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Wanaka Airshow - New Zealand 2026

We added to our travel bucket list with a trip to New Zealand that included the spectacular War Birds over Wanaka Air Show. With our Gold Pass tickets safely tucked away, we spend three days enjoying the air show, location and the scenery that only comes with a Wanaka vist. The air show was professionally run and whilst not on the same scale as Oshkosh, had a distinctive New Zealand feel.

Warbirds Over Wanaka is not Oshkosh—and that is part of its appeal.

The event is smaller, more intimate and considerably easier to navigate. Alongside the flying displays are numerous exhibitors showcasing aviation products and services, local crafts, regional produce and New Zealand businesses. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, allowing visitors to wander between displays, browse exhibits and enjoy the unique character of the region.

Yet the true star of Wanaka is its setting.

Even without the aircraft, the surrounding mountains, lakes and rolling countryside create one of the most breathtaking venues imaginable. Adding vintage aircraft to that landscape elevates the experience to something truly special.
Friday delivered near-perfect conditions. Clear skies and calm weather provided the ideal backdrop for an exceptional flying display featuring an impressive variety of aircraft. Vintage Tiger Moths shared the skies with the unmistakable Avro Vulcan, while the BAC Strikemaster—affectionately known as the "Blunty"—delighted spectators alongside Chipmunks, Yaks, Spitfires, Mustangs, Corsairs, helicopters and gliders. The diversity of aircraft on display was remarkable. Saturday reminded everyone that aviation events remain at the mercy of the weather. Low cloud rolled in across the mountains, reducing visibility dramatically. The stunning alpine scenery disappeared behind a blanket of grey, and rain soon followed. Temperatures dropped sharply, and flying activities became increasingly limited. Sunday delivered a welcome return to form. Blue skies returned, the mountains reappeared, and the flying programme resumed in spectacular fashion. Once again, Wanaka demonstrated why it has earned an international reputation as one of the world's premier warbird events.

Warbirds Over Wanaka delivers a world-class aviation experience in one of the most beautiful locations on the planet. While it may not rival Oshkosh in scale, it offers something equally valuable: a uniquely New Zealand blend of spectacular scenery, exceptional flying and a relaxed atmosphere that makes visitors feel welcome from the moment they arrive.

For anyone seeking an international airshow experience without travelling all the way to the United States, Wanaka should be high on the list. The next show is scheduled for 2028.

Would I go again, sure would!

