Warbirds and Wheels, Wanaka facts for kids
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| Established | December 2011 |
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| Location | Wanaka Airport |
| Type | Aerospace museum, automotive museum |
Warbirds & Wheels in Wanaka, New Zealand is a museum displaying classic and vintage automobiles and motorcycles, focusing on the early 20th century, as well as military aircraft. It is located at Wanaka Airport on State Highway 6.
The museum was opened in December 2011 under an initiative by the Warbirds Over Wanaka Community Trust and three local businessmen to replace the former New Zealand Fighter Pilots Museum.
Collection
While the current museum still has several military aircraft on static display - as of 2016[update] a Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, a BAC Strikemaster Mk 88, a de Havilland Vampire FB5, a Hawker Hurricane Mk IIA (in airworthy condition), and a replica Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a - the emphasis has shifted more towards classic and vintage automobiles and motorcycles.
The museum is managed by a consortium of private car collectors from Wanaka and focuses mainly on vehicles from the 1930s to 1950s. Specifically, the collection includes several rare cars and examples of automobiles from before World War II, such as a meticulously restored 1934 Duesenberg Model J - the only one in the southern hemisphere, a 1935 Auburn 851 SC, a "one of two" 1918 Packard semi-collapsible Landaulet Fleetwood model from New York, and a handful of pre-World War I vehicles such as a 1907 Ford Model K.
Almost all of the cars are in working order and have current registrations and Warrants of Fitness, with some of them on loan by their private owners and taken out for rides occasionally. The displays are complemented by equipment and paraphernalia from the respective time periods, such as old petrol pumps and signs. The car displays list details and stories about the individual cars.
