Big-G-Les & Helga's Nov 2013 New Zealand Trip

Time for some fun

 

On our recent trip to New Zealand, we took our "alter egos" Big-G-Les & Helga with us for some fun.  It felt a bit weird taking photos of the Lego figures, but we got use to it and soon they took on a life on their own.  Wherever we went, they went too.

 

Anyway, this is their trip.

 

Adelaide Airport - Big-G-Les observing the Air New Zealand A320 getting ready to fly him to Auckland

 Enjoying the view at Auckland Harbour with the City Sky Tower in the background

Another view of Auckland Harbour
with the Emirates NZ America's Cup complex in background

Big-G-Les & Helga showing no fear by lying on the glass walk panels in the
observation level of the City Sky Tower
In the middle there is a red target where the bungee jumpers aim for

Time to relax at the Belgium Beer Bar at Mission Bay
Helga's all ready

Helga going in head fisrt trying to get to the last drops, while Big-G-Les secretly tries on her helmet

Big-G-Les on the hunt for the Kasteel Blond 7 beer
Not too happy that this bottle is empty

Found it, the beer!!!!!

Beer goggles on, ready to dive in!

 

Can someone stop the table from spinning!!!!

Next day both have recovered from their hangover & visited the Maritime Museum. Here they are standing in front of a replica model which is in front of the actual New Zealand 1995 America Cup winner NZL32 "Black Magic" They seem impressed!



Now in awe of standing in front of the 1995 replica cup

Boarding passes ready to go sailing on NZL41 on a wet (to the point of hail) and near windless day (unfortunately)
Both Big-G-Les & Helga felt a bit queezy before boarding so they stayed on shore

Posing in front of the penguin enclose at the wonderful Kelly Tarlton Sea Life Aquarium
Who knew Gentoo Penguins knew how to photobomb!!
 

 

They visited the Split Enz exhibit at Te Awamutu, home of the Finn brothers.
Big-G-Les getting ready with the record player arm

Big-G-Les & Helga partying on side one

 

Our accommodation, the rear of a Bristol Freighter in Waitomo
(it was fully fitted out as an apartment, nice too)

Big-G-Les making sure he observes the warning above the door to the apartment

View out of the apartment.
This is the last known photo of Big-G-Les with is goggles.

Posing in front of a hot spring in Rotorua
Good thing they don't have noses so they couldn't smell the sulphur

Helga making sure Big-G-Les doesn't step off into the hot springs in the spectacular Waimangu Volcanic Valley

Relaxing and getting ready for a mud spa at Hells Gate in Rotorua





Half way from Christchurch to Blenheim Big-G-Les & Helga
demanded to go for a stroll along the shore

Helga seems to be enjoying being back near the sea

Might just borrow this Hurricane

Got him, a Ju87

 

Enjoying some more of the wonderful New Zealand beer in  Blenheim.
Seems to be a bit of theme here with these two.... 

Helga & Big-G-Les trying to comprehend at the devastation in Christchurch of the
2011 earthquake from the hotel window

 

Big-G-Les stands by the safety fencing at the Christchurch War Memorial Bridge of Remembrance

Big-G-:Les feeling not so big in one of the fun oversized street furniture in Christchurch

 

Big-G-Les making sure the car is in Sports Mode while heading down to Ashburton

 

Back in Christchurch for one last beer (err dinner) before heading back home to Australia

Big-G-Les feeling a bit blurry having to wake up a 3:26AM so he can get to Christchurch Airport for the flight home to Australia



It seemed a bit funny taking pictures of Lego figures at the start, but after a short while it became quite fun.  You should try it sometime.





New Zealand - Nov 2013 - Omaka Aviaton Heritage Centre - Post 9 of 10

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.



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!



Close up of the JU87

 





Next to the Junkers is a Hawker Hurricane of the Royal Navy with American markings

  

Section 1

A panoramic view of the first section

The Caproni CA22 (original)

Etrich Taube

 

It seems incredible that men actually fought in these aeroplanes.
They look so fragile!

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.

Notice the print on the wall behind

A DH-2 being bounced by a Fokker Eindekker

DH-2

The superb Fokker EIII Eindekker

Looking up under the EIII

A diorama of a crashed Morane-Saulnier

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

 

Part of the Allies display, of uniforms, flying clothing, paintings and fabric skin off the aeroplanes (the roundel in background)

This is the flying suit of the American ace Eddie Rickenbacker

Section 2



A Breguet 14.A2 getting orders

Curtis Flying Boat (original)

Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8
(again notice the use of a print of the trenches on the floor enhancing the feeling)

 

Models of a Gotha (foreground) and Vimy bombers

The Fokker Dr1 triplane

Fokker Dr1 (side view of the one above) painted in the colours of Lothar von Richthofen

Fokker Dr1 painted in the colours of Manfred von Richthofen

A close up of the radial engine and propeller

 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.

A German soldier looking at the crashed Nieuport

Another view of the Germans soldiers inspecting the crashed Nieuport
(again the lifelike of the figures is exceptional)

The German pilot in front of his Siemens-Schuckert biplane sharing a smoke with the British pilot

 

Axis Display Cases

The actual fabric off the side fuselage of an Axis biplane

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)

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.

 

In this photo, you can see the boots being taken and just behind a soldier cutting away the German Cross from the fuselage

This is the ACTUAL piece of fabric cut from Richthofen's DR1 right side fuselage

 

Section 3

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

A Nieuport 24 (left), a DH-4 (right) and a Halberstadt D.IV (centre background)

Nieuport 24 in the colours of Charles Nungesser

De Havilland D.H.4

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:

www.omaka.org.nz