RARE SPITFIRE TO HONOUR KIWI FIGHTER ACE AT TRUST HOUSE WINGS OVER WAIRARAPA 09

RARE SPITFIRE TO HONOUR KIWI FIGHTER ACE AT TRUST HOUSE WINGS OVER WAIRARAPA 09

The Trust House Wings Over Wairarapa air show to be held at Hood Aerodome, Masterton on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 January 2009 will feature a unique Spitfire, which is being displayed for the first time anywhere in New Zealand.

The Spitfire Mark IX [ie roman numeral 9] is painted in the desert colours and marking of the aircraft flown by Colin Gray, who became New Zealand’s highest scoring fighter pilot of WWII.

The Spitfire’s owner, Doug Brooker of Auckland, imported the aeroplane from the USA last year after a lengthy rebuild in Florida. This particular Spitfire is fitted with two seats - after WWII, Supermarine developed a two-seat trainer version of the Spitfire and the type was used by the Israeli and Irish Air Forces.

Colin Gray left NZ to join the RAF in 1938. He fought in the battle of Britain and was soon recognised for his leadership. While in the UK he shot down 17 enemy aircraft and in late 1942 he was posted to North Africa to take command of 81 Squadron, the first unit to fly the Spitfire Mk IX in the Middle East. By the time the North African campaign ended in May 1943 Colin Gray was awarded the DSO, having destroyed a further five enemy aircraft. Promoted to Wing Commander, he was appointed to lead 322 Wing for the invasion of Sicily. In that campaign he shot down 5 more aircraft, bringing his total to 27, with one more shared and a further twenty-two probably destroyed or damaged. Once back in England he held two successive commands in training units before, in late July 1944, being appointed Wing Commander Flying of the Detling Wing for operations in support of the Army in Europe and sorties against the V-1 flying bombs. Colin Gray retired from the RAF in March 1961 as a Group Captain.

The desert painted Spitfire will be one of the highlights of the summer air show at Hood Aerodrome – which is a center for historic aircraft.

Tickets for Trusthouse Wings Over Wairarapa 2009 are on sale now through all Ticketek outlets, by phoning 0800 TICKETEK of on-line through http://www.ticketek.co.nz.

Trusthouse Wings Over Wairarapa is proudly supported by Trust House, Williams and Adams, Solid Gold FM, Mobil Aviation, Kaurilands Aviation, Tranzmetro, Tui Brewery, Masterton District Council and the Wairarapa Times Age.

ENDS

Photo available:
Spitfire Tr IX MH 367; photo credit Gavin Conroy

For further information about the show or available group rates please contact:

LIZ POLLOCK, EVENT MANAGER, WINGS OVER WAIRARPA
PH + 64 274 774717, <http://www.wings.org.nz>www.wings.org.nz, email <mailto:info@wings.org.nz>info@wings.org.nz

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