Vintage aircraft show

ONE OF A KIND: Pilot Gene DeMarco with the main attraction of this Saturday’s WWI Remembrance Day Air Display at Hood Aerodrome in Masterton. The Albatros D.Va will make its debut. It is the only example in the world with an original engine.

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A beautiful German bird will be gracing the skies of Wairarapa this weekend, once again drawing attention from around the world to our own Hood Aerodrome.

The elegant Albatros D.Va WWI era fighter reproduction took two years to build and is making its debut at the Vintage Aviator's WWI Remembrance Day Air Display at Hood this Saturday.

The Vintage Aviator, which has a hangar and workshop at the aerodrome, has painstakingly reproduced the classic German biplane that was once the aircraft of choice for the famous Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen.

The monocoque fuselage is made of curved wooden panels which gives it an almost fish-like, streamlined shape, quite distinctive from the mainly British aircraft that are in their fleet.

This Albatros is unique in that it is the only flying example to have an original powerplant.

It is powered by a 180 horsepower Mercedes six-cylinder engine which can get the aircraft up to speeds of almost 160kmh.

Its pilot Gene DeMarco says it is a stable plane to fly with its own personality and manoeuvring characteristics. He says the engine is extremely reliable and runs like clockwork.

All the German WWI fighter aircraft had vibrant markings and this one is no different.

The Vintage Aviator Albatros is painted in the colours of renowned fighter pilot Josef Mai, of the Jasta 5 squadron.

Mai was one of the feared "Golden Triumvirate" with Fritz Rumey and Otto Koennecke who flew together so successfully they ended up with 40 percent of the Jasta's victories.

Aviation enthusiasts are all too aware of the treasures that have their home at the Hood, but many people don't realise the significance of the collection.

It is one of the only places in the world where you will find three original and airworthy WWI aircraft in the form of the Avro 504K, the Bristol Fighter and BE2f.

Last year, Vintage Aviator unveiled the amazing FE.2b early WWI biplane.

As well as these attractions, there will also be a range of replica biplanes, triplanes, and a few WWII aircraft on display and a prize draw to have a flight in an original P40 Kittyhawk.

A great aspect of the WWI Remembrance Day Air Display is that servicemen and women get in free.

Sara Randle of Vintage Aviator says this is a way of giving back to the community and showing some appreciation for what they have done for the nation.

The air show this Saturday will feature mock dogfights and handling displays by a collection of fighter scouts, light bombers and reconnaissance aircraft at Hood Aerodrome in Masterton.

Displays begin at 2.30pm while gates open at noon. Free vintage vehicle rides for the kids are from 1-2.30pm.

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