Yealands Classic Fighters 2021 - CANCELED

[Dave Homewood]

'FOXY' - The Golden Age DH.83C FOX MOTH

Omaka is home to 'Foxy' a de Havilland DH.83C Fox Moth, one of the great aircraft types from aviation's 'Golden Age'. Built in Canada, this aircraft was purchased new by the Marlborough Aero Club in 1947 and after a lifetime of adventures around New Zealand, it was acquired by local enthusiasts Paul and Pip Hally and brought back to Omaka.

Foxy will be in the sky at Yealands Classic Fighters this Father's Day weekend and is also available for joy flights, a fantastic way to see the beauty of Marlborough from the air in style!

To learn more about Foxy and to book your tickets click here.



THIS WEEK'S GUEST AIRCRAFT


Graham Bethell's P-51D Mustang Photo: Gavin Conroy

A perennial favorite at New Zealand aviation events is Graham Bethell and his magnificent North American P-51D Mustang ZK-TAF. Graham has been displaying this aircraft at events around New Zealand for most of the last two decades and this classic fighter is always a crowd favourite in its RNZAF Territorial Air Force colours.

The RNZAF acquired a total of 30 P-51D Mustangs from an intended order of 370 examples. With the end of WW-II the remaining order was cancelled and the 30 examples delivered went on to serve with the four TAF units based in Otago, Canterbury, Wellington and Auckland.

Today there are four Mustangs to be found in New Zealand, two of them in flying condition with a third underway to return to flight. We look forward to welcoming Graham and ZK-TAF back to Omaka! To read more click here.

ON THE GROUND.....

Model 'T' Ambulance

'First footing it' at this year's Yealands Classic Fighters will be a newly completed vehicle that is actually a recently arrived part of the resident airshow 'motor pool'. In an amazing act of cooperative effort, this excellent vehicle has emerged from an idea to generate a rebuilt Model 'T' ambulance by corralling all of the old Model 'T' spare parts from the garages and sheds of members of Marlborough's Vintage Car Club community, and pooling them to produce a running chassis. The members of the VCC dug deep and found everything needed to assemble a chassis, axles, wheels, engine gear box etc, etc, and put it all together as a running vehicle.

It was then passed on the the Classic Fighters Airshow props team members to work their magic, building an ambulance body along with mudguards, canvas roof etc to produce the vehicle you will see in action in the 'Great War scenario' this show weekend.


PARTNER OF THE WEEK


Classic Aircraft Photography
Someone who has been supporting the Classic Fighters Airshow since its early days is Gavin Conroy, whose company Classic Aircraft Photography Ltd has gone from a passion driven hobby to a worldwide success story due to Gavin's drive to access the most significant aircraft on the planet and capture them in the air, presenting them in his unique style.Gavin's enthusiasm for heritage aviation is palpable and contagious and this comes through in his imagery that now appears in magazines, books and calendars around the world.

That stunning imagery has also been provided to the Classic Fighters Airshow to be used in our promotions work, such as posters, the airshow souvenir programme and in all of the on-line vehicles. Gavin provides this at no cost and with a smile! There is no question that this helps convey our message through all of these communications channels to help the public at large decide to come to our event. So here's a shout out of appreciation to Gavin and Classic Aircraft Photography!

For more information and to purchase tickets, please see our website:

www.classicfighters.co.nz

[Deleted]

I don't remember the last time I saw Foxy fly so this is a great piece of news. But I'd be lying if I said the return of Graham and TAF wasn't bigger news for me - I've really missed that pairing on the airshow circuit and Omaka provides such a great backdrop for Graham's display.

[Dave Homewood]

Golden Age Glamour Girls of the Sky!

The Fairchild F-24 was first launched in 1932 and evolved to reflect the attractive styling of the art deco era. Large voluptuous wheel covers (spats), fairings and cowlings with streamlined humps, and interiors that mimicked the luxury touring cars of the time. A total of 2,232 model 24s were built, nearly half of them during the WW2 period. New Zealand however, did not see any Fairchild aeroplanes until after the war and Omaka is now home to not just one, but three of these iconic machines. The first being Trevor Collins' lovely 1934 Fairchild F-24C8c which he restored from a derelict 'basket-case' by stripping the fuselage down to the bare steel tube and building it back up to the art deco beauty it is today. The second is a war-time production model F-24W (photo below) which served with the Royal Air Force during WW2. This has been under active restoration at the Classic Wings Magazine hangar since 2014 and is now very close to completion!

Read more about these two glamour girls and the THIRD Fairchild here!



