Harvard III NZ1087 is finished in the colours of Harvard II NZ948 of No.2 Service Flying Training School (SFTS), RNZAF Base Woodbourne. NZ948, one of 67 Harvard IIs ordered direct from the Inglewood factory, entered service with No.2 SFTS in July 1941.
Initially serialled A29-1050, the Kittyhawk became A29-449 on 9 August, 1943, and entered service with No.75 Squadron, RAAF, coded ‘GA-C’ as seen here, piloted by Frank Parker. On the starboard side ZK-CAG carries her original serial A29-1050.
This RE.8 reproduction was built by The Vintage Aviator Ltd (TVAL) of Wellington and represents ‘D’ of No.3 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, as flown by Captain R.G. Francis from Poulainville near Amiens, France, in April 1918.
NZ3220 ‘Gloria Lyons’ of 18 (F) Squadron, RNZAF, was solely employed on fighter bomber duties. The 2½ Japanese kill markings, seen under the windscreen, are the cumulative squadron score and so not specific to NZ3220.
Flying from Guadalcanal with 3 (GR) Squadron, RNZAF, NZ2049 survived at least two attacks from Japanese aircraft. Eventually she survived the war, but could easily have ended wrecked somewhere in a Pacific island jungle as presented here.
NZ2049 was part of a batch of 300 Hudson IIIAs for the RAF, however the majority found their way to the RAAF and RNZAF. Under the nose window is the aircraft’s construction number, whilst beneath the windscreen the USAAF identity 41-36976 can be found.
Airworthy ‘Full Noise’ is on part-time duty in the Dangerous Skies Exhibition of the Aviation Heritage Centre. The paint scheme is based on that of Yak-3s of the 4th Guard Fighter Division, Sovjet Air Force, as based in Germany at the end of WW II.
Graeme Frew’s Yak-3UA ‘Full Noise’ is one of 11 Yak-3s, made by Yakovlev at their Orenburg factory in the 1990s. These aircraft were designated Yak-3M, although the Allison V-1710 powered machines are also referred to as Yak-3UA (A for Allison).
Former RAAF Anson I MH120 is finished in the colours of No.206 Squadron Anson K6183/VX-B as based at RAF Bircham Newton in Norfolk, England in 1939. Piloted here by owner Bill Reid and Ryan Southam, coming in for a landing on RWY-30.
S/L Sean Perrett taxiing back to the flight line. The Spitfire represents EN568, the personal aircraft of W/C Alan Deere, Wing Leader of the Biggin Hill Wing in 1943. The Wing consisted of No.611 Squadron, No.341 Squadron and 485 (New Zealand) Squadron.
ZK-RFR ‘Stahlgewitter’ is powered by a Chinese license-built two-row 14 cylinder Shvetsov Ash-82T radial instead of a BMW801F, slightly compromising the classic lines of the original Fw 190A design.
As the RNZAF did not operate short fuselage Merlin-powered P-40Fs, this aircraft was restored to P-40E (Allison V-1710) standard and is now on display in the main Aircraft Hall in RNZAF Pacific theatre colours as 'NZ3000'.
Former 18th FG P-40F in the process of being converted to Allison V-1710 engined P-40E in Wigram's Hangar 3, to represent RNZAF Kittyhawk Ia NZ3024 'FE-L' of 2 OTU at Ohakea. Now on display as unmarked 'NZ3000' in a generic RNZAF Pacific Theatre c/s.
K6183 ‘B’ was lost north of the Frisian Islands on 5 September, 1939, after a skirmish with a German Heinkel 115. Only the pilot, New Zealander P/O Edwards, survived and was made PoW. His three crew members are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
It has been 10 years since the Chariots of Fire Flug Werk 190 made her public debut at CF2013. The markings are those of Hauptmann Erich Rudorffer, Gruppenkommandeur of the II. Gruppe JG 54, on the Eastern Front. RFR is piloted here by Frank Parker.