The Wings Over New Zealand Show

Guest: David Berger

Hosts: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 11th of February 2026

Released: 14th of February 2026

Duration: 1 hour 53 seconds

In this Wings Over New Zealand Show “Flying Boat Month” episode Dave Homewood speaks with David Berger, who is an ex-pat British doctor who lives in Fernmount, NSW, in Australia, and works in Broome, in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. But he has a hangar at Omarama, Central Otago, and he spends a fair bit of time in this country flying his aeroplanes.

He owns a Piper Super Cub, a Cessna 185 and his beloved Republic Seabee which he based here in Omarama. David talks about the history of the Seabee, and what it is like to fly. He also tells some fascinating stories of flying long distance trips around the world in the Cessna, etc.

Quick Links:

• Republic Seabee

• Spencer Air Car

• The Franklin Engine Company

• SeaBear Aircraft

• Honoria Glossop

The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.

David Berger and his Republic Seabee, which carried the name “Honoria Glossop”

The Omarama hangar, with the Super Cub and the Seabee tucked up inside.

David’s Super Cub VH-YUP on a gravel bar in the South Island of New Zealand


David’s Cessna A185F N185MW, ‘Honey Bun 7’, seen here at Cameron Corner, Queensland in the Strzelecki Desert.

David’s sons Tom and Ed and some locals refuel the Cessna at Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, in the Solomon Islands. This was a major base for RNZAF Hudsons and Venturas in WWII.

Below are some of David’s videos of the Seabee operating from Lake Ohau

And here is the Blue Horizons movie that David spoke about in the episode

Guest: David Wilkinson, SAANZ President

Hosts: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 22nd of January 2026

Released: 8th of February 2026

Duration: 58 minutes 06 seconds

In this Wings Over New Zealand Show “Flying Boat Month” episode Dave Homewood speaks with David Wilkinson, who is President of the Sport Aircraft Association of New Zealand. He is also owner and pilot of a small fleet of aeroplanes, with his latest addition being a Taylor Coot flying boat that he has restored after it was close to becoming scrapped.

The Taylor Coot is a two-seat homebuilt amphibious aircraft designed by Moulton Taylor, who was famous for his flying car designs. David’s example, ZK-JST, was originally built in the 1980s by SAANZ stalwart and Life Member Alistair McLachlan, who had been an engineer in the Royal New Zealand Air Force and with Air New Zealand.

David talks about the history of the airframe and how he ended up acquiring it. He talks about the restoration process and the various upgrades he has made during the rebuild, including the installation of a bigger horsepower engine then before. And he talks about what it has been like to learn to fly the Coot, his first flying boat.

As well as the Coot, Dave also has his father Don’s Corby Starlet ZK-TOY, his Van’s RV-8, his Rihn DR-107 One Design, and a half share with Andrew Hope in the Pitts Special ZK-MPM.

The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.

Quick Links:

• Taylor Coot on Wikipedia

• Previous WONZ Show episode with David Wilkinson and Alistair McLachlan – WONZ 88

Photos below were taken by David Wilkinson unless specified.

Taylor Coot ZK-JST out and about after restoration by David Wilkinson, who took this photo.

David Wilkinson water taxiing his Taylor Coot on the Hauraki Gulf, Auckland. Photo from his GoPro.

Alistair McLachlan back in the Coot

Photo by Dave Homewood

Photo by Dave Homewood

Photo by Dave Homewood

David’s video of his Coot

Guest: Andy Love

Hosts: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 2nd of February 2026

Released: 2nd of February 2026

Duration:  44 minutes 58 seconds

In this episode Andy Love, air display coordinator of the upcoming Warbirds Over Wanaka 2026 International Airshow gives a rundown of what the public can expect to see, and he warns that tickets are selling out fast.