THIS WEEK'S GUEST AIRCRAFT


Pitts Special Aerobatics - Andy Love

Andy Love’s passion for aviation has been with him all through his life so it was no surprise that not long after finishing high school, he was working towards gaining his private pilot’s license. This was followed by a commercial license and the purchase of a share in a Yak-52 syndicate. This aircraft allowed Andy to develop his skills flying aerobatic aircraft, something he has transferred to several interesting aircraft types. Always mindful of aviation history, Andy's flying has extended back in time to embrace a range of heritage aircraft from the Tiger Moth to the Harvard and more recently, also including a range of World War One aircraft like the legendary Fokker Triplane.

At this year's Classic Fighters Airshow, Andy will be flying the historic Pitts S-1S ZK-PUG that he owns jointly with famous Kiwi aerobatic ace Pam Collings who competed at the world aerobatic championships at Kiev, Russia in 1976.

For some aerobatic action with Andy click here!


PARTNER OF THE WEEK



Butt Drilling

We create the public viewing area on a bare grass airfield, so getting power out to all the trade & food stalls, Gold Pass and corporate marquees requires multiple generators. Butt Drilling have been there from the very first Classic Fighters, providing their generators free of charge, so a huge THANK YOU to this company!

As the name suggests, these guys have a sense of humour. They also offer a wide range of engineering services across Marlborough, Nelson and North Canterbury. Check them out on their website.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please see our website:

www.classicfighters.co.nz

[Deleted]

I'm excited to see the Fairchilds, hopefully in action as last time I was at Classic Fighters ZK-ABE was on static display. And AUN looks fantastic!

I'm glad to see Andy and the Pitts back too as I'm yet to see PUG in action in person.

[Dave Homewood]

Ronan Harvey's Beech 18

When the Beechcraft Model 18 burst onto the scene at the beginning of 1937, it was one of the most capable, versatile, and practical aeroplanes ever produced. These attributes combined with the elegant art-deco style that just oozed out of the late 1930’s saw it used in numerous roles in both civilian and military capacities. In fact, so adaptable was the famous ‘Twin Beech’ that it was purchased by the military arms of more than 40 different countries.

Owner, Ronan Harvey acquired his Beech in the USA in 2013 and a year later, flew it from California to Hawaii, onto Christmas Island, then to Pago Pago and Vanuatu before arriving in New Zealand. This Beech was particularly suited to the long distances involved, as it had been previously modified with extra long-range tanks to allow it to serve as an illicit drug trafficking aircraft! Omaka is proud to be the home of this distinctive beauty whose history is just as colourful as her livery and, the only one of its type currently active in New Zealand. See her fly this Father’s Day weekend at Yealands Classic Fighters!

To read more about Ronan’s Beech 18’s journey to New Zealand and its colourful past click here!

THIS WEEK'S GUEST AIRCRAFT


The Avenger - a Steed.... with Appeal!

The Grumman TBF Avenger was designed as a ship-launched naval torpedo bomber. First flown in August 1941, it was the heaviest single engine aircraft of the Second World War and became the most successful torpedo bomber of the conflict. Almost 10,000 were built during the war years and New Zealand employed a total of 48 of these aircraft in the Pacific Theatre.

We are looking forward to welcoming Brendon Deere’s Grumman TBF Avenger to this year’s airshow. The aircraft is a well-travelled example that, whilst not an original RNZAF Avenger, has had a long association with this country having twice enjoyed periods as a New Zealand airshow star, with overseas ownership in between.

Owner Brendon Deere operates the Biggin Hill Historic Aircraft Centre at RNZAF Base Ohakea in the lower North Island where in addition to the Avenger, Brendon operates his magnificent Spitfire Mk.IX (which will also be performing at Classic Fighters), a Harvard and has a very significant North American P-51D Mustang under restoration.

(N.B. Regarding the heading, stolen from Classic Wings magazine, please forgive the cheesy acknowledgement of the cult TV show and movie 'The Avengers', featuring characters John Steed and Emma Peel. We just could not resist....!!)

For more action and Avenger facts click here.

[Deleted]

I'm not sure I've seen a Beech 18 fly so chalk up another display I'm keen to see.

Jul 16, 2021 20:56:49 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

The Avenger - a Steed.... with Appeal!

(N.B. Regarding the heading, stolen from Classic Wings magazine, please forgive the cheesy acknowledgement of the cult TV show and movie 'The Avengers', featuring characters John Steed and Emma Peel. We just could not resist....!!)

I remember that issue - and title - well!

