Skyhawk arrives - in bits and pieces

Rebuilding a decommissioned air force Skyhawk in Wanaka this week, (from left) Chris Watty and Ange Dalton (Royal New Zealand Air Force), Ken Ward and Evan Murray (Safe Air contractors), Al Snaddon (New Zealand Defence Force civilian), Tim Wilson and John Manning (Safe Air contractors), and team leader Hank Hancock (RNZAF flight sergeant), stand in front of a Skyhawk wing inside the Warbirds and Wheels hangar. Photo by Marjorie Cook.

Two trucks were used to transport the aircraft, in three pieces, from Blenheim to Wanaka where it will be a centrepiece on static display in the new Warbirds and Wheels visitor attraction at Wanaka Airport.

The mothballed plane was one of 14 New Zealand received from the United States in 1970 but attempts by the Government to sell the retired Skyhawk fleet failed, and it decided to give several of the planes to museums.

The Warbirds Over Wanaka Airshow Charitable Trust, which is building the Warbirds and Wheels exhibition to replace the former New Zealand Fighter Pilots Museum, also received one.

The aircraft has been in storage at Woodbourne air base, near Blenheim, and has not flown since 2004.

Reassembly team leader Flight Sergeant Hank Hancock said it took about five days to take apart and would take four or five days to put back together.

"It is No 5 of eight we have to deliver around New Zealand.

"One goes to the Australia as well, and we hope to do that in late January ... and we will have three more to do in New Zealand after that," Flt Sgt Hancock said.

Reassembling the aircraft should be straightforward. A crane would be brought in to lift the fuselage pieces up so they could be bolted to the wing.

There would not be too much electronics work because a lot of it was removed as part of the transfer process, which required the aircraft to be "demilitarised", meaning it would not be able to be powered up or flown.

"It is good that they are going to museums that are passionate about them.

"We consider it a privilege that we are delivering them to their last resting places," Flt Sgt Hancock said.

Work is continuing to modify the former Alpine Fighter Pilot Collection hangar at Wanaka Airport for the Warbirds and Wheels attraction, which is not yet ready to open its doors to the public.

Warbirds Over Wanaka events manager Mandy Deans was happy yesterday with plans for next year's airshow, which commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

There should be an announcement of key aircraft appearing at the show by the end of this week, Ms Deans said.