New Zealand's first military air base celebrated 100 years of aviation in this country on Saturday but some of the tributes in the air were cancelled because of dismal weather.
The New Zealand Permanent Air Force started in June 1923, later becoming the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
The Defence Force's NH90s were showing off to the hundreds of people who came to Wigram in Christchurch on Saturday.
"Our whole reason for being is to talk about NZ's aviation story," Air Force Museum director Brett Marshall said. "We couldn't let it go by without actually saying this is where it actually started."
Young and old came to Wigram to watch the celebration.
"I just want to support the Royal New Zealand Air Force and the Defence Force as they have been protecting this country and helping others," a young kid told Newshub.
In the crowd were aspiring fighter pilots, aspiring influencers and Air Force cadets in training
"I joined up because my mum made me but I've loved it ever since," one teenager told Newshub.
The New Zealand government bought a large portion of the airfield in Wigram in 1923 from visionary Christchurch businessman and politician Sir Henry Wigram at a heavily discounted price. They named the airfield Wigram in his honour.
"It ended up being a deal too good to refuse where he gave the land, buildings and aircraft," Marshall said.
Air Force Chief Andrew Clark said Sir Henry was "quite a foresighted guy, he can see what's coming along the track".
One hundred years ago there were 12 people in the airforce, in 1937 that swelled to around 200 and then came World War II.
"Within just seven years there are 42,000 New Zealanders in uniform," Clark said.
Now, there are about 2500 people in the Air Force.
The grand six-plane flyover planned for Saturday was cancelled at the last minute because of the weather.
"A hundred years of military aviation and we're still working on controlling the weather, we've failed that today," Clark said.
