Peter's Easter Trip

[Peter Lewis]

Various factors outside of my control have meant I have been unable to post any of my Easter Omaka photos here up until now.

So I'll attempt to add in my trip-down and trip-back coverage as well.

We left Auckland on the Tuesday before Easter weekend, first port of call was Hamilton. Nothing new or of note there. I wonder where all of the ex-RNZAF Plastic Parrots have gone to roost?

End of the first day was Taupo (Did I mention this was to be a slow trip?). Little happening at the northern heliport but as usual the main Taupo airport had some interest.

AS350B ZK-HIU/4 of Heli Sika was arriving as we got there



While PAC 750 ZK-XLE was having its innards checked



Central Helicopters of Opotiki gave us R44 ZK-HUB/2



while the replacement for the ill-fated parachute dropper ZK-SDT/2 appears to be 750XL ZK-KBK, not yet in pink.



Other aircraft seen on the field were local Eurocopter ZK-HKC/3, Bell 427 ZK-HVN/2 of Helilink and 172M Skyhawk ZK-ZZC.

Heading further south, the sole resident at Taihape was Hughes 369E ZK-HYK/2 in the ownership of Hill Country Helicopters.



Palmerston North was, as usual these days, pretty dead but at Fielding the entire Flight Training Manawatu fleet was outside lined up for a publicity photo.

They also seem to offer the choice of how you want your Partenavia - go with ZK-LAK with two engines



or ZK-MYF with none.



Surprise visitor was Cherokee 140 ZK-CIV visiting from Gisborne, where it has been based since 1971. Seems to be in remarkably good condition for a 50 year old aircraft. A credit to the owners.



Pushing on to our overnight stop in inner-city Wellington, it was early to bed to catch the ferry the following morning.

Heading south from Picton, the Koromiko strip appears to be undergoing considerable development. The large hangar is being dismantled so the winged occupants have departed, and the area to the west of the field is being openup as a residential development.

Just a short run from there to Blenheim, and a chance to pop in to Omaka to see the pre-show preparations.

The joyriding Stearman ZK-KJO was parked near the gate



and became fairly active with paying customers during the next few days

[Peter Lewis]

The weather over the three days was variable - fine and clear on the Friday, fine and windy on the Saturday and overcast with little wind on the Sunday.

This did provide some problems for each of the aircraft classes, but fortunatly there was no great disruption to the program.

For me, the formation flying of the WW1 aircraft was the highlight of the show. Eight triplanes (plus one D.VII) is not a sight you see very often! Do feel a bit of sympathy for Tom Sopwith, though.





After the massed formation broke up, we were treated to some lower-level flypasts.

[Peter Lewis]

Prominent in the triplane formation was the Fokker DR1 Replica ZK-FOK, still in its red-white colours.
This was the aircraft built back in the early 1980s from Redfern plans by Tantrum and Lanham, first flown on 23rd February 1985.

[Peter Lewis]

ZK-FOC/2, painted up to represent Dr1 545/17 as flown by Ltn Hans Weiss, was built some years later.
Registered to Wairarapa Aviation Ltd., Wellington, in December 2006.

[Dave Homewood]

Great stuff Peter!

[Peter Lewis]

ZK-FOT is another Wairarapa Aviation built example, which was completed in late 2006.
Colours are those of Manfred Von Richthofen's brother Lothar, serial number 454/17.

[Peter Lewis]

The Fokker Triplane Replica Scout ZK-JOB started life in the USA as N240TS with T C Southworth, Brookline, New Hampshire and was exported to New Zealand in 2002.

It flies in the colours of Ltn Eberhardt Mohnicke, probably serial no Dr1 155/17.

[Peter Lewis]

The next Fokker Triplane Replica is ZK-JOC. This was also built in the USA, and operated as N4203K with Air Nostalgia, Mooresville, Noth Carolina.

The colours are those of Ltn Werner Steinhauser, serial number Dr1 564/17.

[johnnyfalcon]

ZK-JOC twice Peter?

[delticman]

.

[Peter Lewis]

Quite right guys - slip of the brain. Ammendement made.

The details of the colours are, however, correct.

Glad to see the class is paying attention.
Your reward is an extra piccy.

