Omaka Recounts

Omaka

By Ayla

Last friday we went to Omaka. We were going because we are learning about the history of flight. We all went in different cars.

First we went outside to look at some World War 2 airplanes. Mr Orchard told us one of the planes could fit two cars inside. Then he told us about planes with one layer of wings (monoplane) two layers of wings (biplane) and three layers of wings(triplanes). He told us that they were building a World War two exhibit at the back.

Next we went inside. At the first exhibit he told us that  Peter Jackson bought most of the planes. Then he told us that one of the exhibits weighed the exact same as a courier bus.Then we went to the next part of the room. He told us that the germans had a machine called an interrupter. That meant that they could have a machine gun on the front and it wouldn't hit the propeller. So when they shoot it would not hit the propeller.

The next room we went in was the Red Baron. Mr Orchard told us that he shot down 80 planes. Then we walked over to a glass case and saw lots of cups. Mr Orchard told us that when the Red Baron shot a plane he bought a cup and that Peter Jackson had bought 4 of them. Peter Jackson also bought the real cross on the Red Baron's plane and he also bought the Red Baron's hankie!

I thought omaka was an amazing learning experience. If you want more info then go see for yourself!   

Omaka Airfield

By Sylvie.    

Last Friday Room 18 went to Omaka Airfield. We went because we are studying flight this term.

When we arrived Mr Orchard talked to us about the planes outside the museum. There were biplanes (Two sets of wings) and mono planes (one set of wings) . We saw fighter planes, cargo planes and flying bombs. The cargo planes could fit two or three cars in them! I thought the flying bombs were amazing. They didn't have a pilot and when they landed they exploded!

A short while later we went inside to the museum and Mr Orchard talked to us about the different exhibits. Some of the planes had flown before and they still had oil dripping from the tank! The germans had invented a very clever contraption called an interrupter so when they shot, a signal went to the propeller and it moved out of the way before the bullet fired.  

Next we saw an exhibit about the Red Baron. The Red Baron shot down 80 planes and was a fighter ace. He was shot down by a group of soldiers on the ground. When the plane had been shot the group of soldiers took parts of the plane as souvenirs for after the war. Peter Jackson had given the museum a few of the red baron’s trophies and his handkerchief. The Red Baron’s real name was Manfred Von Richthofen.

I thought Omaka airfield was an awesome museum and it was an amazing trip.