NOTE:
This blog is divided into 10 separate sections as there are far too many photos to put on one post
Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, Marlborough
This museum is unique. It is dedicated completely to World War One aeroplanes. Most are replicas, but there are a few that are originals. One of the things that I really liked was that there was plenty of space to be able to walk around and view the aeroplanes from multiple angles.
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| A replica Ju87 gate guardian |
When I walked into to the museum area from the front foyer (though a frosted glass door), I literally said "wow!". The way that this museum is set up, not only shows off the aeroplanes, but tells their stories. The floor, walls and roof are all black, so the only objects that are highlighted are the aeroplanes themselves. Makes taking photos hard as it is a longer exposure to hold steady. But, this makes you take less photos and look at the displays more.
The displays are divided up into 3 areas and between each one are two displays cases of memorabilia. The first is dedicated to the Allies, the second is dedicated to the Axis. The second then opens onto a Manfred von Richthofen diorama (I'll get to this later), before the final display of aeroplanes.
Some of the displays are depicting an actual event that occurred, and others have large picture of the ground (of the WW1 scenery & trenches etc.) and the like, bringing a touch of realism to the display.
The two display cases sections (Allies and Axis) have an incredible display of memorabilia. Ranging from uniforms, flying suits, fabric off the aeroplanes, trinkets that were fashioned from shell casings, small models of some aeroplanes, photos, paintings, etc.
The dioramas are outstanding. The figures are very lifelike and the quality of the scenery is exceptional. Each one tells its own story.
Each section is a walk through the timeline of the aeroplane development. From the very first fighters (DH-2 & Eindekker) to Fokker DR1s and ending with DH-4 & Nieuport 24.
More remarkable is that most of the replicas are flyable!
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| Close up of the JU87 |
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| Next to the Junkers is a Hawker Hurricane of the Royal Navy with American markings |
Section 1
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| A panoramic view of the first section |
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| The Caproni CA22 (original) |
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| Etrich Taube |
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It seems incredible that men actually fought in these aeroplanes.
They look so fragile! |
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| The first form of combat flying where the pilot (or in this case the observer) would take a weapon and try and take a shot at the enemy. |
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| Notice the print on the wall behind |
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| A DH-2 being bounced by a Fokker Eindekker |
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| DH-2 |
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| The superb Fokker EIII Eindekker |
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| Looking up under the EIII |
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| A diorama of a crashed Morane-Saulnier |
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| A close up of the figures where soldiers are carrying the injured pilot to an awaiting ambulance, while the observer lies dead in the back. The figures were very life like. |
Allied Display Cases
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| Part of the Allies display, of uniforms, flying clothing, paintings and fabric skin off the aeroplanes (the roundel in background) |
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| This is the flying suit of the American ace Eddie Rickenbacker |
Section 2
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| A Breguet 14.A2 getting orders |
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| Curtis Flying Boat (original) |
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Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8
(again notice the use of a print of the trenches on the floor enhancing the feeling) |
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| Models of a Gotha (foreground) and Vimy bombers |
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| The Fokker Dr1 triplane |
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| Fokker Dr1 (side view of the one above) painted in the colours of Lothar von Richthofen |
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| Fokker Dr1 painted in the colours of Manfred von Richthofen |
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| A close up of the radial engine and propeller |
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| A Snow scene depicting a Nieuport biplane having crashed into a tree and the German pilot, having landed his Siemens-Schuckert biplane, sharing a cigarette with the British pilot while German soldiers look on. |
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| A German soldier looking at the crashed Nieuport |
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Another view of the Germans soldiers inspecting the crashed Nieuport
(again the lifelike of the figures is exceptional) |
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| The German pilot in front of his Siemens-Schuckert biplane sharing a smoke with the British pilot |
Axis Display Cases
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| The actual fabric off the side fuselage of an Axis biplane |
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Memorabilia for the German ace Ernst Udet
from models, photos, and his Pour Le Merite medal (this is a replacement as the original was lost) |
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Herman Goering's jacket.
You can just see on the jackets right side holes where medals would have been. |
Death of the Red Baron, Manfred von Richtofen
This diorama depicts the scene of Australian soldiers taking souveniers after Richthofen had crashed and died after being shot down. Incredibly, a number of items have survived and are in various museums around the world. For example the boots that are being stripped from Richthofen's body are now in the Australian War Museum. In this museum the right fuselage cross taken from the down triplane. This, I admit, is one of the reasons that I wanted to go to Blenheim, to see this.
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| In this photo, you can see the boots being taken and just behind a soldier cutting away the German Cross from the fuselage |
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| This is the ACTUAL piece of fabric cut from Richthofen's DR1 right side fuselage |
Section 3
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The Pfalz D.III
This biplane was used in the motion picture "The Blue Max" which was being shown on a screen above the display |
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| A Nieuport 24 (left), a DH-4 (right) and a Halberstadt D.IV (centre background) |
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| Nieuport 24 in the colours of Charles Nungesser |
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| De Havilland D.H.4 |
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| Rear view of the DH-4 |
This museum was just incredible. From the rare originals, the flyable replicas, the life like dioramas, the amazing display cases to finally the Manfred von Richthofen scene. Simply a must for any aviation fan. Beautifully presented.
For more of the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre here is their link:
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