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One of, if not the most significant aircraft to fly at Marlborough Lines Classic Fighters 2027 is North American P-51D Mustang NZ2423 operated by the Biggin Hill Trust based at Ohakea.
This Mustang made its very last flight in RNZAF service on May 30th, 1957, when it was flown from Ohakea to Woodbourne for disposal which could have ended in several different ways. For example, broken up and scrapped, exported overseas or as fate would have it be rescued by John Smith and added to his collection at Mapua near Nelson.
The Mustang spent decades in “the shed” alongside many other significant aircraft from the era, but a bit more on that later. John passed away in 2019 and the Smith family decided the aircraft in the shed should stay in New Zealand. The De Havilland Mosquito, Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk, and De Havilland Tiger Moth would be put on loan to the Aviation Heritage Centre at Omaka for partial restoration and display in the museum, while the Mustang headed north to Ohakea for restoration to flight status by Brendon Deere and his team.
What would follow is one of the best Mustang restorations to be found worldwide. In the hands of Sean Perrett, it has made a few appearances at airshows and event around the country and would have been at Omaka for the 2025 show which unfortunately we had to cancel due to weather.
We really are looking forward to seeing this Mustang back in Marlborough, to celebrate this occasion, and for the first time we will park the Mosquito, Mustang, Kittyhawk, and Tiger Moth together as a family at the 2027 airshow in their completed or restored form, the first time this has ever happened and can only happen at Omaka. The Mosquito and Tiger Moth are capable of running their engines, which is something that will happen across the weekend while the Mustang tears up the sky above, so it is one occasion you will not want to miss!
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