The Ferrari of aviation in the 1940s soared over Marlborough on Saturday leaving its V12 engine ringing in the ears of spectators.
A Russian World War II plane, the Yakovlev Yak-3, was the star of the show at the Omaka Wings and Wheels Day.
Parents and their children watched as owner and pilot Graeme Frew rolled the newly restored fighter plane overhead.
The Yak-3 was restored at Omaka Airfield by Blenheim engineers Jem Aviation.
Chris O'Connor installed the avionics and was, quite literally, taken for a spin on Saturday.
The plane bounced through the air like a speedboat, he said.
"Graeme [Frew] said `if you build it, you have to fly in it'. The performance is incredible and it's beautiful to roll.
"You come in low and then before you know it, you're back up to 4000 feet."
The Yak-3 was a great aeroplane to work on, Mr O'Connor added.
"The Russians knew what they were doing."
Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre trustee Graham Orphan said the Yak-3 was the Russian equivalent of a Spitfire or Mustang. But the Yak-3 could outperform both, he said.
Read more here: http://www.stuff.co.nz
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