Spitfires to roar across lower North Island
People living between hakea, Hutt Valley, Kāpiti Coast and Wairarapa will see Spitfires roar across the sky on Saturday.
The flypast will be conducted to mark 80 years since the formation of the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s (RNZAF) No 14 Squadron.
One Spitfire and two modern Beechcraft T-6C Texan II aircraft will take off from Base hakea in time to fly over Masterton’s Queen Elizabeth Park at 11am; the birthplace of the No 14 Squadron.
The flight path will also cover as many towns and settlements as possible during the one-hour flight, including Feilding, Ashhurst, Woodville, Pahīatua and Eketāhuna.
The squadron was formed in 1942 after Japanese reconnaissance aircraft were spotted over Auckland and Wellington.
They later became best known for aiding the American forces in their island-hopping campaign against the Japanese during WWII.
The flypast will be organised by the Air Force Heritage Flight division as one of many heritage flypasts done to commemorate notable milestones and anniversaries in New Zealand’s military aviation heritage.
AFHF flight commander Squadron Leader Michael Williams said fly-bys like this reminded the public of the importance of the air force in the country’s military and political history. ‘‘It shows our international defence partners how much we value the times we stood together and honours that shared sacrifice.
‘‘New Zealand’s military aviation heritage is part of the heritage of all New Zealanders, so we’re grabbing the attention of people who don’t normally think about aviation.’’
Williams said the modern aircraft also helped to advertise the air force as a viable career choice for those interested in joining the New Zealand Defence Force.
Routes and timings will be available on the AFHF Facebook page.