LOCAL FEATURE
STORY BY CATHIE BELL
DAN KERINS PHOTOGRAPHY
Bringing women’s stories to the fore
A p r i l 1 9 TH - 2 1 ST - E A S T E R W E E K E N D - M a r l b o r o u g h N Z - w w w. c l a s s i c f i g h t e r s . c o. n z
The Classic Fighters event at Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre is one of the biggest events
in Marlborough’s calendar. This year, it is highlighting the stories of women aviators.
Aviation is an industry full of tale-spinners,
and many are the stories about ‛the
magnificent young men in their flying
machines.’ But there’s another group in
aviation too - the magnificent women in
their flying machines - and it’s this group
that is to be the highlight in the Yealands
Classic Fighters’ event next month.
The aviation spectacular, held every second
year at Easter at Marlborough’s Omaka air
field, is one of the biggest events in our
district’s calendar. It brings thousands of
visitors here, from all over New Zealand
and overseas, with around 30,000 people
going through the gates over the weekend.
It’s an amazing chance for people to see
vintage and classic aircraft - on the ground
and flying - and many in combinations that
you just can’t see anywhere else in the
world.
The event is themed, and this year, the
Classic Fighters event is celebrating the role
of women aviators.
Jane Orphan says the theme was suggested
by a man on the organising committee
during last year, the 125th anniversary
of women getting the vote, and it was
overwhelmingly adopted.
recruitment, as there are many roles in
aviation. bomb them, with the terrified Germans
dubbing them ‛the Night Witches’.
“They’re looking at more diversity in the
workplace, going into schools and saying
to girls there are aviation opportunities for
their careers. This is perfect - we’re saluting
aviation and what’s happened in history,
but also saying what’s available now,” says
Jane. The PO2 in this year’s event is making its
New Zealand debut at Omaka.
The New Zealand Air Women’s Association
has organised a parade of aircraft, all
piloted by women, to fly over Blenheim on
the Friday. Jane says it’s not an official part
of the show, but it’s a great forerunner of
what the show will be like.
While people may have heard of Jean
Batten or Amelia Earhart, the event is also
going to raise the profile of other women.
There is to be a Pioneer Race including a
Bleriot with someone dressed as Harriet
Quimby, an American woman who in 1911
was the first woman to get a pilot’s licence
in the United States and then in 1912,
the first woman to fly across the English
Channel.
“It could go across a number of eras, it’s
not necessarily geographical. It has lots of
potential,” Jane says, the reaction has been
very positive. The 1930s Air Race will be a ‛Powder Puff
Derby’ as a tribute to the women’s air races
in the United States. Amelia Earhart and
others competed in these, and despite
their serious nature, the press at the time
dubbed them ‛powder puff’ races.
Many of the big organisations - such as
Airbus, the Air Force, Air New Zealand,
the Nelson Marlborough Institute of
Technology and New Zealand’s oldest aero
club, the Marlborough Aero Club - taking
part are using the event as part of their The big period of history for the show is
the women aviators in the 1940s - during
World War II. Key among these is a PO2
plane, as was flown by Russian women
aviators - they would power down their
engines and glide over German troops to
Jane says the Classic Fighters’ programme
will have more about the theme and
profiles on individual women.
One of those is Melitta von Stauffenberg,
who was a German test pilot and
aeronautical engineer during World War II.
She was so important to the war effort that
she survived and continued her work, and
protected her family, despite being found
to be of Jewish heritage and her brother-in-
law attempting to assassinate Hitler.
In a more modern tribute, the ‛Kiwi over
Kiev’, aerobatics champion Pam Collins who
represented New Zealand at international
championships in Kiev in 1970 will be on
the PA system talking the crowd through
her routine as pilot Andy Love flies it.
Other women pilots flying at the show,
such as Liz Needham flying a Spitfire and
Dee Bond who may be flying a Catalina, will
also be highlighted.
Jane says tickets are selling well, “I think
we’ll get a good turnout.”
Organisers are still looking for volunteers
to work during the event’s three days,
whether at the show or for service groups
managing the car parking. Jane says people
can either get in touch directly at the
Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre or online.
All the profits from the Classic Fighters
event go into the Omaka Aviation Heritage
Centre, to fund its expansion.
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