was extremely stoked to have a CA-25 not only on the field but FLYING!!!! That was a highlight for me.


As a taster of Zac's Easter weekend, here's my choicest shots from Friday. Will attempt to upload more over the weekend but no promises.


Great to get up close and personal with a singleseat Vampire, this machine was parked close to the gate so a great welcome for warbird fans.


One of about thirty shots of the LA-9's engine run, all from the same spot!



I worked on unusual or normally unseen pairings/groupings this year, here's the arrival of the USAF's SkiHerc nicely timed.


One of the potential star attractions hidden in a hangar! Just kidding, an interesting interpretation of the Fletcher.


This machine was VERY hard to get decent photos of, I for one would love more top-side passes....but until I get my PPL and display endorsement I can hardly comment.


Crazier than usual this year....loved his slot with the DC-3!


One for forum member "kiwibeavers"


Another unusual pairing shot, Yak-3 coming in low - Arthur is really getting into the groove of display flying - with the Zero awaiting clearance.

[Dave Homewood]

Nice stuff Zac. Where is that Winjeel based?

Did the FW190 replica that's based there fly?

[Naki]

That Winjeel is from Taupo I believe.

[skyhawkdon]

Yes great shots Zak, I'm looking forward to seeing some more of your photos...

[Deleted]

Sorry its taken so long to get some pictures up guys.. only just arrived back on the flat and hot west isle in the last day or so

Brilliant weekend all around, ranks in the top 3 of the now 9 wanaka events i've been to. The LA9 was the standout without a doubt, closely followed by the Zero and i was also very surprised by how impressive Peggy Krainz was.
Huge shame about the Hurricane not flying, i spoke to Stu Goldspink on Sunday afternoon and he said it was an Insurance issue, due to having to buy a years worth for just one weekend the organisers didn't have the cash, having brought out the Zero.. Shame but thats the way life goes i guess.

Anyways, these are the pick of what my old man took on the weekend..

[Deleted]

[Kereru]

Some fantastic photos coming through, well done and look forward to more.

Some of mine are here:
www.airplane-pictures.net/news.php?p=670

Cheers

[Dave Homewood]

Great stuff liverfan, some neat angles there. And that last shot shows two real gentlemen heroes of the warbird scene.

[Deleted]

Thanks Dave, please call me Dan

Yes, the Seats we got at the very back right corner(as looking towards the runway) of the gold pass stand certainly made the early and very cold starts and long days totally worth it!
Completely agree about the last two gentlemen, and what a gentlemen Keith is, had the great pleasure of talking to him about afew different things, one of which was that he's been offered a type rating in a Bearcat by the American CAF boys.. as its their intention to(fingers crossed) bring it to WOW 2012!!! Which would be totally awesome!

[baz62]

Awesome photos guys! Is the engine run of the La9 when they found the prop blades were round the wrong way or a test to check they were on the right way? ;D

[kiwi]

Some great pictures there . I agree about the Zero display being a bit flat , it was reminiscent of the Wildcat display of a few years back . Maybe that is all they are allowed to do at American airshows .

[ErrolC]

Apr 9, 2010 16:03:18 GMT 12 baz62 said:

Awesome photos guys! Is the engine run of the La9 when they found the prop blades were round the wrong way or a test to check they were on the right way? ;D

I saw the La-9 (with cowl on) shut down as the Yak started up on Friday mid-afternoon.

[kiwithrottlejockey]

Apr 9, 2010 15:58:57 GMT 12 @liverfan15 said:

Yes, the Seats we got at the very back right corner(as looking towards the runway) of the gold pass stand certainly made the early and very cold starts and long days totally worth it!

That used to be our spot prior to this year (when we moved to the new Silver Pass grandstand). I was part of the group who always comandeered the back row of the Gold Pass grandstand overlooking the commentary bus, where we used to sledge the commentators, then get it dished out right back to us, but over the PA system. One of our group used to get his wife to drop him off outside the main entrance to Wanaka Airport at 6:30am (30 minutes before the carpark gates opened) and the security guards always used to let him walk into the site after he showed his gold pass. By the time the rest of us turned up shortly after 7:00pm, Ian had a windbreak tarp tied up to the fence behind the rear row at that end of the grandstand, the seats dried off, and stuff spread out along about ten seats ready for the rest of us. Gavin used to regularly joke he'd “stick up reserved signs next year just for us”, although he never actually did it.

This year, we comandeered the same spot on the silver pass grandstand, complete with windbreak tarp.

[Deleted]

Apr 9, 2010 16:35:02 GMT 12 kiwi said:

Some great pictures there . I agree about the Zero display being a bit flat , it was reminiscent of the Wildcat display of a few years back . Maybe that is all they are allowed to do at American airshows .

I spoke to Jason Somes.. the pilot who took the Zero through her 'paces' in her solo display, and he said two very interesting things. The first of which is that he's only cleared down to 500feet by law, so i think he somewhat broke that over the weekend. And also that he had learn how to do a Belly pass when he arrived in Wanaka. Because in the states, you're not allowed to be high energy towards the crowd line at all.
For me these CAF pilots were a marked improvement on the wildcat displays of 02.. although they were well below the level shown by the likes of John Lamont, Keith Skilling and John Lanham

As for the LA9 engine run shots, it was around 10am on Friday morning, the first engine run once the prop had be fitted the correct way.. the backwards incident to the best of my knowledge happened on thursday afternoon and took most of the night to put right.

[joesmith]

Apr 9, 2010 8:31:14 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

Nice stuff Zac. Where is that Winjeel based?

Did the FW190 replica that's based there fly?

Hi Dave, the FW 190 replica was resting in it's hangar with a sad face after suffering damage from a groundloop a couple of days before Easter weekend.

[Dave Homewood]

That's a shame. I hope the pilot is ok. He's a nice bloke. I'd love to see this aircraft someday, I hope he eventually brings it north for a trip.

[kiwibeavers]

The CA25 Winjeel belongs to Guy Stevenson from Kiwi Air.

[ErrolC]

Just a thanks for everyone posting photos, and pointing to their work elsewhere. Gives me other perspectives, and something to aim for.

[Dave Homewood]

I'd like to thank everyone who has posted photos too, on behalf of the many of us who didn't get to the airshow. It seems funny how in the past days before the forum if we missed an airshow all we could hope for was a small handful of photos in a few magazines some month or more later. But nowadays we're spoiled for choice of photos from a range of excellent photographers from all sorts of angles. Keep them coming please, especially the lesser seen items so far.

One thing that amazed me on one of the news reports during the weekend when the airshow was going on was they talked about how if you didn't like aeroplanes you could hang around in their food festival. Really?? What sort of creton would pay the huge prices to go to and stay at Wanaka and big fees to get into the airshow simply to ignore the aeroplanes and eat some cheese and crackers? Please tell me there are not people in this world that stupid.

[joesmith]

Apr 9, 2010 16:03:18 GMT 12 baz62 said:

Awesome photos guys! Is the engine run of the La9 when they found the prop blades were round the wrong way or a test to check they were on the right way? ;D

The La-9's propeller was never incorrectly assembled or fitted backwards. The incorrect propeller rotation on attempting to start was caused by the engine air start distributer valve being miss timed.