Murray McGuigan

Fun with flags!

A ‘very good’ Christmas Cake

Why have one Christmas cake when you can have seven? If these cakes – on display in No. 1 Mess, RNZAF Station Whenuapai – are anything to go by, Christmas of 1943 was going to be a bountiful occasion, not to mention a well-decorated one. Read the full story here.

Remembering the Ball Pass Avalanche

On the afternoon of 23 July 1975, a deep slab avalanche occurred at the head of Ball Pass on Aoraki / Mount Cook. Tonnes of snow and ice slid down the slope face, directly into a group of RNZAF personnel on a training exercise.

Conflagration at ‘Cardboard Castle’: The Rongotai Exhibition building fire

75 years ago, the former RNZAF station Rongotai was the scene of one of Wellington’s largest fires. The uncannily glamorous facility that had started life as a tourist mecca, then morphed into a busy military station, ultimately became a hot spot of a much more unfortunate kind.

Ohakea Beer Fest

These potent examples of pottery were donated by a self-described ‘regular’ at the Ohakea baggies’ (junior ranks) bar – read more!

Remembrance Poppies

Somehow cheerful and solemn at the same time, the simple lapel poppy has a been a familiar feature of Anzac Day commemorations for generations of New Zealanders.

Air Force Day ’81

The end of Summer in 1981 at RNZAF Base Ohakea was marked by a full-scale episode of PDA. Not a public display of affection (although who’s to say that didn’t happen?) but a public display of aircraft.

The Battle of Britain Lace Panel

Discover the story of one of the Museum’s most special artefacts – the Battle of Britain commemorative lace panel.

Handle with care

Every day, objects in our collection present our team with unique challenges to overcome if we are to look after them in the best possible way. Find out more about individual storage solutions.

Messenger Pigeons of World War Two

Homing pigeons were widely used as messenger carriers by the armed and civil services during World War Two.