| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Aircraft | Yakovlev Yak-7B (Flugwerk reproduction, ZK-YKB) |
| Status | Only airworthy Yak-7B in the world |
| First Flight | March 26, 2026 — Omaka Aerodrome, Blenheim, NZ |
| Owner | Mike O’Rourke (New Zealand) |
| Restored By | JEM Aviation, Blenheim (Jay McIntyre) |
| Colours | Normandie-Niemen Free French fighter squadron |
| Airshow Debut | Warbirds Over Wanaka, April 3–5, 2026 |
On March 26, 2026, a sound not heard in eight decades filled the sky over Blenheim, New Zealand. A Yakovlev Yak-7B — the only airworthy example of its type on Earth — lifted off from Omaka Aerodrome wearing the colours of a Free French squadron that fought alongside the Soviet Union against Nazi Germany.
Days later, the aircraft made its public debut at Warbirds Over Wanaka, the legendary biennial airshow in the mountains of Otago. For the warbird community, this is more than a restoration milestone. It is a resurrection.
A Fighter That Won the Eastern Front
The Yak-7 entered service in 1942 during the most desperate phase of the Eastern Front. The Yak-7B variant was the definitive model: powered by a Klimov M-105PF inline engine, light, agile, and easy to fly — critical when the Soviet Union was training thousands of new pilots under wartime pressure. It carried a 20mm ShVAK cannon and a 12.7mm UBS machine gun.
Over 6,300 Yak-7s were built between 1941 and 1944. They bridged the gap between the Yak-1 and the legendary Yak-9, holding the line during 1942 and 1943 while more advanced types entered production. Without the Yak-7, the air war over Stalingrad and Kursk would have looked very different.
The Normandie-Niemen Connection
The colour scheme on this Yak-7B represents the Normandie-Niemen regiment — Free French volunteer pilots who flew Soviet aircraft on the Eastern Front from 1943 to 1945, earning 273 confirmed aerial victories. Owner Mike O’Rourke chose the scheme because his wife Chantal is French — a personal tribute woven into a historical one.
Seven Years to Fly Again
O’Rourke brought the aircraft to New Zealand in 2019 as a Flugwerk reproduction. Getting it to flying condition required years of work by Jay McIntyre and his team at JEM Aviation. The restoration went far beyond cosmetics — numerous upgrades transformed it from an average warbird to an outstanding flying machine. The historically accurate paint scheme was researched and applied by Marty Nicoll at JEM.
When ZK-YKB lifted off from Omaka, it was the culmination of seven years of work and the birth of the only Yak-7B flying anywhere in the world. At Wanaka it joins Spitfires, Mustangs, and Cold War jets — but nothing else on the field carries quite the same historical weight. The Eastern Front has come to the Southern Alps.
Sources: Warbirds Over Wanaka, Scramble Magazine, Vintage Aviation News
Related Questions
What was the Yakovlev Yak-7B?
The Yakovlev Yak-7B was a Soviet single-seat fighter of World War II, the definitive variant of the Yak-7 that entered service in 1942. Powered by a Klimov M-105PF inline engine, it was light, agile and easy to fly, carrying a 20mm ShVAK cannon and a 12.7mm UBS machine gun. It helped hold the line on the Eastern Front.
How many Yak-7 fighters were built?
Over 6,300 Yak-7s were built between 1941 and 1944. The type bridged the gap between the earlier Yak-1 and the legendary Yak-9, holding the line during 1942 and 1943 while more advanced fighters entered production. Without it, the air battles over Stalingrad and Kursk would have looked very different. Soviet pilots like Lydia Litvyak flew Yak fighters in this era.
Where is the only airworthy Yak-7B in the world?
The world's only airworthy Yak-7B is based in New Zealand. A Flugwerk reproduction registered ZK-YKB, owned by Mike O'Rourke and restored by Jay McIntyre's JEM Aviation in Blenheim, it first flew on 26 March 2026 from Omaka Aerodrome. It made its public debut at the Warbirds Over Wanaka airshow in April 2026.
What engine did the Yak-7B use?
The Yak-7B was powered by the Klimov M-105PF, a liquid-cooled V-12 inline engine. Combined with a light airframe, it made the fighter agile and forgiving to fly, a crucial advantage when the Soviet Union was rushing thousands of new pilots into service during the most desperate years of the Eastern Front.
What was the Normandie-Niemen squadron?
Normandie-Niemen was a Free French fighter squadron that fought on the Eastern Front alongside the Soviet Union against Nazi Germany, flying Soviet Yak fighters. The only airworthy Yak-7B wears its colours; owner Mike O'Rourke chose the scheme partly because his wife Chantal is French, weaving a personal tribute into a historical one.
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