Royal tour: Duke of Cambridge plays fighter ace as Duchess looks on

Описание: The Duke of Cambridge jumps into a replica of a British World War One bi-plane as he and the Duchess tour the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre in Blenheim, New Zealand.

The Duke of Cambridge played at being a First World War fighter ace when he got the chance to see some historic aircraft from a bygone era.

Prince William clambered into the cockpit of a replica British bi-plane and looked down Its machine gun sight as the Duchess of Cambridge watched.

The royal couple were visiting the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre in Blenheim, New Zealand, and toured the Knights of The Sky exhibition - Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson's display of First World War aircraft.

Outside the tourist attraction a number of planes were lined up on the grass from the First and Second World Wars and the royal couple were led over to the aircraft.

Prince William, 31, was invited to climb into a German Fokker tri-plane but turned down the chance out of patriotism, saying: "I'm not climbing into a German plane but I'll get into that Sopwith."

The royal couple headed to a replica Sopwith Pup, a bi-plane that would have been flown by British pilots during the Great War.

Built in the 1960s it was designed to look like the plane used by New Zealand flying ace Malcolm McGregor, awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and bar and credited with downing 10 enemy aircraft and an observation balloon.

Prince William climbed on to the wing and as he swung a leg over to squeeze himself into the small cockpit, the nearby dignitaries laughed.

Peter Jackson, who had shown the royal couple his collection of planes and memorabilia from wartime pilots filmed everything on his smartphone.



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