A Heritage Flight performs a flypast to commemorate Anzac Day across Manawatū and Whanganui last year. Photo / Supplied
A Heritage Flight performs a flypast to commemorate Anzac Day across Manawatū and Whanganui last year. Photo / Supplied
A Biggin Hill Trust Spitfire will be part of a trio of planes taking part in a Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) flypast across the Lower North Island this Friday.
It is to honour 100 years of military aviation in New Zealand, which will be celebrated with a range of events at Wigram in Christchurch, the site of New Zealand’s first military air base, on Saturday.
The Spitfire will take off from Ōhakea and fly as far south as Wellington before returning north.
The New Zealand Permanent Air Force, the predecessor to the RNZAF, was established on Thursday June 14, 1923.
A week later. the New Zealand Government purchased a large portion of Sockburn Airfield from Christchurch businessman and politician Sir Henry Wigram at a heavily subsidised price.
The airfield was subsequently renamed Wigram in his honour.
The Spitfire, piloted by Squadron Leader Sean Perrett, will fly in formation with T-6C Texan II aircraft bound for Christchurch to take part in another flypast on Saturday, which will feature most of the aircraft currently flown by the RNZAF.
The Texan is a familiar sight in the skies near RNZAF airfields, especially Ōhakea where they are based, as the trainer aircraft in which all RNZAF pilots learn to fly.
Squadron Leader Perrett, who is flight commander of the Air Force Heritage Flight (AFHF), which operates the Spitfire and other heritage aircraft, said they commemorate New Zealand’s military aviation heritage by flying some of the aircrafts Kiwis have flown.
A flypast to commemorate Anzac Day across Manawatū and Whanganui last year.
“The Spitfire is a classic and a well-known example of such an aircraft. Although the RNZAF itself never operated Spitfires, many Kiwis flew them in the Second World War, mainly in Royal Air Force squadrons.
“This is a great opportunity for the flight to pay tribute to 100 years of military aviation in New Zealand, by displaying an iconic aircraft in which many New Zealanders did their bit, including some who were killed in Spitfire operations,” he said.
“They will be especially in our minds during Friday’s flight.”
The Spitfire will pass over a number of former RNZAF establishments in the lower North Island during the sortie from Ōhakea, to further acknowledge RNZAF history and the service of the people stationed around the country.
The destinations and approximate timings for the Friday flypast are as follows:
