I am still enjoying memories from Classic Fighters 2023, and I now offer these three:
Saturday 29 April 2023
A Few More Classic Fighters from Classic Fighters
Friday 28 April 2023
Robertson B1-RD ZK-JBS at Feilding
The first generation microlight Robertson B1-RD ZK-JBS has been re-registered and is flying again. Tim Gorman was at Feilding last weekend and captured it on the ground and flying:
ZK-JBS (c/n 353) was re-registered to the Early Bird Flying Syndicate of Feilding on 23/12/22.Thursday 27 April 2023
Magni M24 Orion ZK-JKM
Wednesday 26 April 2023
Bede BD 5 ZK-XBD is Now a BD 5J!
On Anzac Day Andrew Vincent posted a comment on a post that I did on BD 5s in New Zealand way back in July 2009. The link to that post is HERE
Tuesday 25 April 2023
ANZAC Poppies on Cessna T206H ZK-NVC
Air Ruatoria is helping with the celebration of ANZAC Day 2023 by adorning their Cessna T206H ZK-NVC with poppies, as photo'd here at Paraparaumu by Jordan Elvy:
Monday 24 April 2023
Grumman Widgeon ZK-CFA Departing Classic Fighters 2023
The newly restored Grumman Widgeon ZK-CFA was present during Classic Fighters 2023 at Omaka. Brian Greenwood photo'd it departing on the Sunday:
Sunday 23 April 2023
Pilatus PC12 N81DW passes through Christchurch.
The Pilatus PC12 N81DW c/n 2090 stopped over briefly at Christchurch International today for custom clearance and a refuel before moving on to Nelson.
It was noted in East Australia on 29-06-2021.
Saturday 22 April 2023
A Possible Resistance to the Fokker Scourge? - DH 2s in New Zealand
In WW 1 the British developed the DH 2 to help resist the Fokker Scourge. The Eindeckers had been fitted with interrupter gear that allowed their machine guns to fire through their propeller arc without hitting the prop. The British didn't yet have a successful interrupter gear so their solution was to have a pusher aircraft with a machine gun that could fire forwards without impediment.
And as the DH 2 followed the Eindecker, so in New Zealand we have various DH 2s coming along:
We have had a DH 2 fly in New Zealand, being The Vintage Aviator's ZK-JOJ which was first registered on 1/7/07 and is now on static display at the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre although it is still registered. It is powered by a Kinner radial engine. Unfortunately I do not have a record of who took this photo but the pilot is the late Stuart Tantrum.Friday 21 April 2023
The Beginning of a Fokker Scourge?
When I was at Classic Fighters I did a quick walk through the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre WW 1 display. There were seven of Sir Peter Jackson's flyable aircraft parked in the area by the hangar doors - 4 Fokker Triplane replicas, a Pfalz D III replica, a Nieuport N 24 replica and the Halberstadt D IV replica. These had not changed since my visit in 2014 and I was told that they have not flown for quite a few years.
However I did take a quick photo of the Fokker E III replica (105/15) that is on display:
Thursday 20 April 2023
Road Runner. Mil 34 NAF 553 / ZK-HCV.
Noted today on a flat deck trailer at the ex Heli Maintenance Ltd's hangar at Christchurch International Airport was the Mil 34C Hermit ZK-HCV5 c/n 9783034002001.
This was registered to Paul Jury of Bell Block, New Plymouth on 14-03-2023 and as can be seen is the ex Nigerian Air Force serial NAF 553.This is one of six imported in about mid 2013 and stored just out of Christchurch.
Wednesday 19 April 2023
ZK-SON
Alpi Pioneer 300 ZK-MEK at Ashburton
Monday 17 April 2023
Another View of SAANZ at Ashburton (2)
A feature of holding the SAANZ flyin at Ashburton is the Ashburton Aviation Museum whose facilities the Sport Aircraft Association uses, and whose volunteers help run the flyin. The Ashburton Aviation Museum volunteers have also constructed a replica of the control tower that was used on the airfield in WW 2, which is pretty neat.
Another view of SAANZ at Ashburton
It was delivered to Ashburton in January 2021and is housed in the Aviation Museum's hangar.
Sunday 16 April 2023
SAANZ 2023 Flyin at Ashburton
The Sport Aircraft Association of New Zealand finally held their 2023 flyin at Ashburton over the weekend. It has been a long time between flyins after the 2022 flyin at Masterton was cancelled due to Covid and the 2023 flyin was postponed from Waitangi weekend due to weather. Numbers were down a bit I think however I counted 44 sport aircraft at the flyin with quite a few doing fly outs and some only attending for the Saturday.
By my reckoning their were 11 aircraft attending their first SAANZ flyin and here are a selection of them:
Friday 14 April 2023
Turbo Dusty at Wanaka.
Below as seen at Hamilton March 1969 with the Waikato Aero Club.
Classic Fighters 2023 - Comper Swift Replica
A feature of Classic Fighters is the Restoration Row that is in the Marlborough Aero Club hangar. This year there there were projects including Yak 7 and 9B fighters, the fifth rediscovered Bristol Fighter, a Fokker D VIII and a DH 2 replica which is one of several at Omaka. However there was one other aircraft that I had not known of and was a surprise:
That was a replica Comper Swift project that is marked as ZK-ACG2 although it has not yet been registered. As can be seen in the details sheet below (click to enlarge) it is powered by a Revmaster VW conversion and it is expected to fly this year.The original ZK-ACG was also a Comper Swift that was registered back in 1931, and that we have covered the history of HERE