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
GLORIA ON HIGH: Her name was Gloria Lyons, a young patient in Christchurch Hospital in 1943, and she responded to a plea for correspondence with some lonely airman in the Pacific by writing them a letter.
She had no idea her name would soon be immortalised on a P-40 Kittyhawk and she'd be a media star.
And now, more than 80 years later that celebrated Kittyhawk has survived against the odds thanks to the vision of aviation collector John Smith, and some incredible restoration work by conservationists.
In a new two-part blog from The Aero Historian, the Journal of the Aviation Historical Society of New Zealand, the full Gloria Lyons story is told.
Tuck on in for a fascinating Sunday morning read.... airforcemuseum.co.nz/blog/the-life-and-times-of-gloria-lyons-part-one/
And if you're in Marlborough you can see Gloria in the flesh at the Omaka Heritage Aviation#theaerohistorianohistorian ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
Gloria lived near where we were In Bankstown, NSW , I think, if I remember correctly, she was Mrs Eamon or a similar.
A couple of photos here from May 21 when we moved Gloria from our hangar on to the AHC.
And Mr George Smith - John's brother
And many of the Team who worked the Restoration
View more comments
MARCH 14! What better way to celebrate the date today than with a formation of No. 14 Squadron Vampires tracing the number 14 in the sky!
PS: For those of you with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, please forgive the fact there are 13 Vampires celebrating in a 14 formation. ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
Air Force Museum of New Zealand what time can we come see this
What time is this happening? I’d love to see it, it’s my birthday today! 1️⃣4️⃣
The 14th Vampire is the cameraship 😃
Always a conundrum. If the 14 is to be the correct way around when viewed from the ground, it will be the wrong way around if viewed from above. (Today, most of us will know about this in selfies.)
And 1in the pavcling crate at 1 BoD, Trentham
We used to live at Bulls years ago and would see these in the sky regularly. 😀
No.14 Squadron Royal New Zealand Air Force based at Cyprus 1952-54 when 78 Fighter Wing RAAF was based in Malta
My mum was born on 14 mars 1936, but she never got a airshow as a birthdaygift.
My father in law took these in the air back in the day! He was based out of Wigram. I love the sound when the local one goes for a jaunt on occasion!
Yes, I did count them before I read the post!
How does the RNZAF count to 14? 😁
One flew over my house today, a pleasent surprise!!!
Perfect timing, speaking of Vampires, I enjoyed watching ZK-VAM flying over Christchurch today! fr24.com/data/aircraft/zk-vam#3ebbaa14
Just for you Jude Signal
Yes but world airforces are still in combat and I for one will remember them also .
But 14 celebrating 21!
Awesome
the celebration of murderers is never happening here
View more comments
SHE'S BACK! It has been a while Tania Crawford!
Tania joined the RNZAF at Base Woodbourne in 1987, and then trade trained as a publications specialist at Wigram in the very building our museum now stands in.
She left the air force in 1990, but not RNZAF life. She was a dependent for the next 30 years, with the majority of the time spent at Bulls, just down the road from RNZAF Base Ohakea.
Tania's blue through and through.
"I joined the RNZAF because it was known as a great place to train,'' she says.
"I made life-long friends and what I learned helped me go on to get good jobs in civvy street.''
These days she works as a medical receptionist, and she says her colleagues are well aware of her military ways.
"I like everything at work to be organised and a bit regimented - I think everyone can tell I was trained in the armed forces!''
Tania's favourite base is Woodbourne - where she was posted twice - and her favourite aircraft is the mighty McDonnell Douglas Skyhawk.
Thanks for your visit Tania and for your RNZAF service! ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
On ya Tania, 🙂
My, my. That's a blast from the past. I was Catering @ Woodie. Remember some of the recruit courses still. And some names, like hers.
Why has it got 3 ejection seat warning triangles
Pretty sure you were on my recruit course R3/87? with TC Campbell, Brian Hart, Mutu, Sharon Keith to name a few - other names escape me now......almost 40 years ago!!
🙌🙌👍
Hi Tania Crawford
View more comments