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.
Read More
Hercules open days
11-15 April 2025
We are delighted to let you know that members of No. 40 Squadron will be our special guests at our Hercules open days from 11- 15 April.
Members of the flight crew and the planning team behind the historic landing of NZ7001 in February will deliver special talks twice a day in our Theatre so you will be able to hear about all the planning and practice that went into preparing our airfield to land the Hercules safely for the final time.
They’ll also be able to answer any curly questions you may have about the Herc – within reason!
Learn More
#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.
Learn More
Exhibitions
Insights
Caldwell Gallery
From delicate pastel and crayon sketches to the brutality of a crash-damaged German bomber engine, Insights offers a tantalising peek at the breadth and depth of our collection. Like many museums, space constraints mean that only a fraction of our one million or so objects can ever be on display. It is a collection containing stories more than 100 years in the making and a source of endless fascination for the team of people who work to catalogue, conserve and care for it.
Find out more
From delicate pastel and crayon sketches to the brutality of a crash-damaged German bomber engine, Insights offers a tantalising peek at the breadth and depth of our collection. Like many museums, space constraints mean that only a fraction of our one million or so objects can ever be on display. It is a collection containing stories more than 100 years in the making and a source of endless fascination for the team of people who work to catalogue, conserve and care for it.
Our Aircraft
Explore AircraftMore to explore
NEW COMPETITION: Happy birthday to the RNZAF - 88 years young today!
We are celebrating with a special quiz.
The 10 RNZAF aircraft pictured have one special operational factor in common. What could it be?
Name all 10 aircraft, and the special thing that links them all (according to us!), and you will be in the draw to win what is arguably the best roundel coffee mug in the world ever!
Put your answers in the comments below (or email communications@airforcemuseum.co.nz for a confidential service) and if you're correct you will go in the draw to be a winner, chicken dinner.
Beware of scammers - we will not message you or contact you directly. We will make a winner announcement in a post at the weekend.
Good luck! Level of difficulty 9#rnzafr#rnzafpastandpresente#extraordinaryaircraftcraft ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
All of them at one time have been on service with - or seconded to - the RNZAF? (Either that, or it's your "Gone in 60 Seconds" bucket list - I shall keep an eye on the news 😄❤️❤️)
I found 2 things in common: They all had the now retired flight engineer crew position. All of the aircraft are now retired from service.
They have all flown at least one flight on the morning of 1st April...
Catalina, Lodestar, Singapore, Sunderland, DC6, Hastings, 727, Dakota, Hercules and Orion - they all had Flight Engineers
Catalina, Lodestar, Singapore, Sunderland, DC6, Hastings, 727, DC3/C47, Hercules and Orion. All were capable of and did carry out search and rescue missions.
They all had wings and a tail.
All required crew, because they were not drones.
PBY-5 Catalina, Lockheed Lodestar, Short Singapore, Douglas, DC-6, Short Sunderland, Handley Page Hastings, Boeing 727, Douglas DC-3, Lockheed C-130 Hercules, Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion. The special thing joining them is that the squadrons that all of these aircraft were to attached to have at one point or another all been stationed at RNZAF Hobsonville, RNZAF Whenuapai, or the joint RNZAF Base Auckland. In the case of the Short Singapore, the aircraft itself wasn't based at Hobsonville, but Unit 488 (which it was attached to) was formed there.
Happy birthday RNZAF
Catalina, Lodestar, Singapore, Sunderland, DC6, Hastings, 727, DC3/C47, Hercules and Orion - they all have a flight engineer position
I'm sure that the Dak, Lodestar and possibly the Singapore didn't have FE's
View more comments
OPEN DAYS ANNOUNCEMENT! We are delighted to let you know that members of No. 40 Squadron will be our special guests at our Hercules open days from 11- 15 April.
Members of the flight crew and the planning team behind the historic landing of NZ7001 in February will deliver special talks twice a day in our Theatre so you will be able to hear about all the planning and practice that went into preparing our airfield to land the Hercules safely for the final time.
They’ll also be able to answer any curly questions you may have about the Herc – within reason!
The open days run from 10am until 4pm each day from 11-15 April with the Hercules on show in our No. 2 Hangar. The hangar is a 250m flat walk from the museum entrance and is wheelchair accessible.
