South African Harvard

This Harvard is unusual in New Zealand skies as the aircraft is not a former RNZAF example. The RNZAF operated over 200 Harvards from 1941 all the way through to 1977 when they were finally retired, with over a dozen going into civilian hands to form the basis of the New Zealand Warbirds movement. This aircraft however, is an import, having arrived in 1996 soon after retiring from service with the South African Air Force, and appearing to turn the tide of Harvards which had been trickling out of the country over the years to operators overseas.  

Image: Mark O'Sullivan's Omaka-based Harvard - Photo by Gavin Conroy

Imported by Omaka interests, this brightly coloured machine left the province for a period before returning here in recent years to be refurbished and retained locally as this airfield's resident example of the iconic WW-II trainer! There are also other former RNZAF examples being worked on here in Marlborough, so that distinctive 'Harvard cackle' is set to be with us for some years yet!

Image: Mark O'Sullivan's Omaka-based Harvard - Photo by Gavin Conroy

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About Yealands Classic Fighters Omaka: The airshow is the main fundraising event for the Omaka Aviation Heritage Museum, located in Blenheim, Marlborough NZ.