Warbirds over Wellington
Five World War II Harvard aircraft took to the skies in and around Wellington yesterday in a taste of what’s to come at the Wings Over Wairarapa Air Festival in Masterton this weekend.
Crossing over the Remutaka Range in a formation of five World War II-era aircraft, there was an eerie sense of what it must have been like for our young flyboys 80 years ago.
The group of five North American Harvard fighter trainers took a 90-minute flight over Wairarapa, the Hutt Valley, Ka¯ piti, Porirua and central Wellington yesterday afternoon as part of the biennial Wings Over Wairarapa airshow.
This Stuff reporter has been fortunate to go on many flights in many aircraft over the years but nothing was quite like this one. To be able to fly so close to other planes as to see the grins on their passengers’ faces and feel 150 knot winds whisking past the open cockpit was an extraordinary experience.
The formation was anything but static as the pilots kept their eyes fixed on their neighbours’ wings.
The old planes were floating and bobbing around as they contended with the relatively busy air at these lower altitudes.
Despite fog interrupting flights out of Wellington in the morning, the skies opened up in the afternoon to reveal the capital in all her glory.
Photography was not easy, as you’re trying to hold onto your camera while being buffeted from both sides, and at one point my headset was blown right off my head.
Of course, we had the option to close the canopy, but when else do you get to see an unadulterated view such as this?
The good folk of Lower Hutt must have wondered why we were being so nosy circling multiple times above the central city.
I was told by my pilot, Frank Parker, that the team leader was waiting for an opportunity to fly over central Wellington in between commercial flights in and out of the airport.
The venerable Harvard aircraft has a special place in New Zealand history.
Hood Aerodrome in Masterton, where this weekend’s airshow is being held, was a busy airfield during WWII and hosted many Harvards, which were used to prepare young airmen for battles in the Pacific Theatre.
Yesterday was the first day of Wings Over Wairarapa, which was as a practice day for the pilots and crew, and an opportunity for thousands of school students to see what’s going on before the big crowds arrive today and tomorrow.
The weather forecast for both days was looking good. Forecasters predicted a high of 26 degrees today with light northeasterlies, and tomorrow will be much the same. Attendees can visit the event website for details about tickets and access at wings.org.nz.