About UsClassic Wings was created in 1994 as the culmination of many years of wanting to see a vintage/warbird magazine that was created for owners, restorers, pilots as well as enthusiasts of these machines, by people who are themselves participants at all levels of these activities. The Classic Wings team is comprised of people with all of these involvements. Furthermore, a major quest for us has been to help readers who would like to make the move 'from 'spectator to participant'. We have developed a range of initiatives to meet this objective and are pleased to be able to boast numerous owners/operators and restorers of vintage or warbird aircraft who had never believed they could become actively involved in vintage aviation before we showed them the way. This is a win-win growth strategy for heritage aviation - great for the individual, great for those still preferring to remain spectators (as they have more to see) and great for the movement as a whole for it is growth that is most needed to keep things exciting and alive in this fascinating arena! It was also the goal from the beginning to produce a magazine of very high print and paper quality, and one which focusses on the amazing range of positive initiatives taking place around the world to bring heritage aircraft of all types back to airworthiness, sometimes even from complete extinction! Graham Orphan - Publisher / Editor
Graham subsequently married Jane, moved to Sydney and worked there for three years during which he built a Grunau Baby glider on contract to friends, and restored another Tiger Moth to an advanced state before moving to New Zealand for an intended one year stay. That stay was delayed and so another Tiger project was undertaken, being completed in 1998. During this time, Graham became deeply involved with the local aviation community at Omaka, establishing the Marlborough Warbirds Assoc. and a syndicate to jointly operate a Nanchang CJ-6a. A Harvard was successfully bid for from the South African Air Force and this also formed the basis of a syndicate, this time in Christchurch. In the middle of all this activity, Graham and wife Jane decided to create 'Classic Wings Downunder' magazine and this was launched over Easter 1994. The magazine in turn helped to publicise some of the Omaka activities, most notably fly-ins that grew to become the Classic Fighters Airshow. The first CF event took place in 2001 and the event has run biennially ever since, developing into a major event on the world airshow calendar and hailed for its uniqueness and innovation. Graham has served in numerous roles since the first show, always including manning the P.A. system for the event. For the 2011 event, Graham served as Chairman of the Organising Committee. Also stemming from Omaka based activities in the mid-1990's, was the New Zealand Aviation Museum Trust which worked hard to develop an aviation display for Omaka. This opened as the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre in December 2006. Remaining as a Trustee of this organisation, it has actually been wife Jane who has been in the driving seat as CEO since 2006. Graham's own aircraft passions have seen him own numerous aircraft over many years and he and Jane currently operate an Aeronca Champ, a Fleet 16B, a replica Nieuport 11 and a 450hp Stearman three-seater which serves as a joyflight platform. The Classic Wings hangar is also home to some significant project aircraft including Lincoln Ellsworth's famous Polar exploring Aeronca 'K'; a Fairchild F-24W previously owned by British F-1 race car champion Mike Hawthorn and a former RAAF P-40K-10 Kittyhawk that is known to have achieved at least one aerial victory (against a Betty bomber) in the war in the Pacific. Clearly, more fun times are planned in the months and years ahead in the CW hangar! Dave McDonald - Deputy Editor
Whilst Dave is usually found in his office upstairs at the CW hangar, he is just as happy to be called downstairs to assist on any of the aircraft being restored in the hangar and likewise, is happy to be airborne when there is a seat available in a vintage or warbird aircraft. He is also just as happy researching or networking to support a restoration project, as he is sourcing information for a story in the magazine. Like the rest of the team, Dave puts a considerable amount of time and effort into supporting the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre and the Classic Fighters Airshow. He has undertaken significant research and writing for the aircraft displays at the AHC and helps produce the highly prized souvenir catalogue for the Classic Fighters Airshow. James Orphan - Graphic Design / Photographic
Jane Orphan - Layout / Designer
Jane's role as CEO of the Omaka AHC has meant that she has had to step back from most of her roles at Classic Wings magazine with the exception of the layout & design portfolio which she undertakes mostly in the evenings. Jane has a broad knowledge of WW-I aviation history after studying the subject for many years, and has visited many of the world's important aviation museums as well as significant WW-I sites in France and Belgium. She has also been deeply involved in establishing the very successful Classic Fighters Airshows starting with the first in 2001, and continues to play a pivotal role in the running of the event. With husband/Editor Graham, she co-owns a variety of heritage type aircraft based at Omaka. Gavin Conroy - Photographer
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