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
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WE HAVE A WINNER! Take a bow Spencer Morris for correctly identifying the aircraft with the Kiwi aboard was a Hawker Hurricane in our great Battle of Britain movie competition.
Spencer wins an exclusive Air Force Museum of New Zealand roundel mug - Battle of Britain edition. (Just email communications@airforcemuseum.co.nz Spencer and we will arrange for delivery via Bristol Freighter. If this fails we will use a courier.)
Some 129 Kiwis flew in the Battle of Britain, and our contribution to the aerial fight in the summer of 1940 was second only to that of the Polish contingent.
New Zealand's other great contribution was Thames-born aviator Air Vice-Marshal Keith Park - who was the brains behind the defence of south-east England and features in the film.
Spencer gets a bonus point for naming the pilot - Charlie Lambert - a fictional Kiwi who meets an unfortunate fate early on in the movie.
We’re playing the Battle of Britain movie FREE in its entirety each Saturday and Wednesday at 10am throughout July, with an introduction by our Research Curator Simon Moody.
Screenings are at 10am on 12 July, 16 July, 19 July, 23 July and 26 July.
Tally ho!
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SEE THE FILM, GET THE ENGINE THROWN IN! Visitors coming to see our Battle of Britain movie screenings (10am each Wednesday and Saturday throughout July) can take a short stroll to see our Jumo engine, which has its own fascinating story to tell from the pivotal air battle of World War Two.
On 2 August 1940, at the height of the Battle of Britain, Pilot Officer Irving Smith was flying his No 151 Squadron Hawker Hurricane when he encountered a lone German bomber over the Midlands.
The Heinkel was in cloud but leaving a visible disturbance due to the unique meteorological conditions that day. This meant Irving could track its progress and prepare to attack.
He stalked the Heinkel unobserved, and then fired a burst from the Hurricane’s eight machine guns at a range of 15 metres.
His attack damaged the right-hand engine, and Irving followed up with another burst of gunfire which disabled the left-hand engine. The bomber ditched in the sea at Chapel St. Leonards, the crew of five escaped unharmed and were taken prisoner.
The Jumo engine from the Heinkel shot down by Irving was recovered and donated to us in 1981, and is on display each day from 9.30am until 4.30pm, upstairs in our Insights Exhibition.
Young Pilot Officer Irving survived three operational tours during the war, ending up with a Distinguished Flying Cross and bar. He retired from the RAF in 1966 with the rank of Group Captain.
He was born in Invercargill in 1917 and was educated in Whangarei – he clearly liked travelling from a young age!
Come along and see the Battle of Britain each Wednesday and Saturday throughout July at 10am, with an introduction by our Research Curator Simon Moody. #curatedcinema
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The Kent Battle of Britain Museum another Jumo engine example...
OUR OWN WARRIOR: Today marks 40 years since a bomb detonated on the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland Harbour, killing Portuguese photographer Fernando Pereira.
What you may not know is there's a member of our aircraft collection who played an interesting role in the aftermath of the attack.
In July 1985 NZ4203, our P-3K2 Orion, was sent hunting in the Pacific for the French secret agents who carried out the Rainbow Warrior attack, and discovered a telltale clue as to how they'd escaped.
And NZ4203 found itself embroiled in an international incident along the way.
You can read all about it here thanks to the memories of Don Simms: airforcemuseum.co.nz/blog/international-incident-the-orion-and-the-rainbow-warrior-bombing/
NZ4203 will get an extra rub on the nose today to say thanks for the part it played in this fascinating piece of RNZAF #greenpeaceg#rainbowwarriorb#rnzafi#LockheedOrionkheedorion ... See MoreSee Less
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She may have looked more like this back then. A shot I took of NZ4203 on final for Canadian Forces Base (now 12 Wing) Shearwater, Nova Scotia as she and crew arrived for the International Air Show in the 1990s. The second photo shows some serious 'zapping' around the port entrance. 🙂 #HalifaxAuthor #RoyalNewZealandAirForce #RoyalCanadianAirForce Shearwater Aviation Museum
To add to the story an RNZAF Orion, can't recall the serial number, transported Marfart and Prieur out of NZ to French territory, Faa'a I think when that part of the deal was done.
We also sent an Andover to Norfolk Is with a police team. I believe they did get the three French sailors that were on the yacht Ovea? But had to release them. So there are 2 aircraft in your care that played a role in that piece of history.
