This weekend my partner Helen and I attended a fantastic WW1 Airshow put on by The Vintage Aviator, at Masterton Aerodrome, in New Zealand. I actually wasn't all that keen to go, I had so many other things that needed doing, and my knowledge of WW1 fighter planes is limited at best. But I'm so glad I made the effort. What an absolutely magic event.
What was so captivating about this event was that the planes themselves were so incredibly packed with character and individuality. The show was only on for three hours, and there were flying displays virtually throughout, but even if not a single plane had left the ground, I'd still have had a great time, because the planes themselves were completely mesmerising. The level of detail in each was superb, and each was resplendent in its own unique war paint; as the announcers said, in WW1, planes didn't have to be painted in a specific colour decided upon by that countries airforce. Therefore, each was a mad and unique combination of anything the pilot wanted.
In many ways, these planes reminded me of the race cars that competed before, and immediately following WW1, and in particular, those that raced on the "Murderdromes", the incredible American board tracks of the same era, that I wrote about way back when The Roaring Season first began (see here) that were, in many ways, as dangerous as flying a WW1 fighter place in combat. These planes were as beautiful, artistic, colourful and whacky as the race cars of the day, and certainly as charismatic.
What an amazing way to spend a few hours on a sunny afternoon. I'll definitely go again.
