AIRCRAFT LINEUP

Expect a blockbuster program featuring one of the biggest lineups of historic warbirds and aerobatics in the Southern Hemisphere, including…

Australia’s largest display of Supermarine Spitfires since WWII
Multiple P-51 and CA-18 Mustangs
World-class aerobatics from the Paul Bennet Airshows Team, featuring solo displays and the Sky Aces Formation Team
Multiple P-40 Kittyhawks
The world’s only flying F4U-1D Corsair
Australia’s only flying de Havilland T55 Vampire
Australia’s only flying Hawker Sea Fury “Southern Cross”
BAC Strikemaster
Grumman TBF Avenger
Multiple T-28 Trojans
Pilatus PC-9
T6 Harvard and CAC Wirraway
An incredible array of static aircraft and ex-military fighter jets including an Amermacchi MB-326 ‘Macchi’, Dassault Mirage IIIO, MiG-17F, Hawker Hunter and more.
Gorgeous old-school favourites include Tiger Moths, a WWI-era Bristol F.2B Fighter and Boeing Stearman.
Heritage RAAF trainers including the PAC CT-4 and CA-25 Winjeel.
Jump on-board a Yakovlev Yak-52 and enjoy a thrilling aerobatic adventure flight at the show!
RAAF and Defence Australia have historically shown strong support for the event with F-35 flypasts and formation displays including the RAAF Roulettes**

*Aircraft participation can vary due to maintenance, weather and operational considerations.

**RAAF/Defence participation is subject to maintenance/operational requirements and typically not confirmed until closer to the event date.

WARBIRD HEAVEN

DE HAVILLAND VAMPIRE

The de Havilland Vampire is a Cold War-era classic powered by a single Goblin turbojet engine, capable of reaching speeds over 885 km/h (550 mph).

With its distinctive twin-boom tail and smooth, futuristic silhouette, the Vampire was a revolutionary leap into the jet age when it first flew in 1943.

Originally designed as a frontline interceptor, the Vampire went on to serve in more than 30 air forces around the world – including the Royal Australian Air Force, where it was the first jet aircraft operated by the RAAF.

VOUGHT F4U-1D CORSAIR

Prepare for the unmistakable roar and bent-wing silhouette of one of WWII’s most feared naval fighters — the F4U-1D Corsair.

Powered by a mighty 2,000hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engine, this gull-winged beast could tear through the skies at over 710 km/h (440 mph) and dive with lethal precision. The -1D model was the first Corsair variant fully cleared for aircraft carrier operations, boasting enhanced firepower and payload capacity for air-to-ground strikes.

This particular aircraft, VH-NQW, is more than just a warbird — it’s a living combat veteran. The world’s only airworthy F4U-1D, she flew from the decks of the USS Intrepid and saw action during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945 — one of the final and fiercest campaigns of the Pacific theatre.

HAWKER SEA FURY

Turn up the volume for one of the most powerful and awe-inspiring warbirds on the circuit – the Hawker Sea Fury FB.11, now flying in Australia once again as “Southern Cross”. VH-HPB is currently the only airworthy Sea Fury in the country and a spectacle to experience live.

Originally built for the Iraqi Air Force in 1953, this aircraft served in active military service before being imported to the United States in the late 1970s. It gained fame on the international airshow and Reno Air Racing circuit under the name “Sawbones”, where it was extensively modified for speed and performance. Now restored and renamed “Southern Cross”, the aircraft pays tribute to its former identity on the Australian airshow scene.

While the original Sea Fury’s were powered by the Bristol Centaurus engine, this example packs a punch with a 3,050 hp Curtiss-Wright R-3350-26 radial engine — a twin-row, 18-cylinder beast better known for powering bombers like the B-29 Superfortress. Combined with its sleek, naval-optimised design, the Sea Fury was – and still is – an absolute speed demon.

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P-51D-30 MUSTANG

Merlin thunder and Mustang grace. VH-TF8 is a freshly arrived P-51D now based at Scone with Pays Aviation, having crossed the Tasman in late 2024 after years flying in New Zealand as ZK-TAF.

Powered by a Packard-built Merlin V-1650-7, the D-model delivers classic Mustang performance – around 700 km/h flat-out, sharp roll response and that unmistakable V-12 snarl.

Did you know? This airframe’s ferry route to Australia – Kerikeri to Norfolk Island to Gold Coast, then on to Scone – echoes the long-range pedigree that made the Mustang famous.

