Evie Sinclair talks to Otago Daily Times photographer Gerard O’Brien who attended the first Warbirds Over Wānaka and shares his experiences — and more importantly, his photographs from the 1988 event.
Warbirds Over Wanaka has become the biggest event in Central Otago, but back in its first edition in 1988, it was a much smaller affair.
‘‘It was small by today’s standards, but it was still big, and it was a beautiful blue sky day,’’ Otago Daily Times photographer Gerard O’Brien said.
O’Brien was one of three photographers covering the 1988 event, but with the grandstand facing the sun, capturing good photos became a challenge.
‘‘Eventually the three of us were allowed on to the grass so we were shooting with the sun behind us.
‘‘It gave us quite an advantage and I don’t think they let anyone over there these days so it was really good,’’ he said.
The prime position on the far side of the runway might have been great for taking pictures, but it left the photographers exposed.
‘‘We were there for the entire day, but there were two surreptitious toilet stops.
‘‘We were completely out in the open, having to hide behind each other to go pee.’’
The event is not the only thing that’s changed, with the technology of taking photos changing significantly in the last four decades.
‘‘I would have just had a single camera.
‘‘We didn’t use zoom lenses back then, so we’d have had one big 400mm lens, a 200mm lens and a 135mm lens, and we’ve have been changing lenses in between.
‘‘It was a beautiful day but there was a bit of wind and it was very dusty, and I remember after the show I spent about two hours cleaning dust out of my camera and my lenses.’’
For O’Brien, the real highlight was a duel staged between a P-51 Mustang and a Venom jet.
‘‘It was the piston engine plane being pursued by the jet and it was incredibly fast and loud.
‘‘It was really something special,’’ he said.
Warbirds is inseparable from its founder, Sir Tim Wallis, who was keen to use the event to show the capabilities of helicopters, O’Brien said.
‘‘I know for [Sir] Tim, back then a big part of the show was demonstrating the capabilities of the helicopters and he put on an amazing show in a Hughes 500, doing tight turns and stuff close to the ground.’’
The first Warbirds Over Wanaka event was held on Saturday April 2, 1988 by the late Sir Tim.
The photos used in this article are available for purchase at the Wanaka Sun office at 82 Brownston St.
