By David Farrier
Thousands of plane enthusiasts looked on today as a World War II Mosquito fighter-bomber took to the air – the first time a Mosquito has flown in 16 years.
The plane was flown by many Kiwi pilots, and some of them came to see today's flight.
The Mosquito was one of the fastest aircraft during World War II, its frame made almost entirely from wood, leading to its nickname, the Wooden Wonder.
Gordon Hargroves last flew one in 1945.
“[It is] very moving, emotional,” he says. “That's where I sat.”
Over the past seven years, the model has been rebuilt from the ground up – the first of its kind to be restored for flight.
“It stands the hairs up on the back of your neck,” says AV Specs director Warren Denholm. “And the noise and not seeing one before, I've only seen them in black and white! This is the first time I've seen one in colour.”
John Beeching flew the planes during 1944 and 1945. It's been a while since he sat in one.
“It seems to be much higher than it was 70 years ago!” he says.
It's his 89th birthday next month, but this was an early present.
“I flew 57 different Mosquitoes during in the last war. And I never bent any or scratched any.”
So as other planes and formations flew over Ardmore, the Mosquito continued to be the focus on the ground and in the air.
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