Rare De Havilland Mosquito To Be On The Flight Line At Yealands Classic Fighters

Blenheim, NZ: We are excited to announce that weather permitting, the John Smith de Havilland Mosquito will be on the flight line from Friday 7th, to Sunday, the 9th of April, at Yealands Classic Fighters.

This rare WW2 warbird has been on display in the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre since 2021, following its refurbishment by a group of dedicated volunteers. A successful open day celebrating the Mosquito's completion and fundraising for ongoing maintenance took place in April 2022. Yealands Classic Fighters is the ideal setting for a much-requested repeat performance, with tens of thousands of guests from New Zealand and around the world expected to attend.

The Mosquito is a static display, but engine runs are planned to take place each day. "We should stress that for this to happen, we need perfect weather and no sign of rain before putting the aircraft on the flight line," says airshow director Gavin Conroy. "Being such a special aircraft with a structure made of wood, we do not want any rain on it, no matter how little".

The Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre’s Knights of the Sky will be open to airshow attendees only, for the duration of the Easter show. The WW2 exhibition Dangerous Skies will be closed as most of the aircraft will be outside for Classic Fighters.

About Yealands Classic Fighters Omaka: Held every alternate Easter, the air show is the primary fundraising event for the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, located in Blenheim, Marlborough, NZ. We will be celebrating Classic Fighters Omaka's 20th Anniversary.

The show is from 07-09 April 2023, and tickets are available at www.classicfighters.co.nz or the gate.

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