Every system in the aircraft either thoroughly overhauled or newly-fabricated, and the entire wiring system is brand new. Photo by Mike Killian.
On Monday, May 3rd, Doug Matthews’ North American F-86F-30 Sabre (52-5116) performed its first engine test at the Classic Fighters of America facility in Titusville, Florida. We have been following this restoration project for some time now, and it is clear that the workmanship is of a very high calibre. While Classic Fighters had hoped to have the Sabre flying last year, the global pandemic definitely caused significant delays. Even so, as often happens with warbird restorations, the last 1% of the project is often the hardest part.
Classic Fighters didn t happen, but Omaka still entertained record numbers stuff.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from stuff.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Tuesday, 9 March 2021, 2:10 pm | Classic Fighters Blenheim, NZ: Due to the uncertainties around Covid-19 at this time, the decision
has been reached to postpone the Omaka Easter air show. Yealands Classic Fighters
will now take place over the first weekend of September, from the 3rd to 5th, coinciding . More
Wednesday, 3 March 2021, 4:58 pm | Classic Fighters The Government’s announcement on Saturday evening that New Zealand would be dropping
Covid alert levels was unwelcome, but organisers are committed to the show going
on. Yealands Classic Fighters Airshow is Marlborough’s largest multi-day event . More
Tuesday, 9 February 2021, 3:50 pm | Classic Fighters Blenheim, NZ: Two months out from Yealands Classic Fighters Airshow, Marlborough’s
Blenheim, NZ: Due to the uncertainties
around Covid-19 at this time, the decision has been reached
to postpone the Omaka Easter air show. Yealands Classic
Fighters will now take place over the first weekend of
September, from the 3rd to 5th, coinciding with Father’s
Day.
Classic Fighters Airshow Director Graham Orphan
said, This is the first time we have ever altered the dates
of the show and it is not something we do lightly, but this
time the writing was on the wall. We have accepted that it
would be irresponsible to risk both the ongoing viability of
Classic Fighters and the health of our
It was not a decision they had taken lightly, Orphan said. “We have accepted that it would be irresponsible to risk both the ongoing viability of Classic Fighters and the health of our community.
Helen Nickisson/Stuff
Classic Fighters Airshow director Graham Orphan said the decision to postpone was not something organisers had taken “lightly”. “We had a pretty tough week last week realising that we were going to be playing to a diminishing audience if we continued at a time when there’s a lot of uncertainty about travelling. “We could have gone conservative and cut back the product, but then that would diminish the product for those that did come and also it would diminish the brand for Marlborough, so we thought better to still give everyone a world-class air show as we like to think we always do.”