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
MOSQUITO RESCUE: We've teamed up with the Ferrymead Aeronautical Society to share resources to speed up the restoration of a unique RNZAF de Havilland Mosquito.
For the past 26 years the aeronautical society has been working on the restoration of Mosquito HR339/NZ2382 at its Ferrymead Heritage Park site in Christchurch, but some parts have been scarce.
In a new heritage collaboration, the Air Force Museum agreed to open up its stores of Mosquito parts to the restoration team at Ferrymead, providing a treasure trove of much needed spares for the project which restorer Dag Guest described as a 'gamechanger'.
From the museum's perspective, Collections Manager Darren Hammond says the collaboration was a collective effort to save an incredibly rare and significant aircraft which will remain in public ownership in New Zealand as part of our military aviation heritage.
Read more here: airforcemuseum.co.nz/blog/unique-heritage-rescue-mission#ferrymeadaviationsocietyy#RNZAFi#dehavillandmosquito#dehavillandmosquito ... See MoreSee Less
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Ferrymead is not the place for the Mosquito, it should be in the Airforce Museum of New Zealand. John McCormick
When we lived in the UK their was a radio interview with a guy on the Isle of Wight who was either restoring a Mosquito or having one transported to NZ for restoration but there was a definite Kiwi connection.
Makes sense to display it at Wigram too...
Will it be static only or like Omakas one
I saw that frame at Ferrymead maybe 30 years ago, the main spar made of wood was cut through with a chainsaw, absolute crime.
What a great outcome I've visited this museum and been in the Mossie, the access they gave me years ago would make other museums blush! I hope they can now complete this project. I also hope Australian museums take heed, for too long some (including official ones) have taken but given little in return. Some had the bright idea to destroy items which were duplicated in their collections. I'm not going to argue because it's true. This Mosquito project signifies the only way preservation as a movement can move forwards.
Can you also help with their Westland Wessex? Years ago I was speaking to one of the guys out there who said they discovered it was from Stanley Kubrick's FMJ. I would love to see that restored one day. Please? 🤔😅
What fantastic news! As Dag said, that’s a game changer. A big thanks to the RNZAF Museum for having the vision and recognising the huge effort the Ferrymead Historical Society volunteers have made. Just. brilliant. 👍
Excellent news. Well done to all involved 👏
Thats awesome news!!
Fantastic news 👏 👏👏
Any harvard parts
That is excellent news. Well done!
That is fantastic news and great for both organisations. Well done team.
Should of happened a long time ago after all it for the good of NZ heritage aviation as a whole.
Such a wonderful change in policy… days gone by it wasn’t like this well done Air Force Museum
Would be nice to reunite it with its old friend the Hudson from the Clarks.
Greg McDell
Great news
i got photos of that during a tour last year
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HE WAS born at Ohakea, he grew up on base at Wigram and spent his teenage years roaming at Shelly Bay in Wellington.
When it comes to RNZAF brat, young Perry Voyce has a lot of pedigree!
His dad, Squadron Leader Garth Voyce, was a physical training instructor (Physical Training Instructor) his whole career. He retired from the RNZAF but then returned as a civilian worker in Wellington.
Perry’s mum Dawn was also in the RNZAF but had to leave after marrying Garth and having three children.
Perry loved his life as an RNZAF kid. “Having a dad who was a PTI meant we could swim when we liked. I remember going to the movies at Wigram and having to stand for the national anthem.
“Shelly Bay was great, in fact the whole thing was great when you are a kid. Dad managed to get me a flight on a Dakota which was another highlight.’’
His mum has the best family flying story – she once hitched a ride in a de Havilland Mosquito.
Perry was back in Christchurch from his home on the Gold Coast to see the opening of the new Te Kaha Stadium.
Thanks for dropping by Perry!
#rnzaf #shellybay #wigram ... See MoreSee Less
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Our Family Car was a Vax Velox.
Fantastic for young boy to live on RNZAF base
That's an amazing story Perry and no doubt a lot of memories flashed back 🙌
That's cool!
I remember well ya Dad at Wigram , and his team whose name escape me but man did they make us fit. I think one was a Cpl Mc Gyver then there was a mean as Sgt short arse. 😂😂😂
Awesome mate
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EJECT EJECT! On this day in 1957, the first successful ejection was made by a member of an RNZAF Squadron.
The aircraft concerned was an RAF De Havilland Venom WR282 being operated by No. 14 Squadron out of RAF Tengah, Singapore during the Malayan Emergency.
It was flown by Flight Lieutenant Mike Palmer on 29 April 1957. The unit history described what happened:
“The first flight was a low-level battle eight at max endurance with the two fours joining after 45 minutes flying. One pair was forced to return early, leaving the other two, Flt Lt Palmer and Fg Off Roud to continue the detail.
"While returning and within sight of Tengah at 1000ft experienced a flame-out which forced him to abandon his aircraft over the Straits of Johore. The ejection seat proved its worth, since he made a watery landing completely unscratched a few seconds later.
"The aircraft arrived with a large splash near a police launch which took successful evasive action and picked up the pilot…..Flt Lt Palmer arrived back at the Squadron during the afternoon looking little the worse for wear!”
The ejection was also the first to be undertaken by a member of the RAF’s Far East Air Force. Mike Palmer went on to become an Air Commodore and was awarded the CBE for his distinguished service in 1978. He served in the RNZAF until 1983 and passed away in 2002.
Between 1957 and 1993, 17 members of the RNZAF used ejection seats in emergencies.
📸 Two members of No. 3 Squadron, Territorial Air Force, in the cockpit of a Vampire at RNZAF Station Ohakea. Handwritten on the album page "Ohakea 1956" "Mike Palmer and 'Tubby' Calder." Original RNZAF negative number OhG5207-56. Iamge: ALB971531196
📸 No. 14 Squadron Venom WE438 at RAF Station Tengah. Image from the Frederick Barry Flavall personal collection. Image: 2017-106.92 ... See MoreSee Less
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Dave Homewood