May 2025 - Western North America
My first month will largely be used to visit museums, air bases and the “Sidewinder” canyon. Additionally, I will be looking to eat at the “Top Gun” bar in San Diego, track down an In-N-Out Burger, visit the Hoover Dam / Grand Canyon, and explore the Seattle Underground and sites of “Grunge” folklore.
June 2025 - United Kingdom and Europe
In early June, I will then move to the United Kingdom briefly to attend a couple of airshows, prior to starting a “patrol” of Europe. Outside of the activities shown by the animation, I will be looking to visit some other battlefields, and areas of cultural significance. It will be a quick trip, given that I need to be back in Southern England on 12 July.
July 2025 - Europe and United Kingdom
Picking up in Germany, I will continue my patrol towards the Low Countries where I will be looking at also visit some WW1 and WW2 battlefields of NZ significance and interest. I will then head back to Blighty ready for a Battle of Britain Air-to-Air photo shoot where I’ll be looking forward to sharing the sky with some beautiful planes. I will then look to continue my patrol through England and Wales, attending both the Air Tattoo at Fairford, and the Mach Loop in Wales.
August 2025 - North-East, Mid-West and Southern USA
In August, I expect to fly into Boston to explore this historic city, and to start the final phase of my travels. I will move from Massachusetts through upstate New York (for the NASCAR race in Watkins Glen - go SVG!) and then move into Ontario prior to turning south and conducting a zig-zag through the Mid-West states toward Texas. I will end the month in Nashville at the Indycar final in Nashville (go the Scottys!).
September 2025 - South and Eastern US
My final full month will see me drive south to Texas, and then across the Southern coast and into Florida. After visiting Fantasy of Flight and the JFK Space Centre (both bucket list items), I’ll move north, again conducting a zig-zag through the Eastern states towards the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia, ending the month with visits to both National museums for the USMC and US Army.
Oct 2025 - Northeast US, Minnesota and Colorado
To finish up my tour, I will visit the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar Hazy facility, Gettysburg and then fly out to Minnesota to visit the Fagen Fighters collection, and then down to Colorado. After that, I will fly home to New Zealand, and will be lookiing to head out to Australia for the Warbirds Downunder airshow, if funds stretch that far.