Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre

[Brettafett]

Thought Id post a few pics from a trip to Peter Jackson's Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre.
This was back in 2015, and back then the displays were almost entirely WW1-related.
The displays were incredible. Very immersive, and each told a story. Most of the panes, if not all, were originals (I may be mistaken, been a while)...
If you ever get he chance... https://www.omaka.org.nz

 

[Brettafett]

There are many more, but just to give an idea.
Mr jackson has a huge collection of memorabilia on display, films, etc...

 

[bazzer]

Excellent photos looks like a really good
Baz

 

[Smithy]

Great photos Brett, Omaka is one of the best aviation museums in the world.

My favourite is Grid jumping out of his mortally damaged SE. There were a bunch of chaps in a trench who saw it happen, and when Grid casually got up, dusted himself off and started walking away, they were flabbergasted ;-)

 

[Flightengineer]

Fantastic.Nice photos, thanks Brett. Love this realistic figures - they alived planes.

 

[B-Man2]

I’ve always loved the look and the history of these old WWI aircraft . They take you back to a time of gutsy pilots who lived life on the edge.

 

[Chandler]

My favourite is Grid jumping out of his mortally damaged SE.

I wondered if that's what was going on there -- waiting for that last, 3 foot moment to step off as though from a slow moving train car!

 

[Smithy]

I wondered if that's what was going on there -- waiting for that last, 3 foot moment to step off as though from a slow moving train car!

The amazing thing is he survived. The fellow who he was flying with, Hicks was certain Grid would die and didn't want to watch so flew off. Grid by some miracle managed to skim the ground, jump, did a few somersaults, then picked himself up, wandered over to the nearest trench, hopped in and asked the chaps in there if he could use the phone.

 

[B-Man2]

You see ... that’s what I’m talking about . That’s a story that you just can’t make up . I’ll bet he was a colorful guy in other ways as well . Probably a partier and a hard charger as well . These types of guys don’t exist anymore because the military actively seeks them out and gets rid of them .

 

[Smithy]

You see ... that’s what I’m talking about . That’s a story that you just can’t make up . I’ll bet he was a colorful guy in other ways as well . Probably a partier and a hard charger as well . These types of guys don’t exist anymore because the military actively seeks them out and gets rid of them .

He was a typical Kiwi of his generation, tough and no nonsense Burt.

A little known fact is that in all truth WWI flyers almost certainly drank more and partied more so than WWII airmen. Many rotary engined aircrew during WWI even used to drink booze before flying as grog combated the laxative effect that the castor oil used in the engines had on the human system.

WWI was visually more psychologically damaging on WWI airmen too because of the very close proximity that fighting took place at and how terribly dangerous it was. Most airmen, on all sides hit the sauce pretty hard as a result.

 

[ausreenactor]

Amazing pics of a superbly displayed collection.

Did a run up the hill to the Australian Army Aviation Museum last Friday for a Graduation Parade. Seventeen years after I completed my trade training I was a VIP guest! Spent hours on the shirt, got up really early, drove two hours, sweated my arse off in 34 degree heat for 15 mins then whined about stuff with the other E-9s. Good times.

Caught up with 'Dusty Blonde' who flew our last combat mission in Afghanistan.

And the shirt! Pretty chuffed to move on to the 'third' row. Jave one 'gong' three times over and another one twice... Quite uncommon for Commonwealth military forces or anyone without 'General' for a first name.

 

[Brettafett]

One thing Id like to see is a couple of decent flight simulators. getting a hands-on experience dog-fighting the Red Baron or an BF-109.
Theres was a fun Mosquito sim at hendon here in the UK, quite thrill to come in down a fjord over the water and shoot up a ship.
Also, back in San Diego, there was an amazing group of cockpit-sims. I got to fly an F-9 Panther in a dogfight, and then land on a carrier. Awesome fun.
Would be great to have a WWi bi-plane version...

 

[Smithy]

One thing Id like to see is a couple of decent flight simulators. getting a hands-on experience dog-fighting the Red Baron or an BF-109.
Theres was a fun Mosquito sim at hendon here in the UK, quite thrill to come in down a fjord over the water and shoot up a ship.
Also, back in San Diego, there was an amazing group of cockpit-sims. I got to fly an F-9 Panther in a dogfight, and then land on a carrier. Awesome fun.
Would be great to have a WWi bi-plane version...

Difficult with WWI planes to get the full effect Brett. We forget that these men were exposed to the elements, no closed cockpits, horrifically cold (many had to use whale oil on exposed skin during winter months over the Western Front to prevent frostbite) and buffeted by wind and prop wash.

Maybe they could do it in a freezer with a wind tunnel fan blowing

 

[B-Man2]

Amazing pics of a superbly displayed collection.

Did a run up the hill to the Australian Army Aviation Museum last Friday for a Graduation Parade. Seventeen years after I completed my trade training I was a VIP guest! Spent hours on the shirt, got up really early, drove two hours, sweated my arse off in 34 degree heat for 15 mins then whined about stuff with the other E-9s. Good times.

Caught up with 'Dusty Blonde' who flew our last combat mission in Afghanistan.

View attachment 54591View attachment 54592View attachment 54594View attachment 54596View attachment 54598View attachment 54599View attachment 54601View attachment 54602View attachment 54603

And the shirt! Pretty chuffed to move on to the 'third' row. Jave one 'gong' three times over and another one twice... Quite uncommon for Commonwealth military forces or anyone without 'General' for a first name.

View attachment 54606

Thats some very impressive “fruit salad “ you’ve got going on there Couchy .
Thank you for all the sacrifices you and your family made for the rest of us . I am a fan !

 

[ausreenactor]

That some very impressive “fruit salad “ you’ve got going on there Couchy .
Thank you for all the sacrifices you and your family made for the rest of us . I am a fan !

Thank you. Really mean that..

They do have a Fokker Triplane and a Bristol Boxkite replica. Did not venture down that far. Flying something that early would have taken balls of steel.