Liz and Frank: OMAKA and a touch of the Marlborough

Another sunny day in Nelson, we were up early as we had decided to retrack the 2 hour drive to Picton/Blenheim to visit the OMAKA Aviation Heritage Centre beside Blenheim Airport. Omaka's first exhibition "Knights of the Sky" comprises one of the world's largest collections of World War 1 aircraft and rare memorabilia, including a mix of dramatically staged static displays, and theatrical decoramas constructed with the artistic talent and technical expertise of some of New Zealand's most talented storytellers - chaired by NZ's outstanding director - Peter Jackson. We have spent some time in the Somme in northern France studying with great sadness WW1, however most of this was in regard to the land based activities, so we were really interested in the history and description of the aerial portion of WW1.

On our arrival we wandered around the outside of this exhibition first

which the Sydney Morning Herald had described as "Best Museum in the World"

Decided to have a coffee before entering the display.

This Museum has enthusiastic volunteer guides to give information and advice

The first display to catch our eye was the "ETRICH TAUBE"

1910 - 1915 - Before WW1 Austrian designer Igo Etrich's elegant taube had been designed - it was the most bird like of any successful plane every built - ran on 100hp Mercedes Engine. It was an extremely popular plane (500 had been built).

When WW1 started the germans seconded many of these Taubes from the private sector, later on in this war she was taken from the front line and used for training.

Faithful reproductions have been built (including this one), this particular Taube first flew in 2000, and came to this Museum in 2005.

*****

DH-2 FOKKER EINDEKKER - 1915 - 1916

This plane proved to be well ahead of its time - speed, agility and revolutionary through-the-propeller machine gun capability provided an advantage and decimated allied aircraft during a period which became know as the "Fokker Scourge". This Scourge ended after greater numbers of more capable fighting aircraft were introduced by the allies - such as the British Airco DH-w pusher biplane, and the French Nieuport 11 biplane. Late summer 1916 rapid advances in aircraft technology saw the remaining Eindekkers pulled back from the front line service to training duties.

*****

THE GRID'S GREAT ESCAPE

During September 1918 while attacking German aircraft late in the day at about 7,000 feet over Cambrai sector, Caldwell and fellow 74 Squadron member Carlin, collided badly, damaging Carlin's tail and Caldwell's wings. Carlin managed to land safely behind the lines, but Caldwell's SE5a went into a dive. After the aircraft had lost about 2,000 ft, the dive gradually developed into a right-handed semi-flat spin. Caldwell climbed half out of the cockpit as if preparing to jump (he did not have a parachute*) when he realised that by placing his left foot on the lower port mainplane and, grasping the port centre-section strut with his left hand he was able to stabilize his aircraft, flying it with his right hand and foot. He deduced that if he could manage to balance the damaged machine for long enough in this manner, he may just be able to reach the ground with enough control to survive the ordeal. Displaying considerable skill and resource, Caldwell succeeded in guiding his crippled aircraft so that it barely cleared the front line trenches, and just as it was about to crash, he jumped off and turned a few somersaults on the ground. He then stood up, brushed himself off and walked to the nearest trench asking to use the telephone. Some reports indicate that Caldwell "Took charge of the drinking" while he awaited the arrival of the tender that would take him back to his airfield.

* The option of "baling out" to descend to the ground by parachute was not available to members of the Royal Flying Corps. British authorities would not issue such equipment, some reports say because of space, and others state that they could be used unnecessarily and potentially waste valuable aeroplanes. It is also reported here that German Air Service did allow their aviators to wear parachutes if they wanted to.

*****

FOKKER DR. I TRIPLANE 1917 - 1918

This was the most distinctive shape in the skies over the Western Front - the Fokker Triplane - 320 were built. Their service life was not long, they had some structural problems which had to be remedied, and then in 1918 superior Fokkers DV11 were being delivered, and by the time of Armistice only 69 of these triplanes were still operational.

*****

SIEMENS SCHUCKERT 1918 - 1920

It wasn't pretty, but as a fighting machine it was as potent as anything developed by the warring nations in WW1. It just arrived at the front a little late to really make an impression.

