But for me, one of the REAL highlights of the show was the live firing display by a P40N Kittyhawk. For the FIRST TIME EVER in the world, a Civil owned Warbird was fitted with 6 fully functioning .50cal Browning Machine Guns and made several firing passes (Firing blank rounds, of course!
) As an added bonus, the Aircraft was painted up in Australian Pacific theatre markings, and just like at Milne Bay in 1942, almost as soon as it got off the ground it was firing away, all guns blazing. Despite "only" using blanks, the 6 guns could together manage to chew through 3,600 rounds per minute, and that is a whole lotta .50cal brass falling from the sky!
With each one of them catching the sunlight as they tumbled down, it made for a damn fine sight and sound.
There are a couple of Vids of this display on YouTube, but I can't seem to embed them or link them to this post. Just search for Wanaka P40 2008".
Here's some pics of the Plane loading up, not quite "The Whole Nine Yards" (that was the length of Ammunition belt in a P51 Mustang), but quite a sting just the same. The load of ammo for one display cost NZ$2,500! Why worry about fuel costs?
31-03-08, 13:21
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