Great account Don Simms. 👌 Thanks for the share.
Great story cheers for sharing.
Just my OCD, was it a P-3K2 then? 🥸
Ah, the '80s. The French bombed a peaceful ship in a NZ harbour, and then NZ hosted them on a rugby tour. Smiles all around. And when the Bokke toured, they got flour bombed.
ANZAC peacekeeping in Sinai, one night we were invited to a fancy dress party at the French club, a couple of us Aussies (not me) went as scuba divers. Didn't go down well.
Small correction. Pereira wasnt killed by the explosion, this is a popular myth engendered by mis reporting to make it more dramatic. He died because he drowned when he went back into retrieve his cameras. A stupid decision in hindsight. He would still be alive today if he had more common sense.
People also don’t realise that Fernando Pereira was a previous member of that terrorist group Bader Meinhof which cause a lot of problems in Germany .
During my time flying the RAF Phantom, I was required to model our Nuclear, Biological, Chemical warfare flying kit for a a visiting French staff college deputation in the mid '80s. They were a little taken aback at the NZ sticker on my flying helmet, complete with "REMEMBER THE RAINBOW WARRIOR" added in felt tip...
AT the time my girlfriend worked for Deputy PM Geoffrey Palmer. We had two french agents in our jails. The French threatened to block our trade access to the EU unless they were released. Palmer wrote a letter to the French President agreeing to release the spies. The letter was couriered by hand to France ALL copies of the letter were destroyed. Palmer sold out NZ sovereignty.
A other time where our country gave in to the pressures of another. Great work NZ Airforce.
Who were the Cessna crew at Ohakea that flew the SIS to Auckland on the Friday night? At Para 26 of the report `NZSIS declassified file 2017'. You'll have to scroll down about halfway thru the attached link and click on it. Quite amusing CAS having to have the Ohakea bar rung to see if the crew were imbibing yet. CDS also features in Para 52 re the Orion. Report is worth a read in total, its amazing how amateurish the French Operation was. Every time I drive up the Dome Valley I smile when I see the Cafe where the agents had doctored their coffee receipt from $8.50 to $58.50. Must have been on `actual and resonables'. www.greenpeace.org/aotearoa/about/our-history/bombing-of-the-rainbow-warrior/the-bombing-of-the-r...
My biggest recollection (maybe flawed over time) would be that the 2 agents Alain Mafart and Dominique Prieur were released from NZ prison under some deal to serve time in a French prison, ended up at a French resort on Hao Attoll and we're released early and shipped home to France to a hero's welcome. I hated French people for the audacity but more because they treated NZ and NZ police like some backwater nowhere and got themselves caught through complacency
We should of shot the two terriosts and broadcast it to the world. What the french did was an act if war.
State sanctioned terrorism is the reason I have (largely) boycotted French Wine and Cheese for 40 years.
The venerable L-188!
Let's not forget how Australia shafted us over that one by allowing the perpetrators to freely sail away.
Yes they retired them last year
Those French murderers should be getting out of a NZ jail about now.
Domonique Prieur and Alain Marfat The deal for their release involved butter imports to France.Once released the French reneged on the deal.
Sam Murdoch
Darlene Murdoch
💖
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REUNION ALERT WHOOP WHOOP!! Registrations are now open for the Royal New Zealand Air Force Assocation's 80th anniversary reunion on the weekend of 18/19 October at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.
The association was formed at the end of World War Two in 1945 to provide support for the more than 40,000 veterans adjusting to life after the war.
President Ian Mower said the anniversary would be the first chance since COVID for association members from around the country to gather in one place for an annual meeting and reunion.
Most importantly, it was a chance to commemorate the end of the war and the birth of the association.
“We were formed at the end of the war and it seems fitting to commemorate the end of the conflict that forged the RNZAF, and the start of our story.
“Over the past 80 years the association has provided support, fellowship and connection for thousands of New Zealanders.
“We’ve had really strong interest and we hope the numbers will grow even more as word spreads. It will not only be a chance for people to reconnect and rekindle those old friendships – they’ll also be able to reconnect with their former aircraft in the museum and with Wigram – where many have trained and served.’’
If you're coming along we'll have our Skyhawk, Hercules, Orion, Andover, Iroquois and Sioux all ready and waiting.
Anyone interested can register by contacting rnzafanatsec@gmail.com
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When was this photo taken?
Connie Robinson. Bruce might be interested in this ❤️
Maybe the Bristol Freighter too?