Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, 1

After a night in a freedom camp by a lake, we drove on through Blenheim, eschewing the numerous vineyards (we did Cloudy Bay last time), and straight to the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, which we had heard about from friends Rick and Kathy. In is an incipient aviation museum, not 20 years old, that found a capable donor, none other than Sir Peter Jackson, of LOTR fame, who for some years has been a collector of WWI aircraft and memorabilia. The Centre houses, among other things, his "Knights of the Sky" exhibition, augmented by incredible displays from WETA and other sources. I have seen larger and better air museums, but none that conveyed more nor more skillfully. If you have any interest in aviation or WWI history, you must see it.

Click to enlarge and read

Perhaps later I'll go back and identify all the planes

Art Nouveau aircraft (not the tail)

The displays, like this one, all life-size and more than realistic

Very early single wing model

Uniforms, flying gear, etc.

The US' top ace was Captain Eddie Rickenbacker; here,
his flying suit and other stuff; my mother worked at Eastern
Air Lines in the 40s and had met him

"Hat in the Ring," the American volunteer group of the time

Aerodrome scenes

American Glenn Curtis realized the first seaplane, or flying boat, in 1909;
here is a WWI reconnaissance version

5,000 poppies, sewn by New Zealand women; NZ contribute greatly to the
allied cause, and suffered greatly too, both inEurope and at Gallipoli

Many war posters of interest