The Russians are coming...

Appreciating restoration work are (top, from left) Yak 3 part-owner Graeme Frew, of Auckland, JEM Aviation owner Jay McIntyre, of Blenheim, (bottom, from left), engineer Marty Nichol, of Blenheim, Mike Frew and son Daniel Frew, of Wanganui, engineers Dick Veale and Chris O'Connor, of Blenheim. Inset: A Yak 3 in flight, piloted by owner Arthur Dovey, of Wanaka, at the 2010 Warbirds show. Photo by Steve Jacquiery.

The Yak 3, part-owned by Graeme Frew, of Auckland, will be one of two Yak 3 planes appearing at the show.

Mr Frew's engineer nephew Daniel (28) and others have been overhauling the Yak 3 at Omaka, near Blenheim, for more than three years.

The machine suffered serious damage in an accident in the United States before it was bought by Mr Frew and his syndicate, and restoration had taken much longer than anticipated.

Test flights should be completed early next year in time for a Tauranga show in January.

If there were any delays, its first public outing would be at Wanaka.

Mr Frew said the Yak 3 was regarded as one of the finest interceptors of WW2.

"Luftwaffe pilots became accustomed to shooting down poorly equipped, hastily trained Russians. In 1944, however, the German pilots were horrified to find they were being bested by a well-flown, simple little 1300hp Russian fighter made of wood." At the airshow, the Frew family would also be indulging its passion for old cars by contributing examples of the Ford Mk1 Cortina to the Ford Through The Ages line-up.

The airshow programme includes two Supermarine Spitfires. One is owned by the Deere family, of Marton, and has been restored and decorated in honour of family member Air Commodore Alan Deere, who served with the RAF for 40 years.

The second Spitfire is owned by Auckland businessman and aerobatic champion Doug Brooker and has been repainted in the colours and markings of the Mark IX Spitfire flown in the North Africa campaign by Squadron Leader Colin Gray, New Zealand's highest-scoring Ace.

It will be Mr Brooker's third attempt to bring the machine to Wanaka. He was thwarted by security requirements when shipping the Spitfire to New Zealand from the United States before the 2008 show. In 2010, a minor accident again scuppered his chances to fly at Wanaka.

Event manager Mandy Deans said she hoped the impressive array of WW2 aircraft would also include a Vought Corsair.

Further announcements were expected of other aircraft and some modern-era jets, and also details of WW1 era, recreational and commercial aircraft.