The three-day show over Easter Weekend – 3rd to 5th of April 2026 – is looking to be a very good one with some spectacular flying acts lined up. Easter Saturday is now fully sold out but there are still General Admission and Silver Pass tickets available for Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Get your tickets here!
https://www.warbirdsoverwanaka.com/httpswww-warbirdsoverwanaka-comairshow/tickets

Also selling fast are the bookings for the various aircraft rides available, so go to the links on this page to make your bookings:
https://www.warbirdsoverwanaka.com/flight-experience

Check out the line up here:
https://www.warbirdsoverwanaka.com/httpswww-warbirdsoverwanaka-comairshow/aircraft-confirmed

The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.

Guest: Paul Dalley, aka Seaplane Paul

Hosts: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 10th of January 2026

Released: 1st of February 2026

Duration: 3 hour 52 minutes 49 seconds

In this extra-length Wings Over New Zealand Show “Flying Boat Month” episode Dave Homewood speaks with Paul Dalley, who grew up with aviation around him thanks to his grandfather Ian Henry, a well-known propeller maker.

Paul talks about learning to fly, his adventures flying his Piper Cub in Japan while running a language school there, and flying air displays there with fellow Kiwi pilot Robert Fry and others. He talks about flying in Australia where he’d planned to buy a tourism flying business and how things changed. And flying in Papua New Guinea.

And then he ended up purchasing a Lake Buccaneer in New Zealand and he took it up to Vanuatu and achieved his lifelong dream of becoming a flying boat pilot in the Pacific, just like Jake Cutter in one of his favourite childhood television shows, Tales of the Gold Monkey, and the 1992 film Porco Rosso.

Paul has some wonderful adventure stories and ells of some seriously scary moments in the air, in Japan and in the Pacific. He has real insight into the joys of flight too. So sit back and listen to the stories of Seaplane Paul.

Above: The golden sands of a tropical Pacific beach, and Paul Dalley’s Lake Buccaneer flying boat.

Paul Dalley

Paul with his Piper Super Cub in Japan.

Top: Stephen Collins as Jake Cutter with Jack (played by Leo the Dog) in the 1982-82 American television series Tales of the Gold Monkey. Bottom: Jake’s classic Grumman flying boat, Cutter’s Goose. The series was a huge inspiration for Paul that led to his fulfilment of a childhood dream of flying his own flying boat on island adventures in the South Pacific.

Tales of the Kiwi Buccaneer

Paul’s Lake Buccaneer photographed by Peter Lewis.

Paul with Meredith Caisley, left, and Peter Lewis, right, during their Vanuatu vacation flight. Photo Peter Lewis.

More recently when Paul returned to New Zealand and flew for Auckland Seaplanes. He now lives in Picton.

The trailer for the 1992 film Porco Rosso, which Paul discusses.

Guest: Mark Hillier

Hosts: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 6th of January 2026

Released: 13th of January 2026

Duration: 1 hour 33 minutes 35 seconds

In this Wings Over New Zealand Show episode Dave Homewood speaks with Mark Hillier, who is a recreational pilot, a historian, an author and he is Head of Operations at Spitfires.com, the adventure rides company based at Goodwood Aerodrome, Westhampnett, in West Sussex, UK.

Mark discusses his background in aviation, and talks about Spitfires.com and their fleet of aircraft. That includes three two-seaters plus the Silver Spitfire that flew around the world. He also talks about his passion for aviation history, the many books hat he has written, and the veterans he has met along the way.

And he talks about his close connection to the late RAF groundcrew veteran Joe Roddis, who served on No. 485 (NZ) Squadron through that unit’s whole existence. No. 485 (NZ) Squadron’s time based at Westhampnett is also detailed, and also a little history of other squadrons based there and at the nearby RAF Tangmere, which Westhampnett was a satellite airfield to.

Quick Links:

• Mark Hiller’s website

• Spitfires.com

• Mark’s books on Amazon

• Mark’s books at Pen and Sword

• Goodwood Aerodrome (Formerly RAF Westhampnett)

• RAF Westhampnett on Wikipedia

Above Left: The late Joe Roddis. Centre: The book by Joe and Mark. Right: Mark with his RAF Tangmere 100 Objects book.

The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.