Brian's place - Classic Fighters Marlborough 2009

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Classic FIghters Marlborough 2009

The theme for CFM 2009 was Italian, and it showed! Italian cars everywhere, and croissants and escargots (oh wait, they're French) for sale. I was looking forward to seeing 3 SE5a's flying but they were never advertised for the show - apparently they didn't want to risk flying them across Cook Straight (separates the North and South Islands of NZ if you don't know) - something about the risk of flying engines that are 90 years old! Instead we got a beautiful Be-2 and 504K, plus the wonderful debut of Brendan Deere's Spitfire IX.

The Sopwith Camel belonging to Peter Jackson was also in attendance, two Triplanes (down from the record of 7 in 2007!!), a Pfalz replica from the Blue Max movie, and a fantastic Fokker D7. I think its fair to say I enjoyed myself - they "done good"!

This page covers the World War one era (roughly), the next covers everything else.

One of the surprise highlights of the show was this magnificent Be2f (which I misidentified as a Be2c, some plane spotter I am!) which had its airshow debut here. A beautiful build/restoration it gives an idea of what it must have been like for the early WW1 aviators - note the two machine guns bolted on to counter the Fokker menace.

Does anyone remember the good TV series "Wings" - the 1970's English one, not the later American comedy!

It flies! Original engine and all, a very "nice" aeroplane, but maybe not a good one without fighter escort.

Another debutante was this gorgeous Avro 504K. I'll have to stop these subjective reviews, I'll run out of superlatives! All the same, look at the detail work on this baby. Just awesome.

Another nice surprise was this Fokker D7. The pilot apparently describes his aeroplane to ATC as a "Single Motor Fokker". Apparently this has caused some confusion, given his warm american accent...

He certainly wasn't afraid to throw it around, and did several really good long displays during the course of the three day airshow. The backdrop is a distinctive copse of trees on the surrounding Wither Hills.

The Sopwiths, Nieuports, DeHavillands, Bristol's, SE's, etc had managed to whittle the number of Tripes down to a mere two this year, from the previous record of 7. I'm sure that there are many Gunbus pilots in NZ who are thankful for that. Anyway, here's another "Single Motor Fokker". :-)

Somebody-or-other's Flying Circus! Left to right, Fokker D7, 2x Fokker Triplanes, and a Pfalz.

Nieuport vs Triplane

The WW1 planes are so much easier to photograph than the faster WW2 types.

One of the classic air combat doubles - Fokker Triplane vs Sopwith Camel. Here, Biggles is about to get an ass-wipping! That's if the Red Bladder can get him properly in his sights.

Camel vs Triplane

As mentioned on my previous pages, the Sopwith Camel replica is superbly presented, and has an original Le Rhone 160hp engine, and original wicker pilot's seat.

Here Colonel Rumplestrosser of the Imperial German Trouser Corps tries the ejector seat off an A4-K Skyhawk for size (Courtesy of the RNZAF Museum). Note the attachment to his helmet to enable him to eject safely through the canopy.

I understand this seat will be retrofitted to all Triplanes in New Zealand. I also understand that I should only update my web site when I am sober.

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