Forty-five of the historic planes will take off from Luskintyre Airfield on Saturday, October 4, fly to Camden Airport, south-west of Sydney, and return the following day. 

“This will be the first Tiger Moth Air Race held in 11 years and it could also be the final fly-by of so many of these aircraft together,” race director Richard Brougham said.

“These races are becoming incredibly difficult to run now and the paperwork involved is tremendous, because people are very risk-averse today.

“So I believe this could be the last big Tiger Moth air race of its kind and we would be unlikely to see this many Tigers all in the air together again.”

The main purpose of the race is to raise awareness of two charities: LIFT Youth Development working with young people at risk and Soldier On, which supports physically and psychologically wounded servicemen and women.

The first Tiger Moth Air Race was run in 1977 and since then 11 have been held, the last one in 2003.

“This will be a real spectacle and a great opportunity for the public across NSW to witness an incredible event,” Mr Brougham said.

“Some of the aircraft will have ­handicaps, depending on their types of engine.

“But it will be real race, though the accent on 95 per cent of it will be about having fun.”