It had a 200 hp Siemens engine and was unique among rotaries in that the crankshaft revolved in one direction and the cylanders and crankcase revolved in the opposite direction.

*****

NIEUPORT 24 1815 - 1920

So successful was the Nieuport V Strutter series of byplane scouts that the type was built in various evolving models from the beginning of the war almost to the end. The earliest of the Nieuport biplane scouts was not built as a combat aircraft but as a racer, to be entered into the Gordon Bennet Trophy Contest of 1914 - war broke out - this annual event was cancelled and the racing biplane was soon adopted to serve as a military observation machine.
The military design became the Nieuport 11 'bebe' (baby) and the type entered service with France's Aviation Militaire in 1915. The British, Belgian, Dutch, Italian and Russian Forces also used the Nieuport 11.

*****

BREGUET 14.A2, 1917 - 1926

One of the most successful aircraft of the war, the Breguet 14 was a robust machine which managed to be light and manoeuvrable due to its innovative construction. Over 6,000
machines were ultimately used in reconnaissance bomber and post war civilian variants.
This aircraft was dual controlled, and apart from its guns, carried 4 small bombs, a camera and a wireless set.

*****

CURTISS MF FLYING BOAT - 1912

G.H. Curtiss is perhaps best remembered for perfecting his seaplane, he being among the first to experiment with pontoons and flying boat hulls. His earliest models were built and sold from 1912, but it wasn't until the following year that they were given the designation "Model F" and would go onto produce around 150 "F" boats for a worldwide market particularly for Russia, Japan, Italy, France and England. Curtiss delivered a total of 22 to the US Navy before Armistice in November, 1918. This exhibit is an original built in early 1920's.

*****

PFALZ D.111

Often described as one of the prettiest aircraft designs to have emerged from the First World War era, the Pfalz D.111 also proved to be a capable combat machine from the time of it's introduction. She could safely dive at high speeds due to its sturdy, two-spar lower wing. The strength of the Pfalz made it a favourite of pilots tasked to shoot down observation balloons.
Some 300 Pfalz D.111 and 750 111a were built but after the war, none were preserved and the type disappeared into history until the late 1960's when the motion picture "The Blue Max" was produced. The film featured two Pfalz D.111 built in England. One of these 2 aircraft was located in poor condition in Alabama 1999 - it was rebuilt here at OMAKA resulting in this Pfalz returning to flying condition and wearing the unique lozenge colour scheme created by the producers of of 20th Century Fox for "The Blue Max"

*****

AIRCO DE HAVILLAND DH-4 - 1916

The most successful aircraft designs of the Great War could perhaps be identified as those which continued after the conflict was over - the De Havilland DH-4 was such a machine. She was designed as a day bomber and general purpose reconnaissance aircraft, first flown in 1916 and subsequently deployed at the front in March 1917. Post War the US used the DH-4 for it's air mail service starting in 1918. One young pilot who became very adept at flying the harsh air mail routes was Charles Lindberg who became familiar with the demands of flying in the dark in poor weather and over long distances in the DH-4. This experience went on to serve him well when he became the first pilot to successfully fly the North Atlantic in May 1927. The plane on display here is one built under licence in the USA and is one of just two original samples known to survive.

*****

THE BARON'S LAST FLIGHT

The Great War's most famous combatant, Baron Manfred Von Richthofen, took to the skies on the morning of 21st April 1918. During a year and a half of action, he had downed an unbeaten record of 80 aircraft.

The exhibition above shows an Australian soldier removing the "Baron's" fur boots.

Detailed forensic investigation has now credited the shooting of the Red Baron to an Australian gunman - Seargeant Cedric Popkin.

*****

This really was the most magnificent exhibition and museum, there were loads more planes on display, many which could still fly, and will be at their Air Show over Easter. Just so interesting to learn more of the history on WW1 , we will definitely go back - unfortunately my photography leaves a lot to be desired here - certainly does not do the Exhibition the justice it deserves.

*****

If we had more time, and had planned ahead we could have had a half hour tour in the plane below skimming over the Marlborough Wine Region - how great that would've been.