What we now know as the bustling classic aircraft museum in Mount Maunganui was once just an idea in pilot Andrew Gormlie’s head 21 years ago, when he still had a head of hair.

“A group of us got together because we were collecting and beginning to own old aircraft and artefacts like engines, clothing and helmets,” said the Mount Maunganui businessman.

He pitched the idea to a group of 50 fellow aircraft collectors, and the idea developed.

A year later, the brainchild took flight, and as years went by, 50 members soon turned into 3500, and the double building site turned into a five-building complex.

The early days of the Classic Flyers aircraft museum. Photo / supplied

Gormlie said that when it all began, he often thought about what the museum would be like in the next 20 years.

According to the museum’s marketing manager, Corey Tyler, “Classic Flyers began with an effort to preserve a 1940s hangar at Tauranga Airfield.

“Though the hangar couldn’t be saved, the project evolved into building a purpose-built aviation museum, officially opening on May 28, 2005, with a major airshow.”

Since then, Tyler said, the facility had hosted several airshows, with crowds of 20,000 people across a weekend. They’d since had to shrink numbers to between 5000 and 10,000, he said.

The early days of the Classic Flyers aircraft museum. Photo / supplied

Gormlie said another reason for the more recent growth at Classic Flyers could be attributed to the student training. “We see a lot of kids now. Youth training has been a slow burn, but it’s a really cool thing.

“It gives you a cool feeling to sit down the back of the airliner and go: ‘Well, that boy there used to wash my aeroplane, and he’s a grown man now’.”

Gormlie said none of it would have been possible without the volunteers who’d helped build displays, kept up with maintenance and hosted events to help the museum take off.

The Pitts Special S-1C at Classic Flyers aircraft museum in Mount Maunganui. Photo / Brydie Thompson

“The whole place is about the volunteer and community spirit. They give a lot of time and energy and expertise to the place.”

Another key aspect that had helped the museum had been the financial support from the community. “We’re lucky enough, fortunate enough, to get small grants all the time throughout the year from people.”

About 10-12 years ago, “a lovely friend” donated around $260,000 from his deceased estate to the museum. “He didn’t have any family. He had a fair bit of stuff, and we just happened to be one of them. He really liked us, and we liked him.”

Ross Brown, Andrew Gormlie, Cory Tyler, Angus Cook and Harry Needler in front of the North American AT6 Texan (Harvard). Photo / Brydie Thompson

Ross Brown started volunteering at Classic Flyers because of his long-standing interest in aviation. He had been there three years and didn’t plan on stopping any time soon.

You’ll often see Brown at the gift shop where he can make the most of his expertise.

“It’s an amazing thing to come out here. You see little 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds running around and enjoying themselves in the pedal cars, and we’ve put new things online like the flight simulator and things like that. There’s always something happening.”

Some of the classic pieces of aircraft they have at Classic Flyers aircraft museum in Mount Maunganui. Photo / Brydie Thompson

One of the things Brown enjoyed most was when groups of 10 seniors toured the museum, dressed up in flight suits and took pictures.

Brown, who recently visited the Royal Air Force Museum in Christchurch, said it was brilliant, but it missed what Classic Flyers has. “Everything is quite ironed and pretty and tidy. Here it’s more hands-on, and you’re actually like you’re in a living museum.

The Curtis Kittyhawk P40-E at Classic Flyers aircraft museum in Mount Maunganui. Photo / Brydie Thompson

“You’ll see somebody walking around in some overalls with a bolt and he’s fixing this, and somebody else is pushing a plane out.”

To celebrate the anniversary, Classic Flyers will hold a free open day this Wednesday, May 28.

On King’s Birthday weekend, a bigger celebration – where every entry ticket sold would be entered into a prize draw – would happen.