Hundreds of people turned up at the annual Warbirds on Parade at Ardmore Airport, Auckland on Sunday 4 December, 2022 to commemorate the anniversary of Pearl Harbour with aerobatics, formation fly-pasts and aerial displays.
The event was organised by the NZ Warbirds Association.
Aircraft from the two World Wars along with historic military, classic and sport aircraft took to skies fulfilling as the Association’s mission to “Keep ‘em flying”.
Weather was mint with clear, blue sky with low breeze – perfect for safe flying.
By the time entry started, small queues had already formed. There were people of all ages – excited children, flanked by grandparents; infants in prams pushed by parents; elderly veterans –some in wheel chairs, all made a beeline to the vast viewing area.
Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2e (Photo: NewsViews) 
Thrilling display by ‘Roaring Forties’ (Photo: NewsViews) 
North American Aviation T-6 Harvard (Photo: NewsViews) 
BE2 and Bristol Scout D fly over the crowd at Ardmore (Photo: NewsViews) 
Anxious wait for planes (Photo: NewsViews) 
Supermarine Spitfire Tr.9 (Photo: NewsViews) 
Festive scene at event: Photo: NewsViews) 
Harvard T-6 Texan after landing (Photo: NewsViews) 
Nice sunny day (Photo: NewsViews) 
Westpac Rescue Helicopter (Photo: NewsViews) 
Race between McLaren Spider & Extra 330LX (Photo: NewsViews) 
Fly-past by Roaring Forties (Photo: NewsViews) 
Spectators at the event (Photo: NewsViews)
The whole area soon turned into a festival ground with small camping tents, umbrellas, folding camp chairs, mats springing up. First-comers grabbed the spaces close to the plastic fence for the best views of the aircraft as they came out of hangers and landed.
The aircrafts participated in the airshow included:
Harward T-6 Texan- the last wartime aircraft to see service with the RNZAF; A rare 2-seater Supermarine Spitfire Tr.9 – a symbol of British defiance against Nazi Germany; Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2e -a British built, single-engine, biplane first used by the Royal Flying Corps (RFC); Bristol Scout D; Douglas DC3/C-47 Dakota; Russian Yak-52; Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk – a successful low-level ground attack/fighter for the Allies; Albatros D.Va – a German single seat fighter; Siemens Schuckert D.IV -regarded to be the best performing fighter of the Great War; Bristol Fighter F.2B – a British 2 seat aircraft claimed to dive faster than any other aircraft at the time & Bristol Scout D – a replica with original period components.
Westpac rescue helicopter, AW169 performed a winching demonstration.
The precision formation team flying ex-RNZAF Harvard trainers -‘flag bearers’ of New Zealand Warbirds, provided maximum visual impact and crowd enjoyment with their fly-past.
Another attraction was a symbolic race between a year 2022 McLaren Spider convertible and the Extra 330LX- a two seater tandem aerobatic monoplane, with David Cranna piloting it.
NZ Warbirds Association is a group of passionate active pilots and aviation enthusiasts “dedicated to the preservation, restoration and operation of historic ex-military and classic aircraft in flying condition.” Their mission is to ‘Keep ‘Em Flying for the enjoyment and education of present and future New Zealanders.”
– from NewsViews
