What's on at Air Force Museum of New Zealand
Latest from the museum
Latest Exhibition
Victory!
This year marks 80 years since the end of the Second World War.
A new exhibition, called Victory, 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. The exhibition is on in our upstairs balcony in the atrium.
Exhibition
The Mighty Hercules
We are delighted to let you know that our latest exhibition, the Mighty Hercules, is now open. Come and visit and learn all about this extraordinary aircraft.
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#Extraordinaryaircraft
Help us build a home for our #extraordinaryaircraft
Our Lockheed C-130H (NZ) Hercules and P-3K2 Orion have had long-term preservation work completed so they can be safely stored while we work on plans for a new permanent exhibition space large enough to house them.
Measuring 29.8m from nose to tail, with a wingspan of 40.5m and a tail soaring to just under 11m high, the Hercules is too large for our current exhibition halls. The Orion is almost as tall and even longer – stretching to 36m thanks to its submarine-detecting tail boom.
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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.
We were sorry to have to charge after being free for so many years, but the charge is required to cover rising costs and to contribute to our new $16 million extension to house the newest members of our collection – our historic Hercules and Orion aircraft.
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Our Aircraft
Explore AircraftMore to explore
Today we remember Pilot Officer Jack Milton Cave, who was killed 85 years ago when his Bristol Blenheim aircraft crashed on return from a bombing raid over Germany on 30 October 1940.
Jack was born in Hamilton in 1919 and volunteered for the RNZAF shortly after the outbreak of World War two.
He completed preliminary training in New Zealand before heading for England to complete training before joining No. 101 Squadron RAF.
On 30 October 1940 Jack and the crew departed RAF West Raynham, Norfolk in Blenheim IV T2246 at 5.15pm.
The targets were obscured by bad weather and on returning to England they encountered poor visibility over England. At 11pm it crashed in Dunster Wood, near Coleby, Lincolnshire, killing Jack and fellow crew members John Gregson Hitchen and Clifford John Gooderick.
It was Jack’s 15th operation – he was 21 years old.
This was the first of two tragedies for the family. Jack’s brother Vernon, also a pilot, served in the RAF and was killed while in service in 1945.
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. ... See MoreSee Less
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At 21 I was crewing a tank and couldn't imagine at that age having the maturity and skill to fly a bomber over Germany!
RIP.Lest we forget.
QUESTION: How many Avonhead School - Rakipaoa pupils can you fit in a Bell UH-1H Iroquois?
ANSWER: As many as you like as long as the door is open and they keep jumping out.
Thanks for your visit yesterday - favourite school so far this week!
#avonheadschool #fortunateson #belliroquois #huey ... See MoreSee Less
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I know of 18
SOLDIERING ON: Yesterday's unseasonal snow dump (or dusting for the more cynical snow experts) at Wigram was nothing compared to 'the big snow' of 1945.
As these pictures show, tough Cantabrians can take a bit of snow on the chin, and we took a bit yesterday.
We didn't call out the band for some impromptu pe#snowa#canterbury!#Metservicenterbury #metservice ... See MoreSee Less
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I had a workmate that did his army training during winter at the Tekapo base back in the late 70s & he reckoned it was brutal 🥶 🙄
Looks like Canada!
You couldn’t call out the Wigram Base band, we were disbanded in 1995!
My father arrived back in Christchurch after four years as a POW in Austria, where one of their jobs was to shovel snow in the serious winters. He got back here just in time to help shovel out Christchurch!
Your post reminded me of Wilf and this photo from my father’s collection. Wilf and my dad were quarantined together in Nova Scotia while on route to the UK in 1941. Pilot Officer Wilfred Sefton Emmett, RNZAF, at Truro, Nova Scotia, 1941. Son of James and Mary Emmett of Wanganui, New Zealand. Killed while a member of 201 Squadron, 3 Dec. 1941, aged 26. Coastal Command Sunderland II ZM-P lost radio aids on anti-submarine escort patrol. After two attempts to land the aircraft crashed at Doonberg, County Clare, Ireland. The crew abandoned their aircraft successfully, but only the pilot, F/Lt Fleming DFC and Sgt. J.C. Masterson survived to reach shore where they were interned. Wilf's body was never recovered, his loss is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Lest We Forget
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