A contrast to the more modern aircraft, a replica Hawker Hurricane, was the star attraction at the North Otago Aero Club's annual fly-in at Oamaru Airport yesterday.
Flown by Bob Gibson, of Mosgiel, from the Taieri Aero Club, the Hurricane is a five-eighths scale model built by Dave Comrie, of Dunedin, in the mid-1990s.
It is painted in the camouflage colours of a World War 2 Royal Air Force French squadron.
Mr Wilson believes it is the only one of its type in the southern hemisphere - there are two in the United States and one in Canada.
The plane's early life was troubled. After its completion by Mr Comrie, a test pilot declared it not airworthy.
It then sat dismantled in a hangar at Taieri, where Mr Wilson found it, minus some parts, in 2004.
He rebuilt it and first flew it on January 14, 2006. Since then, it has flown 400 hours.
Mr Wilson described it as "beautiful to fly ... It's never given me a fright".
Plans for the scaled down aircraft were developed by American Fred Sindlinger and were available from 1972. Only 25 sets were sold.
Mr Wilson's Hurricane is powered by a V6, 3.5 litre engine from a Mitsubishi Pajero.
The plane is made from wood and fabric with plywood wings.
Mr Wilson has flown the aircraft for Anzac Day parades - mostly in Central Otago - and hopes to be joined this Anzac Day by a replica Mustang being built by friend Peter Anderson, of Dunedin.
