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Classic Fighters Airshow

One of the Southern Hemisphere’s largest and most significant airshows is held in Marlborough every two years.

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  • Classic Fighters Triplanes (Gavin Conroy Photo)
  • Omaka 2019 Yak 52 8344 Zeitler
  • CF15 N.11 7046 Zeitler

Attracting 30,000 people for three days of action-packed aviation and land theatre, the airshow is held at Omaka Aerodrome in Te Waiharakeke/Blenheim. It attracts a huge variety of aircraft from around the country, as well as Marlborough’s very own Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre collection.

You’ll see pre-World War 1-era aircraft, fighter and bomber aircraft from both world wars, glamorous art-deco machines from the 'golden age' of aviation, military trainers and post-war machines right to the jet age.

The aircraft come together with mock airfield attacks supported by ground theatre and pyrotechnics, as well as period vehicles and incredible set decorations for gripping performances.