NZ Warbirds at Ardmore is introducing a tarmac day to allow spectators to get close to historic aircraft.
The first of its tarmac day series is on September 19 and will give fans a more intimate ground-based experience where they can get up close and personal to the fleet of heritage aircraft and talk to display pilots, members and volunteers.
Event organiser and volunteer Alan Purdy said, “The association is proud to not only commemorate the Battle of Britain and salute those men and woman who took part and those who sadly lost their lives, but also have our pilots with their aircraft available to talk with visitors and help them appreciate what it might have been like to fly in such a campaign and how learn how the aircraft performs.
“We will be hosting WWII re-enactors and military vehicles to complete our line up and give visitors an insight into the style of uniforms worn in the day and the ground transport they used,” says Purdy.
The Roaring Forties Harvard display team will get airborne to perform a commemorative flypast at 11am over the Auckland War Memorial Museum, Cenotaph and surrounding areas in conjunction with the RNZAF Association. They will return to Ardmore for an overhead buzz and break before landing and being available to speak to visitors.
The Battle of Britain was a major air campaign fought over southern England in the summer and autumn of 1940. The battle peaked on September 15, 1940.
With around 3000 taking part in the Battle of Britain, 135 of these were New Zealanders serving with fighter, bomber and coastal commands, and one of the very successful group commanders was NZ and Thames-born ace, Air Vice-Marshall Keith Park.
“Bring a picnic, or buy from a food and coffee truck on-site,” said Purdy.
The next New Zealand Warbirds at Ardmore show will be commemorating the attack on Pearl Harbor in WWII and is being held at Ardmore on Sunday December 5.
- Entry tickets at the gate, sunshine or rain. NZ Warbirds members Free, Adults $15, School-age $5, Pre-school free.
