Mosquito NZ2308

I'm a bit behind with posts for my cuurrent trip to NZ but today has been a highlight. Warbirds over Wanaka weekend started today with a general pre-show practice day and we popped along ahead of Sunday when will be attending the show proper and it was great to see the newly restored Mosquito in the aircraft paddock. Even better it took to the air for a 5 minutes practice display in the very capable hands of Steve Hinton.

Taupo DC3

After a visit to some local falls we were heading on our way when I looked left from a junction and spotted a DC3 at a local McDonalds restaurant so made a quick change of direction to grab a couple of snaps. The aircraft was withdrawn from service in the 1980s and was originally over a car workshop but the restaurant has grown to incorporate the aircraft and has a corporate paint job. Apparently it is the coolest McDs.

MOTAT - non WWII

Here's content from the WWII museum airframes although some pre war aircraft did see military service.

MOTAT Bomber Command memorial

The first aircraft that you see when you enter the aviation hall at MOTAT is an Avro Lancaster. This particular aircraft did not see war service but served with the French from 1951 until being gifted to MOTAT and flown to Auckland in 1964. It is painted to represent 'The Captain's Fancy' the first RNZAF Lancaster to complete 100 missions and serves as a memorial to all RNZAF bomber command crews in WWII.

The museum also holds the medals of Les Munro, the well known dambusters pilot, and replicas are on display. Along with other memorabilia there is a small chapel.

 

MOTAT Flying Boats

We visited the Museum of Transport and Technology in Auckland today and among some great exhibits is something unique in the form of a Short Sunderland and a Short Solent Flying Boat. The Solent is one of only two survivors and the other, in America, is actually a converted Seaford. Seeing the two together in close proximity was quite something.

MOTAT - WWII content

MOTAT is a sprawling site dedicated to transport and technology. The transport element has a separate Aviation Hall with a number of WWII era aircraft along with several other airframes and exhibitions. I'll start with WWI.

In transit!

 Hopped on a 787 earlier, passed Concorde G-BOAB on departing Heathrow, took a couple of pictures from the aircraft window and are now at Hong Kong waiting for this Air New Zealand flight to Auckland 

Dart repaint

 It's nearly 6 years since I was at the Museum of Berkshire Aviation and in the interim it's largest exhibit, the Handley Page Dart Herald has started to look the worse for wear so it's good to see that it has recently had a full repaint.

Looking good

The Wanaka air show is not far away now and the line up is looking good. Current attendees can be found here 

 I'm looking forward to this one especially with the Mosquito hopefully able to display. Fingers crossed for the weather.

If all goes to plan there should be a couple of museum visits before the air show starting with the MOTAT aviation Hall in Auckland. Updates will be on here.