Wings Over Wairarapa: Yak 52's and the big bang

Well this is it. The last post from the airshow, and as I'm sure someone will point out, I missed publishing a lot of photos.

For example, several of the WWI aircraft, the awesome Tiger Moth display, the attempt to get the Pearce 1903 replica flying, the Bren Gun carriers [so what... :-P] and many more. As I started off by saying, I was mainly there to help on the Wellington Aero Club stand, so it's not surprising that I was not in the right spot for a lot of the photos.

One aircraft type I do want to publish photos for though is the Yakovlev Yak 52. These guys always put on a good show, and one of my [many] favourite photos came from these aircraft, so the first photo below is near the top of the formation look with smoke on.

The final photo is from the finale... and that's the mock airfield attack complete with explosions :-) Enjoy!

Yakovlev Yak 52, including ZK-KGB, ZK-PTE, ZK-YAK, ZK-YAQ, one of my favourite shots from the air show

Yakovlev Yak 52, including ZK-KGB, ZK-PTE, ZK-YAK, ZK-YAQ

Yakovlev Yak 52, including ZK-KGB, ZK-PTE, ZK-YAK, ZK-YAQ

Yakovlev Yak52, ZK-YAQ

Yakovlev Yak 52, ZK-KGB

The big bang... That's all folks!

Wings Over Wairarapa 2011: Post 10 - Yakovlev Yak-52 displays

This year the Yakrobats team put on a couple of really nice displays. The first was a "pylon" type race with the team chasing each other around three pylons [one of which is a truck and trailer :-)]. Commentary was by Yak 52 owner, weather man and cafe owner Jim Hickey - a very funny chap. Apparently he thinks ZK-ZAH is the best presented Yak 52 in the southern hemisphere... guess which one he owns :-)

The second display was a more traditional formation aerobatics display and again, very well received.

I counted 9 Yak-52's at the airshow this year, but didn't get all the registrations [feel free to fill in the details], but I did see ZK-ZAH, ZK-KGB, ZK-YAK, ZK-TYS, ZK-YNZ and ZK-PTE.

Photos are of the pylon race, one from the formation display and finally Jim's aeroplane. BTW - if you're at New Plymouth airport, you could pop in to the cafe... here's the web address www.airspresso.co.nz.