What's on at Air Force Museum of New Zealand
Latest from the museum
Latest Exhibition
Victory!
This year marks 80 years since the end of the Second World War.
A new exhibition, called Victory, marks this significant milestone in world history, and the story of the RNZAF.
Victory includes images and memories of Victory in Europe (VE) Day and Victory over Japan (VJ) Day which have been sourced from photographs, letters, postcards and personal histories in our collection.
Victory includes insights into how Kiwis celebrated, and how they felt.
Many found it difficult to rejoice after so much loss and suffering.
You’re welcome to come along and learn all about the end of World War Two with us. The exhibition is on in our upstairs balcony in the atrium.
Exhibition
The Mighty Hercules
We are delighted to let you know that our latest exhibition, the Mighty Hercules, is now open. Come and visit and learn all about this extraordinary aircraft.
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#Extraordinaryaircraft
Help us build a home for our #extraordinaryaircraft
Our Lockheed C-130H (NZ) Hercules and P-3K2 Orion have had long-term preservation work completed so they can be safely stored while we work on plans for a new permanent exhibition space large enough to house them.
Measuring 29.8m from nose to tail, with a wingspan of 40.5m and a tail soaring to just under 11m high, the Hercules is too large for our current exhibition halls. The Orion is almost as tall and even longer – stretching to 36m thanks to its submarine-detecting tail boom.
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Update
Overseas visitor charge
A $15 entry charge was introduced for all international visitors to the Air Force Museum of New Zealand from 31 March 2025. Tickets available online or from our Welcome Desk on arrival.
We were sorry to have to charge after being free for so many years, but the charge is required to cover rising costs and to contribute to our new $16 million extension to house the newest members of our collection – our historic Hercules and Orion aircraft.
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Our Aircraft
Explore AircraftMore to explore
URGENT CLARIFICATION: We've been inundated with inquiries wanting to know whether we require participants on our fantastic Discover Historic Wigram walking tours to wear uniforms and march in time.
Rest assured the fascinating 90-minute tour of our historic site is a relaxed journey, with no uniforms, marching or shouted orders from moustachioed drill sergeants.
However, in the interests of flexibility, we recommend a gentle warm-up ahead of the tour, starting with side stretches and followed more complicated team-building activities.
The tour is part of the Heritage Festival. Tours run from 10am-11.30am on selected dates during Christchurch’s Heritage Festival, 11-27 October - book here to find out more.
airforcemuseum.co.nz/events/discover-historic-wigram/
*These images are taken from our Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) Display in our Atrium. You can have a look after the walking tour!
#heritagefestival #christchurchnz #christchurcheritagefestival ... See MoreSee Less
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Such a good tour.
Could be inntrresting
Lol
We invite you to our Airplane and Helicopter Marketplace! Buy, sell, and connect with fellow enthusiasts, and explore a selection of aircraft parts and accessories.https://www.facebook.com/share/g/16yLeYFQdX/?mibextid=wwXIfr
YOU OTTER KNOW BETTER! Our recent suggestion that the RNZAF’s de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter never saw service in Antarctica sent one of our volunteer sleuths down a rabbit hole. Don’t worry, he’s safe, he loves it down in a rabbit hole!
In August 1960 the RNZAF purchased an Otter in damaged condition from the United States Air Force intended for service in Antarctica.
Where did the Otter come from, why was it damaged, and why did it never make it back to the ice?
In his search for answers our researcher found an RNZAF News article from November 1989.
Commander J Lennox-King Royal New Zealand Navy (retired) reveals all about the Otter which he came across during his time as Leader at Scott Base in the summer of 1959.
According to Commander Lennox-King, the Americans had shipped the Otter to Antarctica before deciding it wasn’t of use and sold it to the RNZAF.
The Otter was dismantled, put in a giant crate and had been towed across the Ross Sea ice on a sled in preparation for shipping to New Zealand.
A large snow gatherer (used to scoop ice to be melted for water supplies) had been parked on a hill next to the crate, and the driver had left the engine running as was necessary in the freezing climate. The vibration of the engine somehow eased the brakes off, and the large tractor with its bucket raised headed off downhill, on a collision course with the Otter.
“By great luck the tractor missed the driver and eviscerated the crate and the Otter,’’ Commander Lennox-King wrote.
“The fragments were carefully gathered and loaded for return to Christchurch. I heard nothing more of the incident, but I could imagine the reaction of the RNZAF when their beautiful recently purchased aircraft reached Wigram.’’
So, there you go. First two questions answered.
The Otter, NZ6801 never made it back to the ice, because the RNZAF Antarctic Flight was disbanded in 1960 – about the same time of the purchase. Interestingly, it was disbanded at about the same time as a large new hangar was built a Scott Base to house two Otters.
Why the flight was disbanded is the next quest. Stay tuned.
#rabbitholes #dehavilland #dehavillandcanadaotter #rnzaf #antarcticflight ... See MoreSee Less
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Great story. I never knew we had an Otter on the books of the RNZAF
I wonder where the Otter is now. It would have been a good utility aircraft - not dissimilar to a Cessna Caravan
A perhaps interesting question. For me anyway. That during the Edmund Hillary expedition that made it to the South Pole on tractors. An aircraft on skis was involved with laying out the planned fuel dump stations. My question is more about that aircraft which flew in the fuel and assisted Hillary and co, on their endeavours at that time period
Flags at half mast today to mark the passing of Jim Bolger ONZ PC.
Thank you for your service. ... See MoreSee Less
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Well, thank goodness we got that sorted. What I want to know is has anyone put a set square on those hedges. I'm pretty sure that the corners are not quite 90 degrees 🤣
Thats NOT half mast. Talk to any ex or serving Defence force person on the correct way and height.
Looks marginal to me everybody.
Bless