Air Shows - Warbirds over Wanaka

Warbirds over Wanaka is the largest Warbird Airshow in the Southern Hemisphere, held on a biennial basis over the long Easter weekend in Wanaka, New Zealand. The airshow started in 1988 by aviation entrepreneur Tim Wallis who held an air show and country fair that attracted 14,000 visitors to Wanaka Airport in just one day (2009¹). Due to its apparent success the show has grown in size and support over the years with 80,000+ people now attending over the long Easter weekend (2009¹). The next show will be held in 2010, and the show is getting bigger each time with more things to see and do.

Attractions:

Aircraft.

Over 60 aircraft attend the Warbirds Over Wanaka International Airshow featuring some of the most famous warbirds that helped defend freedom during the four world conflicts (2009¹). The Royal New Zealand Air Force makes an appearance most years to showcase their aircraft and educate the general public about what they do. Most of the Air Force’s aircraft are showcased and include (2009¹):

• Boeing 757
• C-130 Hercules
• P-3K Orion’s
• Iroquois
• Sioux helicopters
• Royal New Zealand Naval Seasprite helicopters.
• RNZAF’s aerobatic team - the Red Checkers.
• RNZAF’s Kiwi Blue parachute team

Warbirds Over Wanaka 2008 featured a number of aircraft already mentioned and some that are also likely to appear at the 2010 air show including warbirds: Mustangs; Harvards; Klemms; Spitfire; Sopwith Triplane; P40 Kittyhawks (firing live machine guns); Corsair; Catalina; Polikarpov; Fokker D.IV; Hawker Hurricane; Lavochkin LA-9; and de Havillands (2009¹). The 2008 show also featured aerobatics; the Harvard Formation Aerobatics; the Air Bandits; Yak 52's Soviet trainers; the Vampires; and L39 Albatros (2009¹). There were also live reenactments of an attack by enemy airborne troops and light bombers, along with a display from the Royal Australian Airforce F1-11 bomber (2009¹).

Military Vehicles, Vintage Machinery or Vehicles.

New Zealand’s heritage is on display with military vehicles and vintage machinery that has been used over the years. The military enclosure has vehicles and demonstrations from the two World Wars, complete with actors dressed up in period uniforms (2009¹).

Exhibitions.

There will be five different exhibition areas at the 2010 air show (2009¹):

• Aircraft for Sale
• Aviation Trade Stands – products and services for sale or being demonstrated including GIS systems, flying helmets; avionics and helicopter accessories (2009¹).
• Food Stalls
• Market Stalls - wide variety of products for sale from jewellery and clothing, to aircraft kits and full-size aircraft (2009¹).
• Regional Wine & Food Expo

Videos of Warbirds over Wanaka.

(Video embedded from YouTube on 5 October 2009)

(Video embedded from YouTube on 5 October 2009)

References

1. WARBIRDS OVER WANAKA INTERNATIONAL AIRSHOW (2009). Warbirds over Wanaka. Retrieved from Warbirds on 28 September 2009.

Want to know more?

Warbirds over Wanaka

This website is the official site of the Warbirds over Wanaka International Airshow and offers further information about upcoming air shows.

Air Shows

This AviationKnowledge page offers further information about air shows.

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