Photographs
Ngā Whakaahua
The photograph collection held at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand comprises two main parts – the RNZAF Official negative collection and photographs that have been donated to the Museum.
Almost 40,000 images are available to browse online. More images are being uploaded every day to our online database.
As only a small portion of the total collection has been digitised and made available online, if you can’t find what you’re looking for, you can contact the Keeper of Photographs to request a search be made of the rest of the photograph collection. Any results will then be uploaded to the online database. Depending on the number of enquiries being dealt with, response times will vary, and we thank you in advance for your patience.
Please read the copyright statement below to familiarise yourself with the terms of use for these images. Click the link below to begin exploring our image database – this will redirect you to a new site.
To return to the Air Force Museum website, simply click ‘back’ or open a new window in your browser.
Copyright – Air Force Museum of New Zealand Photograph Collection
The collection of photographs held at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand comprises two parts – the RNZAF Official negative collection and photographs that have been donated to the Museum.
Please read the following, which explains your rights regarding the usage and reproduction of assets contained in the online collection of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. Any enquiries regarding the usage of these images should be addressed to: communications@airforcemuseum.co.nz
RNZAF Official photographs are subject to Crown Copyright and are released under the Creative Commons license ‘Attribution – Non-Commercial’. You are free to copy, distribute and adapt the image but you must attribute the photograph to ‘RNZAF Official’ and abide by other license terms.
Many of the Air Force Museum collection photographs are subject to copyright and are released under the Creative Commons license ‘Attribution – Non-Commercial’ You are free to copy, distribute and adapt the image but you must attribute the photograph to ‘Air Force Museum of New Zealand’ and abide by other license terms.
Some images may be subject to the ‘Flags, Emblems and Names Protection Act 1981’ and cannot be used in such a way that infringes this Act.
Photographs of identifiable individuals may be subject to the ‘Privacy Act 1993’ and as such the permission of those individuals may need to be sought prior to distribution of the image.
This material cannot be used to imply an endorsement from, or an association with, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) or the Air Force Museum of New Zealand without the written permission of either entity. This material can not be used for political purposes or in a way contrary to either the NZDF or the Air Force Museum’s apolitical position.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t I find a picture of my relative?
Unfortunately, not everyone in the RNZAF has been photographed and often names were never recorded. During World War Two, pilot courses and some other air crew courses have photographs but there are virtually no ground crew groups. Post-War, most trades were photographed, but most of these aren’t yet digitised, or available via our online database.
If you’d like to request a search of the non-digitised collection, please contact the Keeper of Photographs by submitting a research enquiry here.
Can I download a photograph and use it?
Yes. For private, non-commercial or educational purposes, you are free to use the photos as you wish.
If you are publishing a book or internet page, permission must first be obtained from the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.
In all cases you must credit the source – either ‘RNZAF Official’ or ‘Air Force Museum of New Zealand.’
How much does it cost?
All images available can be downloaded at no cost.
What database are you using?
We use Fotoware, which is designed for image libraries, including GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums) institutions. It is used extensively internationally, including by numerous museums and galleries in Australia.
