Aircraft

New Zealand Air Force – Uniforms, Clothing, Badges and Personal Equipment 1923-1948 by Barry O’Sullivan

From our Reading Room series: From boots, badges, and buttons to gloves, goggles and gas masks, this tome is richly illustrated and an essential reference for researching the uniforms of New Zealand’s air force. Read all about it here.

What’s it like to fly a P-3K2 Orion?

The Air Force Museum of New Zealand is about to add NZ4203, a Lockheed P-3K2 Orion, to our collection.

So, we thought we’d talk to two pilots – one who was at the controls of NZ4203 on her delivery flight and another who flew her at the end of her career – about what made NZ4203 so special.

National hero on its way to the Museum

The Air Force Museum of New Zealand will welcome the latest addition to its collection aircraft later this month – a Lockheed P-3K2 Orion NZ4203.

Piecing together the history of Vildebeest NZ102: Part two

Since our first blog on the history of Vickers Vildebeest NZ102, our Research Team has uncovered more of its secrets. This is an update on what we have found recently.

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.

Meteoric rise: New Zealand’s first jet flight

On 11 February 1946, Gloster Meteor NZ6001 became the first jet aircraft to take to the skies in New Zealand. While the Meteor barely saw any RNZAF service, this first jet flight and the publicity tour that followed showed tens of thousands of Kiwis the shape of things to come.

Piecing together the history of Vildebeest NZ102: Part one

The service history of our Vickers Vildebeest is punctuated by some remarkable stories, but uncovering them can be a research challenge. This is some of what has been found so far and how it was done.

Canberra WT346 heads to a new home

We’re really thrilled to share that our Trust Board has signed an agreement, loaning ex-RAF Canberra B(I)8 WT346 to NZ Warbirds Association Inc. at Ardmore for restoration to static display.

50 Years On: RNZAF Skyhawk Purchase and Arrival

It has been 50 years since the McDonnell Douglas A4-K Skyhawk, one of the most iconic and longest-serving aircraft in the history of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF), first arrived in New Zealand