Warbird Information Exchange

Picton was the scene of a military invasion yesterday, the first of many, those behind the incursion say. Residents and visitors may have been shocked to see an 88mm Flak 37 German artillery gun roll off a Bluebridge Cook Strait ferry, loaded onto a Simcox Construction flat bed truck and driven to Blenheim.The arrival of the seven-tonne World War II anti-aircraft and anti-tank gun is just the first of several items of vintage military memorabilia on their way to Marlborough for next month's Classic Fighters Airshow at Omaka.Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre chief executive Jane Orphan said the anti-aircraft gun was used by the German forces during WWII, particularly in North Africa, and would have been a formidable weapon."You wouldn't want to see that in front of you."The gun, believed to be the only one of its kind in New Zealand, is owned by film-maker Peter Jackson's aircraft restoration and manufacturing company The Vintage Aviator. No-one from the company could be contacted for comment yesterday.Mrs Orphan said the gun was the first of several items of military memorabilia due to be shipped to Picton for the airshow."We've got stuff coming from around the country," she said.Bluebridge spokeswoman Wendy Pannett said Bluebridge were shipping the memorabilia, including the artillery gun, for free as part of its sponsorship of the airshow's WWII scenarios.

The gun was carefully manoeuvered onto the back of a Simcox Construction truck, which company owner Ian Simcox said was also provided free.A keen aviator, Mr Simcox said the free lift for the massive gun was his way of allowing Marlborough to see this piece of aviation history.He said Simcox had transported other aviation pieces in the past.