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
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HISTORIC WIGRAM WALKING TOURS! Don't miss out on a chance for a walking tour of arguably the most magnificent former air base in Canterbury!
We’ve joined the Heritage Festival line up once again and you can book here airforcemuseum.co.nz/events/discover-historic-wigram/ for a 90-minute walking tour around the grounds of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand at Wigram.
Our historic air base is the birthplace of the RNZAF. During this special tour you’ll hear from ex-RNZAF personnel who lived and worked on the base and encounter original buildings dating back to the early 1900s.
At its height during World War Two, more than 2,500 people lived at RNZAF Station Wigram and we can provide you with a fascinating glimpse into the past.
Tours will run from 10am-11.30am on selected dates during Christchurch’s Heritage Festival, 11-27 October.
By the left, quick march.
#heritagefestival #christchurchnz #christchurcheritagefestiva ... See MoreSee Less
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SIBLING SERVICE: In his latest blog, Research Curator Simon Moody recounts the story of siblings Robert and Madge Congreve who both served overseas in World War Two.
While we often come across stories of brothers who went away to serve, brother and sister tales are less common.
The Congreves were born in Christchurch but grew up in Wellington. Robert volunteered and trained as a wireless operator and was sent to Europe, and Madge served as a nurse in the Pacific.
Simon recounts the story of how these two brave young Kiwis risked it all to go to war. Be warned, you will need a tissue or hanky for this read!
airforcemuseum.co.nz/blog/the-congreves-brother-and-sister-go-to-war/ ... See MoreSee Less
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NEW WEEK, TOUGHER COMPETITION! Name the type of aircraft, its manufacturer and the ship and its class, in this picture.
Correct answers will go in the draw to win an exclusive Air Force Museum of New Zealand mug. They’re round, with roundels, and they’re the talk of the town.
Put your answers in the comments below or, for a confidential service, you can email communications@airforcemuseum.co.nz.
So, we're after four things.
Name of aircraft:
Manufacturer:
Name of ship:
Class of ship:
Good luck everyone!
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Man I hope I win the Mug. Aircraft : H-13 Sioux Manufacturer : Bell Ship name : HMAS Knot Biting Class : Ramco Ranger 360. 🤞
Tie fighter in the trench of Deathstar mark 1 whilst the Mil falcon provides cover from Vader’s death plasmas
Its a Heiny Hotrod A4 but shows up on Radar as F16 post Kahu upgrade..lol
The aircraft is a Sqwauk, and the boat is afloat, so it’s not the Manawanui.
It appears to be a Mig 26, flying past the aircraft carrier USS Voyager
That’s an A4K Skyhawk. The manufacturer is Douglas, albeit by the time of production of this one I think Douglas was a part of McDonnell Douglas. I think the ship is HMAS Adelaide and it’s an Adelaide-class frigate, a modified version of the US Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates.
HMAS Adelaide and 2Sqn A-4K with CO Sqn Ldr Jason Easthope pilot (jk about last bit, but it could be?)
That a McDonnell Douglas A-4K Kahu and behind it is HMAS Adelaide of the Oliver Hazard Perry class.
New Zaeland should have brought the F-16's to replace the A4
Aircraft: Target Manufacturer: Elves using black magic Name of ship: Shooty McShootBoat Class of ship: Floating For those who playing seriously: Aircraft: Skyhawk A-4K NZ6201, 2 SQN, operating from HMAS Albatross. First single seat A-4 delivered to RNZAF on 16/01/1970 Builder: Douglas Name of Ship: HMAS Adelaide(II) FFG 01, Lead ship of Adelaide sub-class of the USN Oliver Hazard Perry Class, commissioned 15/11/1980, decommissioned 19/01/2008. Yes I have Autism and this is my Tism jam!
Douglas A4K Skyhawk. The Ship is HMAS Adelaide, lead ship of the Adelaide class FFG, a deriavtive of the Oliver Hazard Perry class. However I was used to seeing the combination of Skyhawk and Frigate in much closer configuration. I remember in 1988 standing on the Seacat Deck above the Hanger of HMNZS WELLINGTON when an A4K did a flyover above our flight deck, and I swear that I was looking down on it as it passed. I have also seen a flyover at similar altitude where the A4K banked to avoid the ships mainmast. My best view of an A4K had to be when I was closed up at Action Stations as the G3 (Midships, Port Side) .50 cal machine gunner on board HMNZS WAIKATO in 1995, where I was required to engage an oncoming A4K with blank .50 cal when he bounced us in Jervis Bay. They look a lot bigger in the sight picture. Arrr, the lanterns be swingin' today!
That’s a B1 lancer. Developed and built by telecom New Zealand.
That is a fucken cool ass Skyhawk
-Douglas A-4K Skyhawk (NZ6201) -Ship is HMAS Adelaide, Adelaide Class guided missile frigate, FFG Class.
I have never seen this meme in person like this particular comment thread and its glorious
That’s Eric the half-a-bee, made by Airfix I believe, and the boaty thing is Mildred and she’s very lower middle class.
HMAS Adelaide/Guided Missile Frigate/ and a Kiwi A4 Skyhawk from No2 SQDN based across the 'ditch' in NSW Australia.
Adelaide, Adelaide class, the aircraft is likely a Sikorsky S70b seahawk in the hanger.
Chatgbt answer. Is it right? Aircraft: • Type: Douglas A-4K Skyhawk • Maker: McDonnell Douglas (originally Douglas Aircraft Company, USA) • Operator: Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) – identifiable by the RNZAF roundel and tail markings. • Notes: The A-4K was a New Zealand-specific variant of the A-4 Skyhawk, upgraded under “Project Kahu” in the 1980s with modern avionics and radar. Ship: • Type: ANZAC-class frigate • Name: HMNZS Te Kaha (F77) or HMNZS Te Mana (F111) — however, the hull number “01” on the bow in this photo identifies it as HMNZS Canterbury (F421), a Leander-class frigate of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). • Maker: Built by Yarrow Shipbuilders, Scotland, for the RNZN. So: • Aircraft → Douglas A-4K Skyhawk (RNZAF) • Ship → HMNZS Canterbury (F421), Leander-class frigate (RNZN)
The ship is Adelaide Class Frigate, HMAS Adelaide, and the aircraft: Douglas A-4K Skyhawk
Back when kiwis had wings
Warship = HMAS Adelaide (FFG 01) - OHP Class Frigate built at Todd Pacific Seattle Shipyards, USA. Aircraft: Douglas A4K Skyhawk, RNZAF
McDonnell Douglas A4 Skyhawk. HMAS Adelaide, Class - Frigate.
McDonnell-Douglass A-4K Skyhawk, with HMAS Adelaide, Lead Ship of the Adelaide Class Frigate, Modified from the Oliver Hazard Perry Class. I presume the ship modifications were predominantly concerned with the storage and provision of alcoholic beverages.
Name of aircraft: A4K Skyhawk Manufacturer : McDonnell Douglas Name of ship: HMAS Adelaide Class of ship : Adelaide class frigate
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