Vintage Aviators

Many New Zealanders do not realise that New Zealand is home to one of the most significant collections of World War One aircraft in the world. This is the work of Sir Peter Jackson's company, The Vintage Aviator, who restore and build replicas and reproductions of Great War aircraft from their Wairarapa base.

New Zealand's leading aviation photographer, Gavin Conroy, has spent many years photographing these aircraft, and these remarkable images form the heart of this book. Most of these planes were built from just canvas and wood, whose brave pilots often took these flimsy machines up to 15,000 feet, even in winter and sometimes without parachutes.

With historical text by David McDonald detailing the rapid development of these aircraft between 1914 and 1918, and representing both sides of the conflict, there are also personal accounts from the current pilots who fly them.

Vintage Aviators is a fascinating insight into a pivotal period of aviation history, and anyone with any interest in the early days of flying, or the Great War, will want to own this book.