[Peter Lewis]

Another imported Fokker Triplane Replica is ZK-JOK.
This one started life as N112DR with Jason F Bloomberg. Ownership then passed to William H Gwynn, Hickory, North Carolina in March 2001 before travelling to New Zealand where it was registered to Omaka Collection, Wellington in November 2002.
The Vintage Aviator Ltd., Wellington became the owners in September 2007.

It wears the colours of Ltn Richard Wenzel, serial number Dr1 588/17.

[Peter Lewis]

Fokker Triplane Replica ZK-JOG started life as N90165 with John H Shell & E Simone, Morganton, North Carolina in late 2001.
(North Carolina must have been a hotbed of DR.1 building activity!)

It didn't stay there long, being cancelled as exported in March 2002 and appearing as ZK-JOG with the Omaka Collection, Wellington in November 2002.

The colours are those of an unknown Jasta 11 pilot, usually referred to as "Ltn Johannes Doe".

[Peter Lewis]

The final Fokker Dr.1 Triplane is also the most recent addition, ZK-FKD which was registered to Graham Orphan's Classic Aircraft Sales Ltd., Blenheim, on the 9th February 2014.

Apparently this project was started in the USA and then imported into New Zealand for completion at Omaka.
The keen-eyed will notice that this aircraft has a tailskid rather than featuring a tailwheel.

The colours are those of Ltn Josef Carl Peter Jacobs - the Fokker Triplane's highest scoring pilot with over 30 confirmed victories.

Here the working parts of ZK-FKD are being checked out by a recent immigrant from Mandeville to Blenheim. With good reason - later that day he flew the aircraft in the display.

[ErrolC]

Thanks Peter, nice work.
Note that Ryan flew during the 'ANZAC' display, but not the 8+1 Fokker displays (he mentioned at the Forum Meet).

[Peter Lewis]

The Vintage Aviator's Fokker D.VII Replica made up the 9th aircraft in the group.

This aircraft was built by Claude Rousseau of Rosseau Aviation in France for the 1966 film The Blue Max. Later taken to the USA and became N902AC with Fighting Air Command, Dallas, Texas in October 1985. It arrived in New Zealand in 1996. It was built quickly for the film and so was substantially rebuilt by The Vintage Aviator to more accurately reflect the original D VII.

On completion, it became ZK-FOD with the Omaka Collection Ltd., Wellington, in December 2006.

[Peter Lewis]

There were a couple more Great War German aircraft at the show that also flew during the programme.

Hampshire Aeroplane Pfalz DIII Replica ZK-FLZ was built by Personal Plane Services in the UK and registered to Twentieth Century Fox Productions Ltd., London, on 24th August 1965 as G-ATIF.

The aircarft was used in the film The Blue Max, and operated in Ireland during the filming.

The aircraft departed to the USA in 1967 where it became N906AC with C C Air Corp., Port Hueneme, California.

Registered to Omaka Collection Ltd., Masterton, in January 2007 it's identity was changed to PPS Pfalz DIII Replica later that same month.

[Peter Lewis]

There are two Fokker D.VIII Replicas registered to The Vintage Aviator.

The wings were built by Koloman Mayrhofer in Austria and the rest of the airframes were built by Achim Engles of Germany, who operates a third example. Construction was completed in New Zealand. Power for these aircraft is provided by Oberursel rotary motors which have been made in house by The Vintage Aviator by reverse engineering from an original motor.

The aircraft at the display was ZK-FEV, which was registered as such in November 2011.

[Peter Lewis]

Of course the Great War aircraft everyone was waiting for was The Vintage Aviator's latest Albatros DVa-1, ZK-TGY.

Registered in February this year, it is the fifth DVa to be built by The Vintage Aviator, all featuring 180 HP 14.8 litre Mercedes D IIIaü 6 cylinder in-line engines.

Flown at the show by Kermit Weeks, it has been purchased by German collector Oliver Wulff and will be on loan to the WW1 Aviation Heritage Trust in the UK for display during WW1 centenary celebrations.

[suthg]

Not a lot of visibility forwards with that huge 14.8L straight six engine in front! - On the ground or in the air for that matter!