Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre facts for kids
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| Established | 2006 |
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| Location | Omaka Aerodrome, Blenheim, New Zealand |
| Type | Aviation Museum |
The Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre is an exciting aviation museum where you can see amazing old airplanes! It's located at the Omaka Air Field, about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the town of Blenheim, New Zealand.
Contents
History of the Museum
How the Museum Started
In the late 1990s, people in the Marlborough area became very interested in old airplanes again. A group of airplane fans brought in two Chinese Nanchang CJ-6 training planes. They formed the Marlborough Warbirds Association to share their passion.
More and more old planes started to be kept at Omaka. Soon, many tourists wanted to visit and see them. In 1997, a small group of plane owners and fans created the New Zealand Aviation Museum Trust. Their goal was to let the public see these amazing aircraft. They also wanted to help the Marlborough region attract more aviation businesses.
Building the Centre
Over ten years, many groups worked together to create the Marlborough Aviation Cluster. This included an aviation business park and the heritage centre. The local council and a development trust supported this idea.
In 2004, a group called NZ Trade and Enterprise gave NZ$2 million. This money helped build the first part of the heritage centre. The first part of the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre opened on December 9, 2006. It featured the 'Knights of the Sky' exhibition, which is about World War I planes. This display area is about 3,000 square meters (32,000 sq ft) in size.
The second part of the museum opened in November 2016.
Exhibitions to Explore
Knights of the Sky: World War I Planes
The 'Knights of the Sky' is Omaka's first exhibition. It shows one of the world's largest collections of World War I aircraft. You can also see rare items from that time. The exhibition has both planes that stay still and some that can still fly.
This amazing collection is on loan to the museum. It is looked after by the 14-18 Aviation Heritage Trust. Famous film director Sir Peter Jackson leads this trust. Because of his interest, the exhibition looks very realistic. It was designed by Joe Bleakley. Talented set builders, painters, and prop makers from Wellington helped create it. Many of them work for Wingnut Films. Lifelike figures made by Wētā Workshop also bring the scenes to life. Even though it was a big project, the exhibition was finished in less than 10 weeks!
Dangerous Skies: World War II Planes
'Dangerous Skies' takes visitors into the Second World War. You can learn about the famous Battle of Britain. The exhibition also shares lesser-known stories, like the war on the Eastern Front.
Just like the 'Knights of the Sky' exhibition, 'Dangerous Skies' uses figures made by Weta Workshop. It features original, static (not moving), and flyable aircraft. These are shown in large, realistic scenes called dioramas.
Classic Fighters Airshow
Every two years, during Easter, the Omaka airfield hosts a big air show called Classic Fighters. This show happens in the odd-numbered years, opposite to the Warbirds over Wanaka air show.
Amazing Aircraft Collection
The museum has many different military aircraft from the First and Second World Wars. It also displays artifacts and personal items. Some of these belonged to famous aviators of World War I. You can even see items from Baron Manfred von Richthofen, also known as the Red Baron.
Aircraft on Display
The Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre has many incredible planes, including:
- Airco DH.2 replica
- Breguet 14 replica
- Caproni Ca.22 Original
- Curtiss MF Flying Boat. Original
- Curtiss P-40N Kittyhawk Mk.IV 43-22962/NZ3220 "Gloria Lyons"
- Airco DH.4 Original (one of only two known to still exist)
- De Havilland Mosquito DH.98 Mosquito FB.VI TE910/NZ2336
- de Havilland Tiger Moth NZ1467/ZK-BQB
- Etrich Taube replica
- Focke-Wulf Fw 190A
- Fokker D.VIII
- Fokker Dr.I triplane (four flyable replicas)
- Fokker E.III Eindecker replica
- Halberstadt D.IV replica
- Hawker Hurricane (a taxiable replica from the 1969 film Battle of Britain)
- Junkers Ju 87 Stuka replica
- Lockheed Hudson NZ2049
- Messerschmitt Bf 108
- Morane-Saulnier BB
- Nieuport 24 replica
- Nieuport 27 replica
- Pfalz D.III (one of two flying replicas from the movie The Blue Max)
- Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a replica
- Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 replica
- Siemens-Schuckert D.IV replica
- Supermarine Spitfire Mk 14
- Thomas-Morse S-4 Scout original
- Yakovlev Yak-3
Some of these planes, like the de Havilland Tiger Moth NZ1467/ZK-BQB, the Curtiss P-40N Kittyhawk Mk.IV 43-22962/NZ3220 "Gloria Lyons", and the De Havilland Mosquito DH.98 Mosquito FB.VI TE910/NZ2336, came from the collection of the late John Smith from Māpua, New Zealand.
See also
- List of aerospace museums
- Warbird
