Australian War Memorial’s New Exhibit

The Australian War Memorial in Canberra has just opened a new permanent exhibition titled Over the Front: the Great War in the Air that features an audiovisual display produced by Peter Jackson and Wingnut Films to enhance the exhibition’s aircraft and artefacts.

The exhibition features three Allied aircraft (SE5a fighter, Airco DH9 bomber and Avro 504K trainer) and two German fighter planes (Albatros D.Va. and Pfalz D.XII) that were brought to Australia in 1919 as war trophies.

It also features uniforms, medals and personal items to tell the human story of the air war. One of Baron Manfred von Richthofen’s flying boots is presented in a specially designed case that restricts light to prevent deterioration.

An observation balloon basket shot down near Ypres  in 1917, a German 76.2-millimetre anti-aircraft gun, and a German observation post elaborately disguised as a tree are all incorporated in to the exhibition. Good luck charms are also displayed to represent the many superstitious young flying aces who risked their lives during war.

Australian War Memorial staff have been preparing three of the aircraft for display for the past year. The SE5a has required repairs and cleaning, and has been re-finished to depict an aircraft flown by 2 Squadron AFC in 1918. The Albatros and Pfalz have been through major project work to restore their original markings and camouflage in authentic detail. This involved a great deal of research by War Memorial restorers, including analysing paint layers and samples from the original fabric covering. New fabric, printed with the striking “lozenge” camouflage pattern, has been applied using the original techniques.

Limited conservation work was required for the other two aircraft. The DH9 is displayed in the markings it wore when it competed in the first England–Australia air race. It was one of two aircraft to finish, completing the epic flight in 1920. The Avro, which arrived in Australia in 1919, is displayed in its RAAF markings.

The Pfalz D.XII and SE5a are displayed in elevated positions. To ensure their long-term preservation and reduce the load on the 90-year old structures, the engines of both have been removed and replaced with lightweight fibreglass replicas. The original engines will remain in the Memorial’s conservation facility.

The Museum’s Assistant Director for Public Programs, Ms Helen Withnell, said of the Peter Jackson-produced multimedia display, “It is very exciting for the Memorial to have Peter Jackson involved in the creation of the multimedia for Over the Front. It is a vital element in the exhibition space, and will help visitors experience the risks, action and drama of First World War aerial battles.”

The display’s 10-minute sound and light show is presented on 21 x 3.5 metre screen and is screened each hour. It features film of replica aircraft in flight and extensive use of computer graphics to add drama. Weta Digital studios produced the visual effects for the film that uses a number of aircraft from Peter Jackson’s own collection of original and replica World War One-era aircraft.

“The use of the collection of replica aircraft for this project is very generous and ensures the multimedia is as realistic as modern cinema techniques allow, 90 years since the end of the First World War,” Ms Withnell said.