📸 War Birds over Wanaka 2026

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<center>These Aero L-39 Albatros jet trainers are operated by New Zealand-based Fighter Jets NZ.<br>Originally developed in Czechoslovakia as an advanced military trainer, the L-39 became one of the most widely<br>used jet trainers of the Cold War era.
Aero L-39 Albatros
<center>The Aero L-39 Albatros' performance, manoeuvrability and relatively economical operation have also made it<br>popular with civilian owners and jet aerobatic teams. Aircraft 68 and 88 pictured here are part of the Fighter Jets NZ fleet<br>and are regular participants in New Zealand aviation events.
Aero L-39 Albatros
<center>The spectacular Yakovlev Yak-3 SteadFast, ZK-VVS, taxying past the crowd at Warbirds Over Wanaka. The Yak-3 was one of the<br>Soviet Union's finest fighters of WWII, renowned for its light weight, manoeuvrability and performance at lower altitudes.<br>SteadFast is a later Russian-built example constructed using the original Yakovlev design and powered by an<br>Allison V-1710 V12 engine. Finished as Soviet “White 33”, it certainly looks and sounds every bit the classic WWII fighter.
Yakovlev Yak-3 SteadFast
<center>A pair of Yakovlev Yak-52s lift off together during the Warbirds Over Wanaka display. Originally designed as a Soviet military trainer,<br> the Yak-52 is powered by a 360 hp Vedeneyev nine-cylinder radial engine and is a highly capable aerobatic aircraft.
Yak-52 Formation Team
<center>The New Zealand Yak-52 team uses these rugged trainers for an impressive display of close formation flying<br>and aerobatics against the spectacular Wanaka mountain backdrop.
Yak-52 Formation Team
<center>The beautifully presented DHC-2 Beaver ZK-CKH, painted to represent RNZAF NZ6001 City of Auckland, makes a low pass at<br>Warbirds Over Wanaka. First flown in 1947, the Beaver became one of the world's great bush aircraft, renowned for its rugged<br>construction and ability to operate from short and remote airstrips. Powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-985 radial engine,<br>ZK-CKH is itself a very early example of the type, being only the 25th Beaver built.
Canadian DHC-2 Beaver
<center>Another DHC-2 Beaver takes part in the flying display, this aircraft wearing French military markings as No. 303. The rugged<br>Canadian-built Beaver was ideally suited to military liaison and transport operations, combining excellent short-field<br>performance with a useful load-carrying capability. Powered by the 450 hp Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior<br>radial engine, the Beaver became legendary for its ability to operate from rough and remote airstrips.
Canadian DHC-2 Beaver
The Albatros team from the USA flew daily sorties showing off the speed and manoueverability of the aircraft against the Wanaka background.
Aero L-39 Albatros formation
<center>Former RNZAF BAC Strikemaster NZ6372 taxis past the crowd at Wanaka. Developed from the Jet Provost trainer, the Strikemaster<br>combined advanced jet training with a light-attack capability.
BAC 167 Strikemaster NZ6372
<center>The distinctive de Havilland Vampire was one of the first generation of operational British jet fighters. First flown during WWII,<br>it entered service as the piston-engined fighter era was drawing to a close. Powered by a single de Havilland Goblin<br>turbojet, its unusual twin-boom layout and compact fuselage made it instantly recognisable.
de Havilland Vampire
<center>New Zealand operated 16 of the type with No. 14 Squadron RNZAF, where they were used for advanced pilot<br>training and weapons instruction. The distinctive side-by-side cockpit and Rolls-Royce Viper turbojet make<br>the Strikemaster one of the most recognisable aircraft from this period of RNZAF history.
BAC 167 Strikemaster NZ6372
<center>Universally known in New Zealand and Australia as the Squirrel. The enclosed tail rotor can make it look like a different type at<br>first glance, but that is a Fenestron-equipped variant/modification rather than the conventional exposed tail rotor normally associated with most AS350s.s
Airbus/Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil “Squirrel
<center>These helicpoters arey renowned for being light, responsive and extremely manoeuvrable. That manoeuvrability made the Hughes 500 particularly<br>popular with New Zealand's pioneering deer-hunting and live deer-recovery operators, who flew demanding operations in the Southern Alps.
Hughes/MD 500
<center>Developed from the successful Fletcher agricultural aircraft, the turbine-powered Cresco was designed specifically for demanding<br>aerial topdressing operations. Its powerful Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboprop, large fertiliser hopper, rugged undercarriage<br>and excellent short-field performance make it ideally suited to operating from New Zealand's remote farm airstrips.
PAC Cresco
<center>Designed specifically for aerobatics, the Pitts is a small but extremely powerful biplane renowned for its exceptional manoeuvrability and<br>rapid roll rate. The two-seat S-2B is powered by a 260 hp Lycoming AEIO-540 engine and is capable of the<br>full range of positive and negative-G aerobatic manoeuvres.
Pitts Special S-2B
<center>Known as the T-6 Texan in American service, the Harvard became one of the most important advanced training aircraft of WWII.<br>Powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp radial engine of around 600 hp, it prepared pilots for the transition<br>to high-performance operational aircraft.
North American Harvard NZ1057
<center>A very rare visitor from Britain, Spitfire PL983 was built in 1944 as a dedicated high-altitude photographic-reconnaissance aircraft.<br>Unlike the armed fighter versions of the Spitfire, the PR.XI carried cameras and additional fuel for long-range reconnaissance missions.<br>Finished in distinctive PR Blue and powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin 70, PL983 saw wartime RAF service in Europe and<br>survives today as one of the world's few flying PR.XI Spitfires.
Supermarine Spitfire PR.XI PL983
<center>Four Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros jets of the American Eagles Jet Team sweep past in<br>close formation during Warbirds Over Wanaka. The Czech-designed L-39 was originally developed as an<br>advanced military jet trainer and became one of the world's most successful training aircraft.<br>For the 2026 Wanaka airshow, four L-39s from the Fighter Jets NZ fleet were flown by the visiting<br>American Eagles pilots, producing one of the show's most spectacular formation displays.
American Eagles Jet Team – L-39 Albatros
<center>Developed during the 1970s as a Soviet military and aerobatic trainer, the Yak-52 is powered by a 360 hp Vedeneyev M14P nine-cylinder<br>radial engine. Its rugged construction, tandem cockpit, inverted fuel and oil systems and highly responsive controls make it an exceptionally<br>capable aerobatic aircraft. An unusual feature is its extensive pneumatic system, with compressed air used to start the engine<br>and operate the landing gear, flaps and brakes.
Yakovlev Yak-52
<center>This beautifully preserved de Havilland Chipmunk has a fascinating royal connection. Built in 1952 as RAF WP861, it was the first aircraft flown<br>by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, during his flying training. He logged 16 hours and 35 minutes in WP861, including his basic-stage<br>flight test. After a long RAF career the aircraft eventually travelled to the United States and later New Zealand, retaining the US registration<br>N861WP as a reminder of its original RAF identity. It remains airworthy and was displayed at Warbirds Over Wanaka 2026.
e Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk