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Wanaka is on the shores of Lake Wanaka and is pricipally a staging
area for people tramping around Mount Aspiring of the Southern Alps. We
couldn't see the mountains as we arrived and checked into a campground because of the low
cloud. The next day was cloudy with showers as well. During our second night at Wanaka the
temparature dropped and the rain continue at our altitude. The following morning we got up
and discovered snow starting at about 400 metres above sea level. The mountains
overlooking the lake are spectacular. |
| As we came over the rise towards Wanaka, the local airfield came
into view. The New Zealand army were on maneuvers with Australian, New Caledonia and
Singapore forces. A tent village had sprung up and several Hercules aircraft were
operating in the area. The next day, instead of tramping we visited two
museums and a brewery. |
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A lineup of fire trucks at the Wanaka Transport and Toy Museum. This is a
fascinating museum, although in somewhat a state of disorder and dust, of over 12,500
items from cars, trucks and planes, to dolls, model cars, and model planes, and more. Very
few of the cars, trucks and planes are in good condition. Most appear as ragged as they
were when sold to the museum. This is unfortunate because the exhibits outside will
deteriorate even further unless protected. |
| This Centurian tank is probably still operational because there were fresh
tracks on the grass around it, however, as robust as it appears, it may decay rapidly. |
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Next door to the Transport Museum is the New Zealand Fighter Pilots Museum.
Here the exhibited warbirds are in flying condition and very well displayed. There
are two large hangars, one a museum with displays of the fighter pilot history, and the
secong a working hangar to maintain the planes.
A lineup of old warbirds in the maintenance hangar includes a Polikarpov I-153
gullwing fighter (dark green) a WW2 Soviet fighter, and two de Havilland DH82A Tiger Moths
of WW1 fame. |
| Interestingly this museum has an astounding number of Russian fighters. There
are two Polykarpov I-153 gull wing fighters and two Polykarpov I-16 fighter. These are
funny looking planes, short and stubby. But one of the most famous and loved airplanes of
the Soviet Airforce of WW2. |
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| After a morning of museum exploring it was time for lunch and a visit to the
local brewery. The Wanaka Brewery makes three types of beer, Cardrona a lager, Brewski a
pilsner and a dark ale Tall Black. The brewing kettles and fermentation tanks come from
Nova Scotia, Canada. Local barley malt and hops are used. The water comes from a spring
under the brewery and the yeast is imported from the U.S.A. The Brewski was our favourite. |
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S/V
TETHYS