You will also be able to learn all about this iconic aircraft’s history in our new Mighty Hercules exhibition upstairs in our atrium.
We have also created special accessible hour sessions from 9am to 10am each day for our deaf and disabled community.
The open days are free but we are hoping everyone will donate what they can afford to go towards creating a forever home for our C-130H Hercules and our P-3K2 Orion.
Both these iconic aircraft are too large for our current exhibition spaces but are safely conserved in our historic hangars. You can donate at: airforcemuseum.co.nz/make-a-donation/
Herc Yeah – see you there!
Daily programme 11-15 April:
9am: Accessible hour – special viewings for deaf, disabled and those needing accessibility assistance
9.30am: Museum opens
10am: Hercules hangar opens for general admission
11am: Hercules crew landing talk: Theatre – limited to 90 seats
1pm: Hercules crew landing talk: Theatre – limited to 90 seats
4pm: Hangar closes
4.30pm: Museum closes
#extraordinaryaircraft #rnzaf #c130hercules #christchurchnz #rnzafpastandpresent ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
45 Harvard Avenue, Wigram, Christchurch. Look for the Harvard on the corner!
Could you film or livestream the talks on Facebook so those that can’t make it or can’t fit in the theatre room can hear about all the planning etc for the landing?
Will we be able to view internally or just externally?
Can we view inside too? I'll fly my daughter down if so!
Will you guys do open days again in the future for both aircraft in the hangars?
Please record all this so all of us that can't get there can see it at a later date.
Great l better tell deaf seniors ChCh about special hour for deafies
Wish we could come!!
April Holland Alex might enjoy this and is in the week i am here in ChCh. Prob need to go to the 9am session though cause Im deAf and DisAblEd! 🤣🤣🤣
Interested
Bridget Ferguson Oliver Ferguson a special accessible hour for deaf and disabled! Shame it's not closer to home
Jim Margary thought you would like this 😀
Tudor Collett
Be careful boys. That thing is so expensive it’s the equivalent of one oncology ward. Don’t be like the Navy who cost us a new Dunedin Hospital.
Rose Nash lots of info here
Matt Hurst maybe the kids might like this.
Jackson Spence MacFarlane this will be fun
Bugger, I’m in Chch on 10th and 16th
Linsey Bishop so when are we going to Christchurch?
Todd Mancer if you're down in the city?
Mike Logan school holidays activity
Bernadette Witchall we should take the kids be awesome to see
Dan Roof Painter
Jayne Fortune-Ayers
Linda Stevens
View more comments
HERE’S TO OUR ENGINEERS: A group of retired and serving Flight Engineers have gathered to mark the official retirement of the Flight Engineer's Brevet, an incredibly significant event in the life of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
The retirement of the P-3 Orion and C-130H Hercules also coincided with the last flights by RNZAF Flight Engineers due to the replacement aircraft, P8 Poseidon and C-130J Hercules, no longer requiring their roles.
The final flight of an RNZAF aircraft where a Flight Engineer was part of the crew was the landing of Hercules NZ7001 here at the museum on Wednesday 19 February 2025.
On Saturday 29 March, 57 former and serving engineers, accompanied by partners and colleagues, attended the retirement function at the museum.
The function began with a reading of the names of Flight Engineers on the museum’s Roll of Honour who had died in service.
The Last Post and Reveille were then sounded, followed by a one-minute silence and then a wreath laying.
The wreath was laid beneath the Roll of Honour by one of the oldest Flight Engineers in attendance, Noel Moffat, who served from 1964 to 1979.
Noel was accompanied by the youngest Flight Engineer present, Flight Sergeant Darren Matheson, who joined in 2011 and is still serving.
Later in the evening the two most senior Flight Engineers present, Group Captain AJ Young and Group Captain Brendon Clark addressed the crowd before Group Captain Young and Flight Sergeant Matheson officially laid up the Engineers’ Brevet.
The museum was then presented a commemorative propellor inscribed with all the aircraft types on which Flight Engineers had served.
The propeller was signed on the reverse side by all the Flight Engineers present that evening.
It was an incredibly moving and special service for the museum to host.
To all those Flight Engineers that have served their country through the years we owe you a large debt of gratitude and your museum is proud to tell your story of service and sacrifice so it is never forgotten.