Photographer: Gavin Conroy

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P-51D-30NT MUSTANG

A razor-sleek laminar wing, bubble canopy, and a V-12 that sings – VH-FST is set to bring the classic P-51D silhouette to life over the skies of the Upper Hunter.

Driven by a Packard-built Merlin V-1650 and a four-blade Hamilton Standard prop, this Mustang sprints to around 700 km/h and carves crisp aerobatics that show why the D-model set the benchmark for WWII fighters. Based at Archerfield QLD, “The Flying Undertaker” is a crowd favourite for its spine-tingling supercharger whine and the signature “howl” on high-speed passes.

Did you know? The “NT” in P-51D-30NT marks it as a Dallas-built airframe (North American—Texas), a late-block production Mustang with the definitive bubble canopy and six .50-cal Brownings in wartime trim.

Photographer: Andrew Cunningham

P-51D-20 MUSTANG

A Mustang with heritage on full display, VH-LUI wears the striking “Dove of Peace” wartime scheme of the 353rd Fighter Group. A late-block P-51D-20NT variant, this Mustang was restored to immaculate flying condition and is based in Victoria with warbird operator Doug Hamilton.

In classic D-model trim it’s powered by the Packard V-1650-7 Merlin and good for roughly 700 km/h (≈435–440 mph), showcasing the laminar-flow wing and bubble canopy that made the Mustang a legend.

Did you know? The 353rd’s bold yellow-and-check livery wasn’t just for style—fast visual ID helped formation leaders and ground crews keep tabs on their Mustangs in the melee over Europe.

Photographer: Duncan Fenn

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SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE F MK.IX

Experience one of the most famous aircraft of all time. The Spitfire Mk IX married the iconic elliptical wing to a Rolls-Royce Merlin 60-series engine, pushing this thoroughbred to roughly 655–660 km/h and giving Allied pilots the edge against the FW 190.

MH603 was built in 1943 and now flies again after a meticulous, down-to-the-last-rivet restoration at Vintage Fighter Restorations, Scone. She wears the wartime markings of 331 (Norwegian) Squadron, RAF – a faithful nod to her operational service.

Did you know? MH603 made her first post-restoration flight at Scone on 11 December 2021, her first time airborne since the 1950s. A living slice of WWII history, rebuilt in the Upper Hunter.

Photographer: Gavin Conroy

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SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE MK.IX

Elliptical wings, Merlin thunder – the Spitfire Mk IX is WWII elegance with bite. Powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin 66 V-12 (~1,700 hp), VH-RAF delivers classic Spitfire performance: a top speed around 655 km/h (409 mph), razor-sharp roll response and a climb that seems to go on forever. This airframe wears the striking Czechoslovak Air Force “JT-10” markings that it carried post-war, bringing a unique chapter of Spitfire history to Australian skies from its Archerfield, QLD base.

Did you know? The Mk IX began as a rapid upgrade to counter the Fw 190, yet proved so successful it became one of the most numerous and best-loved Spitfire variants – many, like “JT-10,” later served with European air arms before finding new lives with restorers and warbird operators worldwide.

Photographer: Gavin Conroy

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SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE MK.VIII

The Spitfire Mk VIII was a refined, long-legged development of the Mk IX, built for tropical theatres with a retractable tailwheel and strengthened airframe. VH-A58 carries the celebrated markings of A58-484, flown by Australia’s top WWII ace Clive Caldwell. Powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin (≈1,700 hp), the Mk VIII delivers classic Spitfire performance: top speed around 655 km/h (≈409 mph), blistering climb, and razor-sharp roll response. In period trim it packed 2× 20 mm Hispano cannon plus .303/.50 machine guns – elegance with real bite.

Did you know? The Mk VIII skipped Royal Air Force service at home and went straight to overseas squadrons – making it the Spitfire most associated with RAAF operations in the SW Pacific and Northern Australia.

Photographer: Andrew Cunningham

NORTH AMERICA T-28 TROJAN

With its throaty radial roar and clean, muscular lines, the T-28 Trojan is a crowd favourite wherever it flies. Designed as a trainer for the U.S. Air Force and Navy in the 1950s, this rugged warbird quickly proved itself in combat roles during the Vietnam War and various conflicts across Southeast Asia and Latin America.

Powered by a 1,425 hp Wright R-1820 Cyclone radial engine, the T-28 can reach speeds over 540 km/h (340 mph) and is renowned for its agility, power, and reliability — making it a favourite among warbird pilots and collectors.

