Warbirds re-enacts famous battle scene
The Warbirds Over Wanaka International Airshow has had a supersonic practice day at Wanaka Airport, with two United States Air Force F16 Fighting Falcons making a surprise fly over yesterday.
It had been thought the Christchurch Airport-based F16s would not appear on practice day, having made a foray over Wanaka on Thursday.
However, the noisy planes appeared travelling just under the speed of sound for just one run over the airstrip near Luggate, before disappearing over the horizon towards Queenstown.
Practice day also featured a successful first re-enactment of a World War II Dunkirk aerial battle scene between an Avro Anson and a Buchon Me-109 (Messerschmitt), featuring Kiwi warbird pilots Bill Reid, of Nelson, Dave Phillips, of Auckland, and English pilot John Romain.
Reid explained the three ship display would demonstrate how the Anson, a show moving bomber, managed to shoot down a sleek, high performance Messerschmitt in World War II.
The Wanaka re-enactment would see a Spitfire escort the Anson in, then get shot down, before the Anson shoots the Messerschmitt down.
Messerschmitt pilot John Romain said he would be careful to keep out of Wakefield’s way.
‘‘They had to slow down to get a shot on the Anson and of course in slowing down they made themselves vulnerable . . . They didn’t really expect that the Anson would shoot back. They thought the Ansons would be easy prey,’’ Romain said.
The Buchon is based in England and had its first Wanaka debut, with owner Romain behind the controls, in 2016.
It starred in the 2017 blockbuster movie Dunkirk and was shipped back to New Zealand again this year for the 30th anniversary airshow.
The Anson is owned by Reid and based at Omaka, Blenheim.
Phillips and Reid have performed at Warbirds Over Wanaka multiple times but Duxford-based Romain was making just his second visit to the show.
‘‘I knew Sir Tim Wallis when he used to come a lot to the UK and was collecting warbirds. I used to fly with the Hanna family. I had always wanted to come to Wanaka,’’ he said.
Since the show was founded in
1988, it has pumped an estimated
$200 million into the regional economy. This year’s event is the 30th anniversary show and is expected to contribute about $20m.