There is a tradition at Wanaka of having a mock battle and a massed flypast to end each show. They have a bit of fun with pyrotechnics and having the "attacking" aircraft eventually defeated by the "good guys".
Here you can see a few explosions as the attackers "bomb" the airfield, and there are aircraft from both sides flying in all directions. The Harvards often act as the attacking force, so they aren't too much opposition to Spitfires and Mustangs, but who can tell looking at this!
And here's a flypast of some classic World War II aircraft. From right to left: the Mosquito, a Spitfire, Steadfast (a modified Russian Yak 3), a Corsair, and two Mustangs.
Here's a movie of a couple of waves of attackers bombing the airfield. It's all done with a bit of humour, and the occasional lack of good timing by the pyrotechnics crew is all part of the fun.
Here's the flypast of the old World War II aircraft I listed above, along with a particularly impressive explosion as they fly over.
Source: Warbirds Over Wanaka Program.
I usually write a blog post about once a week. The latest post can be viewed here: Think for Yourself: In the end, everything is just an opinion. Be skeptical, and think for yourself! (posted 2026-04-25 at 21:12:02). Or go to the Home Page of My Blog to choose a post to view.
Latest Site News and Notifications (Desktop): You are currently viewing OJB's web site, version 2.4 which has some major changes, and possibly errors! Please report any problems to ojb@mac.com.
AIRCRAFT PAGE
