Omaka - Great War Exhibition- Knights of the Sky

[Pinback]

Hi - Some shots from the excellent Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre's "Knights of the Sky" exhibition in New Zealand. (not sure if shots have been posted before)

 

The collection includes a mixture of replicas and original aircraft. Some of the replicas are in quite outstanding settings. No shop's dummies here. Sir Peter Jackson (of WingNut films fame) should be commended. I have just included most of the aircraft here; the exhibition also includes well presented and rare photographs and memorabilia.

 

Shot up Morane Saulnier BB

 

 

 

 

Etrich Taube under attack from a Be 2

 

 

 

 

 

SE 5a -  "Grid" Caldwell was New Zealand's highest scoring ace. In one instance he was involved in a mid air collision and the SE 5a he was in went into a spin. By climbing out onto the port lower wing he found he could regain some control. He had no parachute and jumped clear just before the plane returned to mother earth. He survived the war.

 

 

The beautiful Pfalz D III. This replica appeared in the "The Blue Max".

 

 

 

Breguet 14

 

 

 

RE 8 with some well wrapped up aircrew.

 

 

 

 

Souvenir hunters at the crash site of the Baron Manfred von Richthofen.

 

 

Nieuport 24

 

 

Here a Nieuport 27 has crashed landed into a tree. The victorious German pilot has landed his Siemens-Schuckert D IV nearby .

 

 

 

 

 

DH 2 and Fokker Eindekker

 

 

 

No original Fokker Dr 1 Triplanes survive however it is thought that replicas built now account for about 10% of the original production run of 320. Here are four of them.

 

 

 

Edited November 13, 2018 by Pinback
typo

[Gazontipede]

It's a great little museum to visit, we do a pilgrimage there the Monday morning after every Classic Fighters show.

Sir Peter's private collection of WW1 flying memorabilia, much of which is on display in the glassed off walk through area in the middle of the hangar is absolutely astounding.

Did you check out the 'Dangerous Skies' (WW2) display while you were there?

[Paul J]

Nice insight for what I am in for when I go over/down there in February 2019. Look forward to seeeing these 1:1 scale dioramas and all else.

[Pinback]

On 11/13/2018 at 5:15 PM, Gazontipede said:

Did you check out the 'Dangerous Skies' (WW2) display while you were there?

Certainly did - I'll pop those photos on shortly.

 

On 11/13/2018 at 7:25 PM, Paul J said:

Look forward to seeeing these 1:1 scale dioramas and all else

Yep- The dioramas are something special- Not sure what the used for the mud but they used resin for the puddles!

 

 

[Gazontipede]

3 hours ago, Pinback said:

Certainly did - I'll pop those photos on shortly.

Sweet, I look forward to seeing more of your excellent photography!

 

If you're ever over there at Easter (on odd numbered years) you should really check out the Classic Fighters airshow. It is well worth it!

Edited November 16, 2018 by Gazontipede
Shameless plug for the airshow!

[Paul J]

6 hours ago, Gazontipede said:

Sweet, I look forward to seeing more of your excellent photography!

 

If you're ever over there at Easter (on odd numbered years) you should really check out the Classic Fighters airshow. It is well worth it!

What a load of Fokkers! I notice a D.VII at the back of the formation.  

I doubt I'll make a vist to coincide with the shows. But frustratingly I am going to miss the Wairarapa show  while I am in NZ but I'll be up at Auckland by the date of the show... which falls on my birthday too!!!!

[Andwil]

Fantastic displays but not sure where/when a Siemens Schuckert DIV would land in snow.  Had heavy snow started falling in northern France in early November 1918?

 

AW

[Pinback]

On 11/16/2018 at 12:44 PM, Gazontipede said:

 

If you're ever over there at Easter (on odd numbered years) you should really check out the Classic Fighters airshow.

I may have a bit of a struggle convincing my good lady for 2019 (!) but its certainly an aim.

Eight triplanes! Is that a Fokker at the back?

[Gazontipede]

37 minutes ago, Pinback said:

I may have a bit of a struggle convincing my good lady for 2019 (!) but its certainly an aim.

Eight triplanes! Is that a Fokker at the back?

It is certainly worth it. The trick is you need to plan early as it is a popular show attracting a fair old crowd and Blenheim just ain't very big!

Yep, they have eight flying Dr.Is in NZ... Seven of them are painted up in the colours of various Jasta 11 machines. While not all of these live at Omaka, they usually make a serious effort get 'the Maginificent Seven' all together for the CF show.

The eighth is the black triplane of Jacobs(?) which does live at Omaka IIRC. They also have the D.VII on hand and an E.V/D.VIII flying razor has popped down for the show on occasion. In theory they could get ten Fokkers in the air I guess. (How many flying razors are there in NZ, one or two?)

 

Edited November 17, 2018 by Gazontipede
Trying to work out who the black tripe belongs to!

[Smudge]

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing.

[Kev The Modeller]

Thanks for sharing 

[k5054nz]

On 11/18/2018 at 12:15 PM, Gazontipede said:

The eighth is the black triplane of Jacobs(?) which does live at Omaka IIRC. They also have the D.VII on hand and an E.V/D.VIII flying razor has popped down for the show on occasion. In theory they could get ten Fokkers in the air I guess. (How many flying razors are there in NZ, one or two?)

The black Triplane is now with the NZ Warbirds Association at Ardmore, and TVAL operates two razors. Very neat machines to see fly!

 

For those keeping score, the D.VII glimpsed in the family photo is a Rousseau-built replica made for The Blue Max. Sir Peter also owns the second Pfalz made for the film, and that one still flies.

 

I may have taken a group or two around the OAHC in the past...!