Gene’s blast from the past

Jamie Morton | 9th November 2009

Recreating a graceful old German fighter has added more weight to Gene DeMarco's growing worldwide reputation as the resurrector of lost World War 1 war-birds.

Mr DeMarco and his fellow engineers at Wellington's The Vintage Aviator have just revealed the result of two years of top-secret design and construction - a replica Albatros D.Va fighter plane.

The now airworthy D.Va will be based at its new home at Hood Aerodrome in Masterton and is to star in a Remembrance Day air show this month alongside another of the company's recent unique creations, an FE.2b bomber.

Only two other D.Va exist in the world - one at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC, and the other at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

Mr DeMarco said when he discovered the designs he had for the plane were inaccurate, digital measurements of each component of the Canberra D.Va's were taken for a new design.

His replica however does include an original 80 horsepower Mercedes engine, used in the war by German Imperial Air Service.

Machine-guns, which because of synchronisation equipment can fire through the propellers, are mounted beside the engine.

The D.Va, which was Germany's answer to Britain's SE5a, also sports the colours of the "The Golden Triumvirate" of German non-commissioned pilots Josef Mai, Fritz Rumey and Otto Koennecke, who together scored 40 percent of their Jasta squadron's kills.

Mr DeMarco said bringing the D.Va to life had been a "fascinating" exercise, and he did not want to unveil it until he had properly test-flown it.

"People have said it looks kind of like a fish. It's not really as fast as it looks - it's a 100mph aircraft that's strong, sturdy and has got an engine that makes a loud, throaty roar.

"Having it in the flight line in the air show will be great. I'm sure it'll be a big draw."

Also making its debut at the airshow will be a Sopwith Triplane, another rare warbird based at Hood.

The event, held next Saturday, November 14, will include vintage vehicle rides for children from 1pm, before the air show kicks off at 2.30pm.

People will also have the chance to win a ride in an original World War 1 AVRO 504K, or a World War 2 P-40 Kittyhawk.