KNIGHTS of the AIR (Part 1)

[kahnjar1]

Slightly off topic here, but it should be noted that the pilot of WW 1 was probably one of the last to show chivalry in war. There are many well documented cases of pilots hosting their enemy at their Mess and then escorting him back to his own side of the lines.
Tucked away on a small airfield at the top of the South Island of New Zealand there is an excellent museum, The Omaka Aviation Heritage Trust, dedicated to these Knights of the Air. The life size dioramas are largely the work of Weta Workshops and Sir Peter Jackson of King Kong, Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit fame. Sir Peter also owns a Sopwith Camel and has a very extensive collection of WW 1 aviation related memorabilia, much of which is also on display.
Many of the aircraft in this museum are also able to be flown. They are not modern aircraft which have been reshaped, but are built from scratch to original plans.
The first lot are pics from inside the Museum, and they feature in order (hopefully) the following types.
The first three show a German pilot and his British victim crashed in a tree. The two aircraft are a Siemens Shuckert and a Nieuport.
The next in order should be E111 Eindecker, Nieuport 24, Pfalz D111.
Also shown is a wounded pilot being recued from his crashed aircraft, The Armourers Shop, and Aircraft Repair Shop.

Every two years the Trust runs an Airshow where these and other vintage aircraft are flown, and in Part 2, some of these are shown in action.

Hope you enjoy, as you won't see this sight often.................