Winnie’s Journey: From Warbird to Joy Flights in Bunbury
Every vintage aircraft carries a story, but few are as remarkable -or as mysterious- as our Boeing Stearman "Winnie". At more than 80 years old, Winnie has lived several lives: as a World War II trainer, a crop duster in the years after the war, a joy-flight favourite at New Zealand’s Omaka Airfield, and now, Bunbury’s very own flying time machine.
Wartime Beginnings
Over 10,000 Boeing Stearmans were built in the USA during World War II. Designed to be tough, forgiving, and dependable, they introduced young pilots to the sky before they moved on to faster and more dangerous fighters and bombers. Winnie was one of these trainers -a first taste of flight for countless servicemen.
The Missing Years
Like many vintage aircraft, Winnie’s story has gaps. There are chapters of her life we can only guess at—years where no clear records exist, and her exact path is unknown. What we do know is that after her military service, she was converted into a crop duster. The proof is in her upgraded 450hp engine and distinctive exhaust placement, a modification unique to aircraft that worked the fields. It’s a detail that confirms at least part of her missing past, even if we’ll never know the full story.
Across the Pacific to New Zealand
What we do know for certain is that by 2011, Winnie was shipped from California to New Zealand. After careful checks and assembly, she was ready for a fresh start at Omaka Airfield, a world-renowned hub for historic warbirds.
At Omaka, Winnie was configured with a rare three-seat layout—two seats up front for passengers, and one for the pilot. Painted in her “529” markings, taken from her U.S. registration, she thrilled visitors with joy flights, offering couples, families, and friends the chance to experience open-cockpit flying together.
A New Life in Bunbury
Today, at over eight decades old, Winnie has found her forever home with us at Open Air Adventure Flights in Bunbury. Though her logbooks may be incomplete and parts of her life story lost, her wings still carry the spirit of every chapter -war, work, and wonder.
From trainer, to crop duster, to joy flights, Winnie is more than just an aircraft. She’s living history, roaring back to life each time her engine fires up, ready to give a new generation the thrill of vintage aviation.