[tbf2504]

Remembering of course that Brendon's Avenger is a TBM and not a TBF!

[ErrolC]

I assume that the organisers a. weren't planning on having the trans-Tasman bubble open for anything critical b. are relieved that a significant risk of lockdowns will be removed over the most important time period.

[Mustang51]

Methinks anyone from Sydney, Melb, Brisbane and the regions shall not be travelling to NZ anytime this year

[johnnyfalcon]

So it would seem...

Methinks also, that all of us NZ based enthusiasts are going to have to pull all stops to support this event

[ErrolC]

I'm probably bringing 3 family members who have never been, so doing my bit!

[Deleted]

I'll have the enthusiasm of several people!

[Dave Homewood]

The Deere Spitfire

An aircraft that we think of as a sentimental favourite for all of New Zealand is Brendon Deere's beautifully restored Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX. This aircraft came to be restored here in New Zealand as the result of a desire by Brendon to pay homage to his uncle Al Deere, a WW-II Spitfire pilot who became a legend in his own time as he endured a broad range of trials as an RAF fighter pilot through the Battle of France, the Battle of Britain and beyond.

Brendon's Spitfire enjoyed a long and involved career, flying with the RAF, the Italian Air Force, the Israeli Air Force and eventually with the air force of Burma. The aircraft was recovered as a long static gate guardian, taken to the USA and then sold to New Zealand as a restoration project and made its debut at Classic Fighters 2009. We are thrilled to be welcoming the Deere Family and their team back to Omaka in 2021!

To read more about this iconic machine and the legendary Al Deere click here.

Omaka Home


Boeing Biplane Heritage

Designed by Lloyd Stearman this impressive biplane was built by Boeing who produced over 10,000 examples, long before they ever dreamed of that first jetliner! This machine, a former U.S. Army WW-II training biplane, now calls Omaka home and has been a familiar sight in Marlborough skies for a number of years providing adventure flight experiences to visitors and locals alike.

New Zealand is currently home to 10 flyable Stearmans with others under restoration. We hope to see additional examples of these impressive aircraft at the show this Father’s Day Weekend, sharing space with other vintage style aircraft from the 1930’s and 40’s.

Read more about this robust trainer and local TV superstar here.


PARTNER OF THE WEEK



Sounds Connection

Sounds Connection has been operating since 1993 and is privately owned by Marlborough locals Mark and Maria Baxter. They offer a reliable service, with knowledgeable local guides and quality vehicles. It’s for these reasons (and many more) that we are proud to be partnering with these local legends for Yealands Classic Fighters Omaka 2021.

Sounds Connection are providing return bus transfers from Picton and Blenheim to Omaka, so you can enjoy the entertainment without having to worry about getting there and back!

So ditch the car and click here for more information.

[Deleted]

I have wonderful memories of PV270's debut at Omaka in 2009 and it almost seems like her natural habitat. I always enjoy seeing Sean display her there.

[Dave Homewood]

That debut year the Spitfire was flown by John Lanham and Keith Skilling. Keith's sunset air display was one of the most memorable Spitfire displays I have ever seen.

[Deleted]

My apologies to John! Keith's sunset is the one I was thinking of - from my position it was as if I was crowd centre during his entry!
dsc_0376_35644310486_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr

[Dave Homewood]

I was airside among the Yaks and Harvards filming when Keith made his first run in, I was busy filming something and heard the noise behind me. I looked up and the Spitfire was coming straight at me, literally, diving down, and Keith passed right overhead where I was standing. I knew at that moment how terrifying it would be to be a soldier under attack from a Spitfire, if the cannons had been blazing I'd have been dead meat. I never even thought to lift the camera and film it, I just stood in awe!

[joey05]

Yay, received my early fathers day present today, Omaka here I come!

[corsairarm]

Yep. Me too.
My dear wife has been asking if I am going and I say no cause I,m retiring soon, end of this week, so we now have to watch our pennies. Well she asked once to often so I said yes and she went ahead and booked flight ,car and accomdation and I got the 3 day pass on the weekend so "Omaka heare I come".
I gues it's a reirement, Birthday and Fathers day present all in one.
I hope to meet some of the forum members.
Dave, is anything arranged in that regard. I arrive about 11am on the Friday and going straight to Omaka.

[Dave Homewood]

Aug 2, 2021 20:56:27 GMT 12 corsairarm said:

I hope to meet some of the forum members.
Dave, is anything arranged in that regard.

Sorry, I have not arranged anything regarding a WONZ Forum meet up because I am not going this year.