New Zealand Fighter Pilots Museum
Encyclopedia
The New Zealand Fighter Pilots Museum is an aerospace museum located at Wanaka Airport
on New Zealand
's South Island
. It was founded by Sir Tim Wallis
and in 1996 became one of the first aerospace museums on the internet. The museum includes the Alpine Fighter Collection, dedicated to New Zealand's fighters during World War II
. The museum is funded, in part, by grants from the Community Trust of Otago.
established by helicopter
and deer
entrepreneur Sir Tim Wallis
.
The collection was started in 1984 with the purchase of a North American P-51 Mustang. Painted in RNZAF colours, it attracted much media attention as the first flying Second World War fighter seen in New Zealand
for some years and played a major part in the 1980s and 1990s expansion of the Warbird
movement in New Zealand.
The collection undertook a pioneering effort in recovering and restoring Warbirds from the post-glasnost Commonwealth of Independent States
. It arranged and funded the first restorations to flying condition of Polikarpov I-16
s (six restored) and Polikarpov I-153
s (three restored). It also restored the first Nakajima Ki-43
Hayabusa to fly since the 1940s.
http://www.ksql.com/myriad/warbirds_poly.htm,http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3901/is_200101/ai_n8947196, http://www.aviapress.com/viewonekit.htm?OTH-072 http://alpinefighter.co.nz/pages/afc.html
In 1988, the collection's core members organized the first Warbirds over Wanaka
airshow to showcase the collection - it attracted 14,000 people. The collection continues to provides the basis of the biannual Warbirds over Wanaka Airshow which attracted over 100,000 visitors in 2006. http://www.warbirdsoverwanaka.com/,http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3901/is_200209/ai_n9086944
The collection has been reduced by sales in recent years and may yet be broken up. The sole airworthy component is a Hawker Hurricane
Mk IIA, with a de Havilland Vampire
FB5 and Royal Aircraft Factory Se.5a reproduction on static display. http://www.nzwarbirds.org.nz/aircraft.html.
Wanaka Airport
Wanaka Airport is the airport servicing the town of Wanaka, Otago, New Zealand and the surrounding ski fields. It is also the host of the biennial Warbirds over Wanaka air show and serves as a base for sightseeing flights to Milford Sound and Mount Aspiring National Park...
on New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
. It was founded by Sir Tim Wallis
Tim Wallis
Sir Tim Wallis is a New Zealand businessman and aviation entrepreneur. He pioneered live deer capture from helicopters, which led to a significant industry in New Zealand. He was a leader and international representative of the deer farming industry. Wallis also founded the Alpine Fighter...
and in 1996 became one of the first aerospace museums on the internet. The museum includes the Alpine Fighter Collection, dedicated to New Zealand's fighters during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The museum is funded, in part, by grants from the Community Trust of Otago.
Alpine Fighter Collection
The Alpine Fighter Collection is a collection of vintage aircraft based at the New Zealand Fighter Pilots Museum at WanakaWanaka
Wanaka is a town in the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is situated at the southern end of Lake Wanaka, adjacent to the outflow of the lake to the Clutha River. It is the gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park. Wanaka is primarily a resort town but has both summer and winter...
established by helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
and deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
entrepreneur Sir Tim Wallis
Tim Wallis
Sir Tim Wallis is a New Zealand businessman and aviation entrepreneur. He pioneered live deer capture from helicopters, which led to a significant industry in New Zealand. He was a leader and international representative of the deer farming industry. Wallis also founded the Alpine Fighter...
.
The collection was started in 1984 with the purchase of a North American P-51 Mustang. Painted in RNZAF colours, it attracted much media attention as the first flying Second World War fighter seen in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
for some years and played a major part in the 1980s and 1990s expansion of the Warbird
Warbird
Warbird is a term used, predominantly in North America, to describe vintage military aircraft.- Naming :Although the term originally implied piston-driven aircraft from the World War II era, it is now often extended to include all military aircraft, including jet-powered aircraft, that are no...
movement in New Zealand.
The collection undertook a pioneering effort in recovering and restoring Warbirds from the post-glasnost Commonwealth of Independent States
Commonwealth of Independent States
The Commonwealth of Independent States is a regional organization whose participating countries are former Soviet Republics, formed during the breakup of the Soviet Union....
. It arranged and funded the first restorations to flying condition of Polikarpov I-16
Polikarpov I-16
The Polikarpov I-16 was a Soviet fighter aircraft of revolutionary design; it was the world's first cantilever-winged monoplane fighter with retractable landing gear. The I-16 was introduced in the mid-1930s and formed the backbone of the Soviet Air Force at the beginning of World War II...
s (six restored) and Polikarpov I-153
Polikarpov I-153
The Russian Polikarpov I-153 Chaika was a late 1930s Soviet biplane fighter. Developed as an advanced version of the I-15 with a retractable undercarriage, the I-153 fought in the Soviet-Japanese combats in Mongolia and was one of the Soviet's major fighter types in the early years of the Second...
s (three restored). It also restored the first Nakajima Ki-43
Nakajima Ki-43
The Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa was a single-engine land-based tactical fighter used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in World War II...
Hayabusa to fly since the 1940s.
http://www.ksql.com/myriad/warbirds_poly.htm,http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3901/is_200101/ai_n8947196, http://www.aviapress.com/viewonekit.htm?OTH-072 http://alpinefighter.co.nz/pages/afc.html
In 1988, the collection's core members organized the first Warbirds over Wanaka
Warbirds over Wanaka
Warbirds over Wanaka is a biennial air show in Wanaka, held on the Easter weekend of even-numbered years. It is held at Wanaka Airport, 10 km outside Wanaka village. Initially conceived by New Zealand live deer recovery pioneer, Sir Tim Wallis, as a display day for him to play with his collection...
airshow to showcase the collection - it attracted 14,000 people. The collection continues to provides the basis of the biannual Warbirds over Wanaka Airshow which attracted over 100,000 visitors in 2006. http://www.warbirdsoverwanaka.com/,http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3901/is_200209/ai_n9086944
The collection has been reduced by sales in recent years and may yet be broken up. The sole airworthy component is a Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
Mk IIA, with a de Havilland Vampire
De Havilland Vampire
The de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was a British jet-engine fighter commissioned by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Following the Gloster Meteor, it was the second jet fighter to enter service with the RAF. Although it arrived too late to see combat during the war, the Vampire served...
FB5 and Royal Aircraft Factory Se.5a reproduction on static display. http://www.nzwarbirds.org.nz/aircraft.html.