New 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 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. While it was a day to celebrate, there was still a war in the Pacific to fight.
You’re welcome to come along and learn all about VE Day with us. The exhibition is on in our upstairs balcony in the atrium.
New 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
New charge for overseas visitors
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
ROYAL VISITOR: One of the first visitors to step up the red carpet for our Royal Open Cockpit to celebrate the King’s Birthday yesterday was young Flight Lieutenant Alex Stevens.
Alex joined the RNZAF in 1967 and flew Harvards, Devons, C-47 Dakotas and Orions before leaving for a career in commercial aviation in 1975.
He came with his logbook, which showed he flew our Dakota, NZ3551, in 1972.
He spent one year flying Dakotas out of RNZAF Base Ohakea and was a bit disappointed to be posted away to fly Orions when he was enjoying flying the Dakotas so much.
“They were very straightforward to fly and very docile. I think the thing I remember most was the versatility and the variety of things we got to do – from dropping supplies and parachute drops to anything that needed to be done,’’ Alex says.
“I’ve enjoyed reconnecting with it – it takes my mind back a lot of years.’’
Alex’s RNZAF career set him up perfectly for a career as a commercial pilot, he clocked up 21,000 hours before retiring as an Air New Zealand Boeing 747 pilot.
Thanks for visiting your museum and for your support Alex!
And thanks also to our fantastic Dakota volunteer guide crew – Gaynor, Richard and Keith.
#rnzaf #douglasdakota #opencockpit ... See MoreSee Less
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well done Keith You need to come and sit in AMY sometime soon and inspect our big new Hangar progress
I too share that chapter in my logbooks Alex... I've been lucky enough to sit in 51 again several times.... 😁😁😁
1967. A great year, the year I joined for this ex baggie. Sir you might have flown a funeral party consisting of myself and other Ohakea MT workshop personal and partners to Whangarei and back. It was a sad day to say good bye to one of our colleagues.
I recognise that boy on the left
DAKOTA BEV: Back in 1953, Beverley Letchford was 10 years old and more than happy to pose for a photo with a Douglas DC-3 at Harewood.
Fast forward a few years, and here’s Beverley posing again, this time with her picture from 1953, and another Douglas – a C-47 Dakota.
When we announced we were celebrating King’s Birthday today with a royal treat – a tour of the Queen’s Dakota – Beverley snapped a ticket right up and brought her daughter along for company.
“I love aircraft and all things flying so I got a ticket right away,’’ Beverley says.
Thanks for buying a ticket, bringing your previous photo and for supporting our museum!
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It was a great morning Me and Riley got to sit in the cockpit and also walked on the same Red carpet that the Queen walked on..
That was so exciting, especially sitting in the pilot's seat with my daughter Karen Letchford as co pilot. Thank you so much for the opportunity. So many memories. :)
How awesome is that Bev and very special.1953 was the year I was born.
I wonder if the nice man who took the photo be able to message me all the photos he took, please. Thank you. Air Force Museum of New Zealand
Fantastic
Beverley Letchford for my friends to see this.
Awesome 👌
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GUESS THE COCKPIT: This cockpit belongs to one of the gems in our collection, but which one could it be?
Guess correctly in the comments below and go in the draw to win one of our beautifully crafted Air Force Museum of New Zealand roundel mugs.
They're the mugs for all seasons and all people. Stylish, white, with roundels and a handy handle, they're a dream to operate.
GUESSING TIPS:
Don't be put off or intimidated by other guessers, the herd is not always right. And no, it is not the Millennium Falcon.
If you want to stay away from the comments and prefer your guess to be more low key, you can email communications@airforcemuseum for a confidential service.
PS: We will post again when we have a winner, inviting you to contact us. WE WILL NOT CONTACT YOU DIRECTLY!
Good l#guessthecockpitg#millenniumfalconillenniumfalcon ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
Definitely the Tiger Moth.
I believe this is the cockpit of the Queens DC-3/C-47.It appears to have that distinctive DC-3 look.
de Havilland Tiger Moth
Tiger Moth!
De Havilland Tiger Moth.
Tiger Moth
Tiger moth
Tiger Moth
Spitfire
Tiger moth
Pre Project Kahu A4.
Tiger moth ?
Tiger moth ?
De Havilland Tiger Moth.
A plane, a big one 🧐
Tiger Moth(NZ662)?
DH82 Tiger Moth
Spitfire?
NZ662 DH82 Tiger Moth II
Avro 626 or Tiger Moth
Tiger Moth
De Havilland 82 Tiger Moth
De Havilland Tiger Moth with the compass missing just to make it tricky!
Red Cross Helicopter
Lockheed C-130 (Due to defence spending cuts)
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Congratulations Mark Rocket 🚀!!!
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First Kiwi in space is Christchurch’s Mark Rocket
www.stuff.co.nz
Aerospace entrepreneur Mark Rocket blasted off aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-32 mission.Comment on Facebook
Rocket man...🎶🎵
I had regular dealings with Mark Rocket a couple of decades ago when he was an early internet entrepreneur. He'd bought a ticket with Richard Branson for a huge sum, I hope he got it back. He was a nice guy. He wanted to see New Zealand have a space program, I was skeptical, but he ended up backing a feller called Peter Beck.