Warbirds

After many months of preparation, the Warbirds and Wheels attraction at Wanaka Airport will open its doors to the public for the first time today.

A planned air race for corporate high-flyers may bring up to 40 privately-owned jet aircraft to the Warbirds Over Wanaka Airshow next April and boost business links between China and New Zealand.

It is not yet known whether the new Warbirds Over Wanaka visitor attraction will get one of nine mothballed Skyhawk jet fighters from the Government.

Two Wanaka events generated nearly $23.5 million in economic benefits for the town in the past 12 months, according to two surveys released this week.

The New Zealand Fighter Pilots Museum in Wanaka was no longer financially viable as a stand-alone unit and would be administered in the future by the Warbirds Over Wanaka Community Trust Board (WOWCT), it was announced yesterday.

Warbirds Over Wanaka chief executive Roger Clark says his new appointment to project manage the Highlanders rugby team will not affect his leadership role with the popular airshow.

No fear, "one hundred million percent trust" in her partner and strong stomach and arm muscles are the keys to success for German wing walker Peggy Krainz, who yesterday wowed crowds at the Warbirds Over Wanaka practice day at Wanaka Airport.

The only two operational Spitfires in New Zealand will make a rare double appearance at the Warbirds Over Wanaka airshow at Easter.

As a boy Daniel Pezaro used to perch on the porch of his parent's home and watch the aerobatic antics of Sir Tim Wallis flying his replica Hawker Hurricane warplane through the blue skies above Lake Wanaka.

Magnificent flying machines have been buzzing above Wanaka this week as the pilots of vintage aircraft from around New Zealand prepare for the biennial Warbirds Over Wanaka Easter airshow.

A Formula 3000 car too fast for most New Zealand race tracks will test the limits of Wanaka's airport runway during the Warbirds Over Wanaka airshow at Easter weekend.

John Lamont is hoping time stays on his side in the build-up to the 11th Warbirds Over Wanaka airshow this Easter.

Warbirds Over Wanaka spectators at Easter can expect a New Zealand-first exhibition in the form of a live and loud gun-firing demonstration from a Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk.