What's on at Air Force Museum of New Zealand
Latest from the museum
Latest Exhibition
Tall Tails
Our Tall Tails exhibition features the mounted tails of the C-130 Hercules and P-3 Orion, this new exhibition brings visitors closer to two extraordinary aircraft and the stories they carry. It also highlights the importance of finding a permanent home for them, as the Museum continues to fundraise through the Home for Heroes project.
Tall Tails is on display in our Thérèse Angelo Wing.
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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.
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Support Us
Home for Heroes
Join us in building a forever home for New Zealand’s C-130 Hercules and P-3 Orion – icons of service.
For more than half a century, these legendary aircraft carried our nation’s courage across the world – in peace, crisis, and discovery. Now, they need a home worthy of their legacy, where their stories of service, innovation and humanity will continue to inspire.
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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
Our Aircraft
Explore AircraftMore to explore
❓DOUBLE MYSTERY COMPETITION:❓ This week's competition combines aircraft recognition skills with airfield recognition skills - otherwise known as a double trouble puzzler.
To recap:
❗Can you name the aircraft?
❗Can you name the airfield?
Do both and you go in the draw to win an Air Force Museum of New Zealand roundel mug.
Made of space-age ceramic material, they are round and have roundels. They make the perfect vessel for dunking, or if you have other mugs, a gift for an unsuspecting relative.
Answers in the comments below or, if you are feeling shy, you can email communications@airforcemuseum.co.nz for a confidential service.
Good luc#mysteruyaircraftc#mysteryairfieldfield ... See MoreSee Less
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B-47 is the plane
Boeing B-47 Stratojet at Harewood (CHC)
Boeing B 47 at Christchurch Airport. I recall it being in support of some Lockheed U2 research flights.
Dave, the plane looks like a Dave
B 47 predecessor to the B52
It’s the Boeing B-47. It’s the start of a long line of Boeing aircraft with swept wings and podded engines. A direct lineage right through to the 787 and the 777X. It was originally quite a different design. Until captured German designers were brought in after WW2 and brought there designs with them. Swept wings, antiskid brakes etc.
B-47 at Harewood. Gate #6 was a bit of a clue...
Not Ohakea with the civilian gate number s d airline staff. Terrain looks more like Harewood too.
Boeing B47 Ohakea
B47 at Christchurch airport
Boeing JB-47E Stratojet. Christchurch Airport (Harewood).
Boeing B-47 Stratojet at Chch international airport
B-47 at Harewood
Boeing B-47 at CHC
Boeing B-47 Stratojet at Harewood.
B-47 Plane, Harwood airport
B-47E 52-0514 at Harewood Christchurch.
Boeing B47. Harewood.
Air Force One at Rangiora air field
Definitely a B-47, possibly at Christchurch Airport.
It’s a B-47 Stratojet at Harewood
Boeing JB-47E Stratojet at Christchurch at the time of the RNZAF 21st anniversary Ohakea Airshow.
The interesting thing about this photo is the B-47 doesn't have the under wing tanks fitted. Seems a bit odd given would be a long distance flight for it, even with aerial refueling.
Boeing B-47 Stratojet at Harewood (Christchurch)
B47 at Christchurch
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Today we recall Sergeant Ronald West Taylor, killed when his aircraft was shot down 85 years ago on 19 July 1941.
Ronald Taylor was the pilot of a Bristol Blenheim MkIV of No. 105 Sqn V6039 which took off at 11.22am on an anti-shipping raid off the coast of the Netherlands.
The squadron attacked a convoy of 14 ships, and the Blenheim crashed after being hit by anti-aircraft fire.
Also lost were navigator/bomb aimer Sergeant Reginald Withrington, RAF and wireless operator and gunner Sergeant Selwyn Sparkes, RAF.
Their bodies were washed ashore and Ronald is buried at Noordwijk cemetery.
Ronald was born in Christchurch and went to St Andrew’s College in Strowan. He was an insurance clerk in Wellington prior to volunteering for pilot training.
He was only 25 years old when he was lost. We've placed a poppy by his name today.
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.
📸RW Taylor, front row far right. Image: MUS9410110a
📸A Bristol Belnheim, from No. 113 Squadron RAF, over teh water. Image: 2019-190.73 ... See MoreSee Less
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There's my father in the photo who survived the war with DSO DFC MiD. As regards the above history, my namesake ( Fathers brother) David Starky left New Zealand in 1938 for a career in the UK RAF. He was commissioned and won his wings at 19. He was sucked into the debacle in France where he was shot down a couple of times flying - as above - Blenheim Mk IV. Then in July 1940 he was also shot down off the Dutch coast. He had just turned 20, and his body was never found. He is remembered on the wall at Runnymede and on the War plinth in the main street in Opotiki.
The Blenheim came down in the Northsea near Goeree. (Zeeland).
RIP my namesake
LEST WE FORGET.
Lest We Forget
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📢WHOOP WHOOP - GET THE KETTLE ON - WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!📢: Come on down and enjoy your moment in the sun ✨Matthew Simmonds✨ - winner of our mystery control column competition.
Matthew correctly wspotted that the mystery was really no mystery at all - it is a control column from a Westland Wasp HAS.1 helicopter.
In fact, as many of you pointed out, it is a cyclic control column from NZ3906!
Our Wasp is one of the stars of our collection. The Wasp, or Parafin Parrot, was the first aircraft to be jointly operated by the Royal New Zealand Navy and the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
This little blue beauty first entered service in 1964 with the Royal Navy.
In 1982 it was sold to New Zealand and began its RNZN career about the HMNZS Wellington.
It was retired in 1995. Wasps were superceded as Navy helicopters by Kaman Seasprites.
Judging by the number of correct answers this competition proved a bit too easy so we are going in search of something tougher. Please stay alert!
Matthew Simmonds - please email communications@airforcemuseum.co.nz and supply your address so we can fly the mug out to you using our Bristol Freighter - because nothing is greater!
#MysteryObject #wedonthaveaclue #ImpossiblePuzzle ... See MoreSee Less
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Holly smokes thought I would never win 😁😁😁
Another enjoyable thread, enjoy the posts made by fellow fans!