CAC WIRRAWAY

The CAC Wirraway is a proud symbol of Australian aviation history — a locally built military trainer that also saw combat in the early days of World War II. Developed by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation, the Wirraway was based on the North American NA-16 design and became the RAAF’s go-to training aircraft from 1939 through to the 1950s.

Powered by a 600 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1340 radial engine, the Wirraway cruised at around 350 km/h (220 mph) and trained generations of Australian aircrew for front-line service. But this warbird wasn’t just for training — a handful of Wirraways were pressed into combat in New Guinea, even scoring what is believed to be the first RAAF air-to-air kill of the Pacific War.

Did you know? The name Wirraway means “challenge” in the Wiradjuri language — a fitting title for an aircraft that helped prepare young Aussie pilots for the skies of war.

GRUMMAN TBF AVENGER

Big, bold, and built for battle — the Grumman TBF Avenger was the heaviest single-engine aircraft of World War II and one of the most effective torpedo bombers of the era. Powered by a 1,900 hp Wright R-2600 radial engine, the Avenger could reach speeds over 440 km/h (270 mph) while carrying a devastating payload of torpedoes or bombs beneath its broad wings.

Introduced in 1942, Avengers flew from aircraft carriers across the Pacific and Atlantic, playing a key role in major battles like Midway and the Philippines. With a crew of three, a defensive turret, and robust armour, the Avenger was known for its survivability and impact.

YAKOVLEV YAK-52

Strap in for some serious G-force! The Yakovlev Yak-52 is a rugged, Soviet-designed aerobatic trainer built to prepare pilots for high-performance combat aircraft.

Introduced in the 1970s and still flown by military and civilian pilots worldwide, the Yak-52 is renowned for its precision, durability, and blistering agility.
Powered by a 360 hp Vedeneyev M14P nine-cylinder radial engine, this nimble warbird can hit speeds over 280 km/h (175 mph) and pull up to +7/-5 Gs, making it a favourite on the airshow circuit.
Did you know? You don’t just have to watch the Yak-52 fly — you can book your own aerobatic adventure flight at Warbirds Over Scone and experience loops, rolls and dives first-hand with a professional pilot!

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CESSNA O-2 SKYMASTER

With its unusual push-pull twin-engine layout and distinctive twin boom tail, the Cessna O-2 Skymaster stands out at any airshow – and for good reason. Designed as a military adaptation of the civilian Cessna 337, the O-2 was used extensively during the Vietnam War in forward air control, reconnaissance, and psychological operations roles

Equipped with two Continental IO-360 engines — one pulling, one pushing — the O-2 offered excellent visibility, reliability, and low-speed handling, perfect for spotting targets and directing fast jets onto enemy positions. Its top speed was around 370 km/h (230 mph), and it could loiter for hours over the battlefield.

Did you know? The O-2 was often nicknamed “Oscar Deuce” by U.S. forces and was used to broadcast propaganda messages and drop leaflets over enemy territory using loudspeakers mounted on the fuselage.

NORTH AMERICAN T-6G HARVARD

The North American Aviation T-6 Harvard is a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft that was used to train pilots in the US Air Force and Navy, since the 1930’s.

The Harvard displayed at Hunter Warbirds was manufactured by North American at Dallas, Texas, USA in 1941 and spent WWII as a training aircraft with the US Air Force.

While in the US the Harvard received several awards for the quality of its restoration. A former Oshkosh award winner, she was acquired by Col Pay at Scone in 1984.

The Harvard is a flying exhibit, displayed in a stunning bare metal USAAC Moffat Field Naval colour scheme.

Photographer: Jack Arthur

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CURTISS P40E KITTYHAWK

Feel the snarl of the Allison V-12 live and loud at Warbirds Over Scone. Built in 1942, this P-40E began life earmarked for the RAF as ET433, was diverted to the U.S. Army’s 68th Pursuit Squadron in Tonga, then transferred to the RNZAF as NZ3094. Decades later it was rescued and meticulously rebuilt at Scone – including an Allison V-1710 overhaul – returning to flight in 2004 under the care of Col Pay and Pays Aviation.

Today it’s finished as 3 Squadron RAAF “CV-V”, paying tribute to legendary Wing Commander Bobby Gibbes and continues to inspire and impress audiences at airshows around Australia.

