Warbirds Over Wanaka

It seems like no time at all since the last Warbirds Over Wanaka, yet two years have flown by in what seemed like a flash and another Wanaka has now been and gone. There was not a huge amount to differentiate WOW 2008 from its predecessors but this didn’t seem to bother die-hard fans on their biennial southern air show pilgrimage.

This year, there were no “special guests” —no Chuck Yeagers or Buzz Aldrins—and no unique exotic “star attractions”—no Hawker Hunters, Sea Furies or newly restored rarities like the Polikarpovs or the Hurricane. Nevertheless, WOW 2008 had what it took to produce another enjoyable air show.

In Saturday and Sunday’s six-hour flying displays, there were five hours and fifty-five minutes flying each day by an incredibly diverse range of aircraft from a 60-knot autogyro and lumbering World War 1 biplanes to 400 mph WW II fighters and barely subsonic jet strike aircraft. The mammoth task of coordinating such a spectacle can only be appreciated by those with a comprehensive understanding of aviation.

One criticism of Warbirds Over Wanaka has always been its cost to visitors. Compared to some events in New Zealand, the airshow tickets are seen as reasonably expensive by some, at $60 per person per day. However, when one considers the phenomenal increases in costs relating to operating aircraft and running such an event, and compares the admission price with the cost of a typical music concert ticket, for example, the airshow—an all day event each day—still offers excellent entertainment value for money.

The cost of operating complicated WWII fighter aircraft like the P-51s, P-40s, Yak 3, Corsair and Hurricane has skyrocketed since the last WOW. Fuel bills have gone ballistic and the insurance premiums for the rare, super-high-performance warbirds would make Bill Gates’s eyes water, to say nothing of the cost of staffing such a large event with ushers and security personnel. Then there is the necessary cost of marketing, advertising and promoting the event for two years prior to each show. Warbirds Over Wanaka cannot be funded on a shoe-string—if people want to see a show, they need to be prepared to pay for it.

This year, in addition to being treated to the “usual” (though still outstanding) displays by WWI-era aircraft, inter-war aircraft and WWII warbirds, spectators were treated to a bit of a “jet fest”: a pair of Vampires, a pair of Aero L-39s, the Cessna Dragonfly and, of course, the RAAF’s impressively huge new Globemaster III and its ear-shatteringly awesome F-111, which were the highlights of the show for many people. 

The RNZAF presence included its immaculate and soon-to-be retired elderly Sioux and Iroquois helicopters, a C-130 and the ever-popular Red Checkers aerobatic team, which introduced some new moves not seen at previous WOW shows. It was a pleasure to see the Chief of the Air Force Air Marshal Graham Lintott at the show supporting the professional efforts by the men and women of the RNZAF.

The Gold Pass enclosure was as busy as ever, as were the multiple food and coffee stalls scattered about the grounds, especially on the grey, dreary and occasionally damp Saturday, which was the busiest day of the show.

If there had been an award for “most immaculate” aircraft at the show, it would undoubtedly have gone to either the New York Air National Guard’s beautifully presented ski-equipped LC-130 Hercules, or the perfectly restored red and white Dominie in Swissair colours.

Several aircraft would have vied for “most interesting non-warbird”, depending on various peoples’ preferences—the high-performance EADS Socata TBM 850, Falcomposite’s stunning Furio or one of the latest microlights like the CZAW SportCruiser or Flyitalia MD3.

Tents and stalls filled with just about anything aviation-related—alongside equal numbers of completely irrelevant tents and stalls selling the most obscure products and services—were busy throughout the show, especially on Saturday as people sheltered from the cold wind and occasional rain.

In a world of rampant political correctness gone mad, where one is encouraged to consider carefully whether one should eat lentils before cycling for fear of one’s increased carbon footprint in the event of needing to pass wind, it was a true delight to actually see a real “carbon footprint” in the form of the gigantic, visible plume of glorious burnt jet fuel gushing from the F-111 in its trademark “dump-and-burn” routine. There is nothing quite like the sight, sound and smell of an F-111 thundering past trailing its terrifying tongue of flame, whose radiated heat reaches spectators on the ground. Luckily, those who would caution us upon the evils of lentils or the dastardly effects of birthday candles upon the world’s climate don’t attend air shows, so show-goers were able to simply enjoy the spectacle.

Congratulations to Gavin Johnston and the WOW 2008 team for the efficient organisation of yet another Warbirds Over Wanaka. The show doesn’t “need” to be different each year—it has become as much a get-together of enthusiasts and a celebration of aviation as a straight show. We all look forward to getting together for the next such celebration in 2010.