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.
Learn More
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
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.
Learn More
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
Today we remember five young Kiwi men who died in 1943 in an attack on a German submarine that resulted in the award of a posthumous Victoria Cross.
On 11 August 1943, Flying Officer Lloyd Trigg, Flying Officer Ivan Marinovich, Flight Sergeant Arthur Godfrey Bennett, Flight Sergeant Lawrence James Frost and Flight Sergeant Terence John Soper set off on a patrol from their base at Rufisque in French West Africa.
The crew spotted a surfaced German submarine, U468, about 380km southwest of Dakar, and closed in for the attack. The U-boat turned its two anti-aircraft cannons to the aircraft and scored several devastating hits to the Liberator, setting it on fire.
The aircraft was crippled beyond saving, and it plunged into the sea a short distance from the U-boat, killing everyone aboard.
The U-boat was mortally wounded, and it sunk within 20 minutes. Seven of its crew members survived and were picked up by an Allied rescue party the next day, floating in a dinghy which had come from the crashed Liberator.
The captain of the U-boat was interrogated and provided an eyewitness account of the attack, which resulted in Lloyd Trigg’s recommendation for a Victoria Cross.
He remains the only serviceman ever to be awarded the VC solely on evidence provided by the enemy. He is one of only three New Zealand airmen to receive the medal.
Lloyd Trigg was only 29 when he died, and he was survived by his wife and two sons.
Ivan Marinovich was 26, Arthur Bennett was 29, Lawrence Frost was 22 and Terence Soper was 21.
They are commemorated on the Malta Memorial and on our Roll of Honour.
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 more here: airforcemuseum.co.nz/blog/flying-officer-lloyd-allan-trigg-vc-dfc-submarine-hunter/
#rnzaf #victoriacross ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
THREE AND FREE AFTER 3PM! Kobe Takarangi-Moore brought his mum Samantha along to take advantage of our Free after 3 Hunt offer.
That's right, our world famous childrens' hunts are FREE AFTER 3PM, Monday to Friday in August.
Just to complicate things, Kobe is actually three!
And his favourite aircraft is the De Havilland Moth, because it is 'lellow'.
If you are three or over, and you're free, after school, kindy or work, and you fancy a FREE HUNT, make like Kobe and #freeafter3o our place.
#freeafter3 ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
BERLIN AIRLIFT: On this day in 1949 the last RNZAF flight left Berlin, ending an exceptional contribution to the airlift that saved a city from starvation.
The Berlin Airlift began after the Soviets sealed off West Berlin, cutting off the city with a blockade that was the first significant confrontation of the Cold War.
The only way to supply the city was by air, and Operation Plainfare was launched.
Commonwealth countries were called on to help and the RNZAF volunteered the services of three crews from No. 41 Squadron flying borrowed C-47 Dakotas.
The Kiwi crews were based at Lubeck in West Germany and flew three missions over 12 hours a day to supply the besieged capital.
The flying was tough, the skies congested and the weather difficult.
The original six-month mission was extended, and over 13 months the New Zealanders successfully completed 473 flights, delivering 1577 tons of cargo, mainly coal, to keep Berlin supplied.
The return flights were principally used to as medivac flights for malnourished children.
The last flight landed back in the west on 11 August 1949, and then the Kiwis headed home.
Each crew consisted of a pilot, navigator and a wireless operator. The New Zealanders were: CJ Fraser, Dunedin, pilot; E Saker, Cambridge, navigator, N Fitzgerald, Auckland, wireless operator; JD Phillips, Christchurch, pilot; HJ Hammond, DFC, Christchurch, navigator, SH Ward, Henderson, wireless operator; G Haslop, Te Aroha, pilot; GM King, Wellington, navigator and R Hicks, Gore, wireless operator.
Another Kiwi played a starring role in Operation Plainfare.
Air Commodore Ronald ‘Nugget’ Cohen – a famous son of Feilding in the
Manawatu – was the chief architect of the complicated plan to supply Berlin.
Cohen was an exceptional organiser. After the airlift was successfully completed, he was made a Commander of the British Empire and awarded the US Legion of Merit for his work.
📸A C-47 Dakota at Lubeck. Image: Wiki Commons.
📸 The plaque presented to Kiwi aircrews at Lubeck. Image: MUS0800513
📸Air Commodore Ronald Cohen at his desk in Germany during the Berlin Airlift. Image: 2017-017.136
#rnzaf #berlinairlift ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
Fascinating history - thanks for sharing!
Congratulations RNZAF!! ex-RAF
Heros all. ❤️ Berlin remembers.
Thanks for that. Something I didn’t know.
There were a lot more Kiwis involved that were serving in RAF Squadrons. We had one living at Weedens in 1973, but I can't remember his name.
Legends
Australian govt gifted this plane to Gatow Berlin museum in 1980 to commemorate the help from not just Aust but NZ too- sits outside on the apron at this v good museum - the field was a crucial link in the Airlift
Air Force Museum of New Zealand here's another massive part of the story. My uncle, Jim Brookes, flew the lead aircraft into Berlin while on secondment to the RAF, along with the other kiwis listed in the story.
Something I didn’t know. It also appears the Air Commodore’s wearing Wing Commander rank!
Phone must have been a bit noisy. One of the bells has been turned upside down 😁
Another New Zealand pilot was Ted Edwards of Whangarei.
I learnt something today, thank you Air Force Museum of New Zealand. Happy to be corrected. Tempelhof was taking a flight every few minutes. Busiest airport in the world at the time?
When I was a young lad at school in Mataura, Ray Hicks owned the newsagent/book store. My father told me that Ray had been flying in the Berlin Airlift. His son went on to become the Mayor of Gore & Mataura.
Wow! Didn’t know New Zealand was involved in the Berlin Airlift!
The ever trusty C-47 and the ever reliable David Brown tractor tug. After the war a number of the David Brown motors were installed at airports to drive backup power generators.
Bloody great story that I hadn’t heard and like Park Cohen appears to have been lost in the shadows
View more comments