Photographer: Duncan Fenn

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CURTISS P40N KITTYHAWK

Shark-mouth grin, V-12 growl – the P-40N Kittyhawk is all muscle. Powered by the liquid-cooled Allison V-1710 V-12, VH-ZOC delivers classic Kittyhawk performance with a top speed around 580-590 km/h (360-365 mph) and that unmistakable warbird presence. This airframe began life as RNZAF NZ3125, serving with No. 2 Operational Training Unit before post-war storage at Rukuhia. Rebuilt to flying condition by Pioneer Aero in New Zealand, it was imported to Australia and is now operated by Allan Arthur / Arthur Aero, often seen in a period RAF 112 Squadron “shark” scheme.

Did you know? Many RNZAF Kittyhawks were mothballed in the famous Rukuhia “boneyard” after WWII – VH-ZOC is one of the lucky survivors brought back to fly again over Australian skies.

Photographer: Duncan Fenn

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PILATUS PC-9

Sleek, fast and razor-precise, the Pilatus PC-9 is a turboprop trainer with fighter-like handling. Driven by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-62 producing around 1,150hp, the PC-9 sprints to roughly 590 km/h (320 kt), climbs hard, and happily dances through +7/-3.5 G aerobatics.

Australia knows this machine well – the RAAF PC-9 trained generations of pilots and thrilled crowds as the aircraft of choice for the Air Force Roulettes for decades. Expect crisp rolls, towering verticals and that distinctive turbine whistle.

Did you know? The PC-9’s advanced cockpit and performance were so effective that it bridged the gap between basic training and fast-jet conversion for nearly 30 years in RAAF service before the current PC-21 took over.

Photographer: Gavin Conroy

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CESSNA A-37 DRAGONFLY

Compact, tough, and loaded for bear, the A-37 Dragonfly -nicknamed the “Super Tweet” was Cessna’s jet-powered answer to the Vietnam-era close air support mission. Developed from the T-37 trainer, it packs two GE J85-GE-17A turbojets and can sprint to around 815 km/h (505-510 mph) while loitering low and slow when the troops needed it most.

Built for the COIN role, the A-37 carried up to 3,000 lb of bombs, rockets and missiles on eight hardpoints and proved highly accurate and dependable in thousands of combat sorties.

Did you know? The Dragonfly mounts a 7.62 mm GAU-2B/A Minigun in the nose with 1,500 rounds – a fierce bite for such a small jet.

Photographer: Ryan Imeson

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BAC STRIKEMASTER

Purpose-built for bite, the BAC Strikemaster is a combat-tough evolution of the Jet Provost trainer-armoured cockpit, hard-points under the wings, and that unmistakable Rolls-Royce Viper whistle.

Pushed by roughly 3,400 lbf of thrust, it zips to about 770 km/h (480 mph), turns on a dime, and shows off precision aerobatics between low-level attack passes.

Designed for the light-attack/COIN role, it could carry rockets, bombs and gun pods while staying simple and reliable for frontline crews.

Did you know? Strikemasters served with more than ten air arms – from New Zealand to Oman – where they earned a reputation for ruggedness and pinpoint handling at low level.

Photographer: Ryan Imeson

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BRISTOL F.2B FIGHTER

The Bristol F.2B was first flown in 1916 and was designed to operate as a two-seat fighter in World War 1 in the Middle East. The original aircraft was at one stage flown by Captain Ross Smith, who flew as Lawrence of Arabia’s pilot on several occasions.

The Bristol on display is a replica of B1229 of No1 Squadron Australian Flying Corps which was a “presentation” aircraft purchased from a donation of £2700 by the Macintyre Kayuga Estate, in the Hunter Valley NSW.

The Bristol F.2B fighter was donated to Hunter Fighter Collection Inc. and is a flying exhibit at Hunter Warbirds, with a colour scheme to commemorate its Hunter Valley connection.

Photographer: Ryan Imeson

BOEING STEARMAN MODEL 75

Wind in your face, fabric wings singing – the Boeing Stearman Model 75 is the quintessential open-cockpit biplane trainer of WWII. Built tough to turn raw recruits into pilots, the Stearman features tandem seating, sturdy fixed gear and a burbling 220 hp Continental R-670 radial (many later fitted with higher-power radials).

Expect unhurried grace and big-sky swagger: a top speed around 200 km/h (124 mph) with delightfully crisp rolls and lazy eights that showcase classic stick-and-rudder flying.

Did you know? Known as the “Kaydet” in U.S. service (and N2S with the Navy), more than 8,000 were built – thousands went on to post-war lives as barnstormers and crop dusters, keeping this timeless biplane a crowd favourite to this day.

Photographer: Jack Arthur