#rnzaf #rnzafpastandpresent ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
Thanks to the Air Force Museum for hosting this event. What an outstanding experience this was for ex-40 Sqn and 5 Sqn Flight Engineers to catch up with old crew mates who we may not have seen in 30-35 years, and to meet the last of the current serving F/E’s. After 30 years or more of little or no contact between many of the long retired F/E’s, the evening was special for everyone who attended and despite the many years since us old F/E’s last met, it was almost like we never lost contact. It was another crew party where old memories were rekindled and many a tale or war story (true or false) was told or recalled, some of which will never be repeated outside of the crew members who experienced such events. Thanks to the current serving members who made such a memorable event possible. Well done to everyone involved. A once in a lifetime event that will remain in the memory of everyone who attended.
Incredible service by them all.
How wonderful, truly a very special acknowledgement to special members. Regards and best wishes to all from the RNZAFA Canterbury branch 👏
That must have been a truly special evening.
Thanks for such a well-written account of this very poignant gathering held to honour our Air Engineers. Great imagery as well. Cheers to Air Engineers for all their deeds throughout the years.. ..
Sad to see this! Thanks to all the Flt Engs I had the privilege to know.
The Flight Engineer was a highly respected and crucial part of the C130, P3, B727, Sunderland, Catalina and Lancaster crews that have served since WW2. I once worked with an LAC Brendon Clark in the Engine Reconditioning Squadron buried deep inside the No. 1 Repair Depot at Woodbourne. When the Stage 1 compressor blades of the RR Viper 680 started to crack in the blade roots, we set some blades under a microscope for visitors to inspect. I’m pretty sure it was LAC Clark that put Bearing Blue on the eyepieces of the microscope as a prank not knowing that CO1RD was the next to visit the Viper inspection section…. OCERS SQNLDR Michael Nicholls was soon to remind us of our responsibilities… Surely that prankster was a different Brendon Clark? Surely not Group Captain Clark?
View more comments
DARTING IN: Brian Haybittle dropped by this week to say hello to our ever-popular Hawker Siddeley Andover, and more specifically, its Rolls-Royce Darts.
Brian joined the RNZAF in 1987 as an airframes and engines technician and served through to 1995.
He deployed with No. 42 Squadron to Somalia, looking after the Andover and also served on No. 3 Squadron.
He has fond memories of looking after the Andover's Dart engines, including being signed off to do high-powered ground checks on them.
Brian always wanted to be a pilot and an engineering trade in the RNZAF gave him a great start. These days he's a Boeing 787 captain for Air New Zealand.
He loved his time in uniform as a corporal - 'the backbone of the air force'.
"My best memories are of high-powered engine runs, getting a chance to hand-fly the Andover, playing cards in the Joe Room and being with my mates,'' he says.
"I got so much support from my warrant officers, NCOs and Squadron Leader Neil Kenny - I can't thank them enough for the way they encouraged me.''
Aviation runs in the Haybittle family.
Brian's grandfather was an RNZAF pilot during World War Two and his father was a commercial pilot.
His daughter Carmen is an RNZAF pilot, and son Patrick is an avionics technician.
So that makes Carmen and Patrick fourth generation aviators.
Welcome to your museum Corporal Haybittle - glad you popped in!
#rnzaf #rnzafpastandpresent ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
Love it - got a chance to take the controls of an RAF Andover as a cadet back in the early 90s! 😍
Looking good Brian, it was a very special aircraft, an extremely special Squadron ( 1 & 42) but made only by the people as noted by you. Great to see you and family all following in those footsteps 👍🍻🍻
Reminds me of my time with RAAF, as a AC Tech(Engines) on P-3B, P-3C and P-3C Update Aircraft at RAAF Edinburgh and Butterworth, doing High Speed engine runs, it was a thrill with the nose wheel fully down, hoping the brakes and chocks would hold the power of 4 Allisons at full throttle
Good to see your smiling face again Brian. It was a very special time in my life serving in 42 Squadron with you and others. Awesome aircraft and awesome people.
Nothing better than the Rolls Royce Darts !!!
Aw bless Brian Haybittle glad you enjoyed your visit.
So cool Brian.
Nice one Brian use to enjoy our chats when you were on 42
On ya Brian... Patrick and Carmen are doing the family proud, too
Ahh, Haybittle is it. Swing those arms Haybittle.
View more comments