Auckland’s Warbirds On Parade set to take flight again
On Sunday 15th March, NZ Warbirds will filled the skies over Ardmore with an impressive range of vintage and modern aircraft. Warbirds On Parade is Auckland’s annual local airshow and always makes for a great day out. Planned displays for the 2026 include the thrilling Yak-3 ‘Full Noise’ and exciting Westpac and NZ Police helicopters.
Two aircraft from NZ Warbirds’ WWI display in 2025 | Photo: Noah Stohr-Waldren
In the air, a highlight of the show will be the Omaka based Yak-3 ‘Full Noise’ that will be pushed to its limits performing a high-speed display for the first time at Ardmore in several years. Another top flying display will be the Roaring Forties, flying in ex-RNZAF Harvard trainers, the amazing Roaring Forties aircraft fly in formation close and come within 5 metres of each other. The formation was first flown in 1979 over Te Kowhai near Hamilton and has since become a staple of New Zealand airshows. A frequent crowd favourite is the WWI mass display to open the show which includes six aircraft flying past the crowd at a leisurely pace. Westpac NZ and the NZ Police will also both bring their respective helicopters to perform flying displays that everyone will enjoy.
This weekends show is set to display one of the biggest aircraft ever seen at the Auckland airshow, a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) C-17 Globemaster, second only to a display from an Air New Zealand 747-400 back in 2003. The massive four engined aircraft will perform a low flyover during the show, which is the first time ever a RAAF C-17 has performed at an New Zealand airshow.
Another very exciting aircraft on display will be Douglas DC-3 Dakota ZK-DAK. ‘Betsy’ has been a popular warbird that frequently displayed and offered scenic flights at airshows around the whole country but was recently sold overseas to Gooney Bird Adventures in Darwin, Australia, meaning this could be the last time the aircraft will be on show to the public in New Zealand.
On the ground, the New Zealand Coast Guard will have their Cessna 182 aircraft on show. Also on show will be a Ryan PT-22 that has been recently restored just in time for the airshow. Probably a highlight of the ground displays will be a Royal New Zealand Air Force/Navy SH-2G Seasprite helicopter from Base Auckland. Another vintage aircraft that will be on show is the Miles M.38 Messenger which is airworthy and based at NZ Warbirds’ WWI hangar in Ardmore.
NZ Police’s ‘Eagle 2’ helicopter displaying at Warbirds in 2025 | Photo: Noah Stohr-Waldren
The event will certainly draw a massive crowd of spectators. With previous events proving to be an enormous success, bringing together a diverse range of individuals and organisations who all played their part in making a memorable experience for everyone involved.