What's on at Air Force Museum of New Zealand
Latest from the museum
Birthday Parties
Mission: Best birthday ever
Zip up a flight suit, grab your dog tags, and dive into a fully hosted birthday “mission”. From air & sea adventures for preschoolers to rescue and cadet challenges for older children. Our Programmes team runs the activities, the children get awesome photo moments (and party bags), and you can add catering through our café.
Book a birthday party
Latest Exhibition
Victory!
It is 80 years since the end of the Second World War.
Our Victory exhibition, upstairs in the atrium, 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.
Exhibition
The Mighty Hercules
The Mighty Hercules exhibition is on in the Cochrane Gallery upstairs in our atrium. Come and visit and learn all about this extraordinary aircraft.
Learn More
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.
The charge is required to cover rising costs and to contribute to our new $20 million extension to house the newest members of our collection – our historic Hercules and Orion aircraft.
Learn More
Our Aircraft
Explore AircraftMore to explore
LEONARD TRENT DAY: On this day 83 years ago, Leonard Trent earned a Victoria Cross for outstanding leadership, cool, unflinching courage and devotion to duty.
On 3 May 1943, Nelson-born Trent led an attack by 11 Lockheed Ventura bombers from No. 487 RAF Squadron on the Hemweg power station in Amsterdam.
The raid was a disaster, with 10 of the Venturas shot down. Of the 48 crew who set off for Amsterdam, 28 died and 12 were taken prisoner, including Squadron Leader Trent.
RNZAF crew killed on the raid were Thomas James Baynton, 27, Auckland; Andrew Edward Coutts, 27, Whakatane; William Desmond Laurence Goodfellow, 23, Takapuna; Stuart McGowan, 22, Raupare; Stanley Bailey Peryman, 21, Christchurch; Cyril Richard Smith, 29, Millers Flat; and Timothy William James Warner, 25, Wellington.
In 1946 Squadron Leader Trent was awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery.
His citation, published in London Gazette, included these words:
"Heedless of the murderous attacks and of the heavy anti-aircraft fire which was now encountered, Squadron Leader Trent completed an accurate bombing run, and even shot down a Messerschmitt at point blank range.
Dropping his bombs in the target area he turned away. Immediately afterwards his own aircraft was hit and went into a spin and broke up.
Squadron Leader Trent and his navigator were thrown clear and became prisoners of war. The two other members of the crew perished.
On this, his twenty-fourth sortie, Squadron Leader Trent showed outstanding leadership. Such was the trust placed in this gallant officer that the other pilots followed him unwaveringly.
His cool unflinching courage and devotion to duty in the face of overwhelming odds rank with the fine examples of these virtues.''
— The London Gazette, No. 37486, 26 February 1946[52]
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
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ORION OR AURORA? Brigadier General Brendan Cook of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) dropped by the other day and made a beeline for our P-3 Orion – the aircraft he loves!
Brendan has been in the RCAF for more than 30 years and clocked up 1800 hours as a navigator/air combat systems operator during a 10-year flying career in RCAF CP-140 Auroras.
Lockheed Auroras are the Canadian version of our now retired Lockheed Orions. The aircraft are still the backbone of Canada’s long-range surveillance and patrol capability.
His RCAF career began in the early 1990s, when Auroras were still fairly new.
Auroras entered service in Canada in 1980, so are much younger than our mid-1960s- era Orions.
“They’re incredibly capable aircraft and they’re still doing a great job,’’ Brendan says. “During the 1990s, when we were operating them alongside our allies like the RNZAF, there was a real golden age of interoperability.
“We were always interested to see what innovations the Kiwis brought with them, and we adopted some of the things the RNZAF did.’’
Canada's Auroras will be retired in 2028, replaced by Boeing P-8 Poseidons.
“I’ll be sad to see them retire,’’ Brendan says. “There’s a whole lot of comradeship and skill in operating these aircraft which I’ll always remember. Hopefully, with the Poseidons we can get back to those days again.’’
As well as working with Kiwis over many years during his RCAF career, Brendan has another important New Zealand connection – he’s 50% Kiwi.
His father Alan Cook was born in Christchurch and studied electrical engineering at Canterbury University. Alan went on to study in Manchester where he met his wife, and the couple returned to New Zealand briefly before emigrating permanently to Canada in 1968.
Brendan has heard all about New Zealand his whole life, but this was his first visit to meet his cousins and see all the places his father talked about.
Welcome home Brendan!
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Fun fact the Aurora in this post is retired and in the Comox Air Force Museum air park
Great story...
Edinburgh SA for Fincastle Trophy
OPERATION FIREDOG: On 1 May 1955, No. 14 Squadron launched the RNZAF’s first operational strike since World War Two when Kiwi pilots took part in an attack on communist guerrilla forces during the Malayan Emergency.
The squadron was based at RAF Station Tengah in Singapore and flew de Havilland Venom fighter bombers during the raid. Flight Lieutenant Stuart McIntyre led the Venoms in an attack on guerrilla forces fighting for independence from British colonial rule.
It was the first of many attacks. No. 14 Squadron was deployed to Tengah until May 1958.
Over that time the squadron had dropped some 225,000 kilograms of bombs and fired over 1500 rockets at enemy targets.
Malaya was granted independence from Britain in 1957 and the Malayan Emergency ended in 1960 when the communist forces were largely defeated.
The Venoms had been loaned to the RNZAF by the RAF, and they were returned.
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When NZ had a strike wing before Aunty Helen stuffed us.
The "McIntyre trophy" was hotly contended every year between 75Sqn & 14Sqn.
He was a Group Captain when I knew him. A good bloke!
The CTs where fighting for communist reasons
RNZAF Hero
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