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
KEEPING THE PEACE IN IRAN: As everyone crosses their fingers for a peaceful solution to the current conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran, it is worth noting the RNZAF once played a vital peacekeeping role in the region.
Wind the clock back to September 1988 and the United Nations had brokered a ceasefire in the war between Iran and Iraq. New Zealand was one of the nations to commit to the peacekeeping mission known as the United Nations Iran-Iraq Military Observers Group or Uniimog (not to be confused with the Mercedes truck!).
No. 42 Squadron RNZAF’s Hawker Siddeley Andover NZ7629 was painted white with a large United Nations added to its side, and headed off to Tehran via Amberley, Townsville, Darwin, Bali, Singapore, Butterworth, Colombo, Bombay, and Dubai.
The RNZAF’s role was to fly services between airfields where the Uniimog observers were working, with the mighty Andover delivering passengers, cargo and mail.
The Uniimog deployment lasted two years, with eight rotations of RNZAF and Army personnel. NZ7629 was rotated with NZ7627.
In 1991 Iran and Iraq ended their eight-year war.
Iran remained neutral when Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait – but that’s another story!
The pictures show the Andover in its UN livery, and the first rotation crew in 1988: L-R: Sergeant Greg Pryce (Loadmaster), Flight Lieutenant Dave Rennison (Navigator), Flying Officer Adam Currey (Pilot), Flying Officer Kerry Wilton (Pilot), Leading Aircraftman Kerry Tyne (Maintainence), Warrant Officer Dennis Kelland (Maintainence).
#rnzaf #rnzafpastandpresent #hawkersiddeleyandover ... See MoreSee Less
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Nice reminder, thanks for posting. That must have taken an age to get in to theatre. And back home.
Great Aircraft, great people great combo of a top bird and crew. RIP. Dennis ( aka Hondalulu) an absolute blinder of a man, taken way too early. A sad theme for many great blokes and ladies who have served 🥲🥲🥲
Proud to have been part of the second rotation. An amazing experience. Loved the Andover.
A nice aircraft to fly in. had a few flights when they did the Monday and Friday shuttle Auckland to Wigram return
I was part of the last tour 1990. Good times
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GUESS THE COCKPIT: This looks tricky - which RNZAF aircraft could it be?
If you think you know, or just want to have a crack, put your answers in the comments below or email communications@airforcemuseum.co.nz.
Answer correctly and you will go in the draw to win the world's most desirable* coffee mug - an Air Force Museum of New Zealand roundel mug.
It is round with roundels!
Good luck!!
*According to u#mysterycockpitc#guessthecockpitc#RNZAFr#rnzafpastandpresentesent ... See MoreSee Less
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Bristol Freighter. Over 1000 hrs in the rhs 😁
A B.170, has to be! 100,000 rivets flying in close formation! Another British triumph over aerodynamics!
A freighter alright and complete with Sperry A-3 Gyro pilot and a Ford Prefect hand brake!!!
Instruments look all over the place. Must be British 🤣. Bristol freighter?
The one in which 10,000 rivets fly in formation. 😀
Maybe a mosquito the bamboo bomber
Is that Steve Bone in the LH seat?
Well as part of the analysis my first impression is that it has to be British. I didn't fly the B170 but I did a pax flight on one with a friend during my time on 40 Sqn. The piece of evidence that gave it away is the device to the right of the pilot's hand is, I think, the handbrake which was taken from the Mk I Zephyr.
Mk28 Spitfire few knew it was a side by side....
Bristol Vibrator
Two engines. Has to be a B170 Bristol Freighter.
B757 according to all the whingers🤣
Looks like Rova Bone - but it’s not a Huey 🤪
Now I could be wrong but is,it a,Bristol Freighter my dad got industrial deafness from flying around the world in Bristol Freighters back in the mid 1960s
Ross Vickery and a very potent 1000+ hours they were Hatch
B-170 Bristol Freighter. (If they had a military designator I dunno what it was)
Bristol Freighter, the hand brake lever is the giveaway for me. I think it is the same as a 1950s Austin A40.
Bristol Freighter. My first instinct was correct if the crowd is right. Small windows. What looks like a big nose judging by the huge instrument panel. Never been in one but used to see them at Wellington airport regularly.
I dunno but that face is the face of a man who just realised he left his lights on and the missus is going to be furious when he gets home
Wellington. The bomber, not the place. The place has more sand and hills and stuff like that. If it's not a Wellington then its something else. Sorted! PS. I love roundells too!
Bristol Freighter - had a few trips in the jump seat when owned by Safe Air.
Anyone have a similar shot of a RNZAF Hasting's cockpit, please?
Bristol Freighter Mk 31, with single pilot on the left and navigator on the right (same as the one at the Musuem.)
Bristol Freighter.
Bristol 170 Freighter MK.31. NZ5903 (41 Sqn)
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GREAT ESCAPE REMEMBERED: Today we'll place poppies beside the names Johnny Pohe, Arnold Christensen and John Williams to mark the anniversary of the Great Escape from Stalag Luft III prison camp in occupied Poland 82 years ago.
The Great Escape is an extraordinary story of industriousness, ingenuity, bravery and in the end, shocking brutality.
On the night of 24 March 1944 76 camp prisoners made a daring escape via an elaborate tunnel network.
The escapees included five Kiwi airmen - Flying Officer Johnny Pohe, Flight Lieutenant Arnold Christensen, Squadron Leader John Williams DFC, Squadron Leader Leonard Trent VC and Flight Lieutenant Mick Shand DFC.
Johnny Pohe, Arnold Christensen and John Williams all managed to get away, but were recaptured within a few days.
The three kiwis were among 50 escapees executed by the Gestapo as retribution for the escape on the direct orders of Adolf Hitler.
Leonard Trent and Mick Shand had the good fortune – as it turned out – to be caught immediately and evaded the terrible retribution meted out to the other escapers. They both survived the war.
Today we remember their sacrifice.
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.
You can read their story here: airforcemuseum.co.nz/blog/remembering-the-kiwis-of-the-great-esca#RNZAFr#stalagluft3lu#greatescape194pe194 ... See MoreSee Less
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Well done unknown epilogue of courage.
RIP to my late relative Douglas Scott Johnstone 🙏🏽
Clive Saxelby, from Woodlands in Southland, was still in the tunnel when the escape attempt was discovered
Lest We Forget
Joel Pulman, in case you get to visit Uncle Arnie while you're in Christchurch 🥰
Steve Shackleton enjoyed your post too.
'Lest we forget' !!!!
Lest we forget
Lest We Forget 🕊️🙏🫡🌺🥃
Lest we forget.
www.amazon.co.uk/GREAT-ESCAPE-STALAG-LUFT-III-ebook/dp/B0081UC3DI/ref=sr_1_14?s=digital-text&ie=U...
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