What's on at Air Force Museum of New Zealand
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New 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 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. While it was a day to celebrate, there was still a war in the Pacific to fight.
You’re welcome to come along and learn all about VE Day with us. The exhibition is on in our upstairs balcony in the atrium.
New 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
New charge for overseas visitors
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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YOU CAN'T PARK THERE MATE: Today's parking mishap comes from RNZAF Station Nelson, when a couple of Vickers Vincents went off-piste in a gale, ending up awkwardly positioned.
The picture dates back to February 1944, and is filed under the 'parking - Act of God' category.
Still, you really can't park there mate!
The RNZAF operated 62 Vincents between 1939 and 1944. They were designed as short-range r#youcantparktheremate.
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INTERESTING USES FOR FORMER RNZAF AIRFIELDS, VOLUME 2: Today we visit RNZAF Momona, once a quiet wartime emergency airfield, and now the bustling Dunedin Airport. Sometimes it is even an international airport!
According to our archives, Momona was first identified as a possible airfield/airport site in 1934 and became an RNZAF emergency airfield for nearby RNZAF Station Taieri in 1940. Back then a suitable six-hectare block was leased from William Sprott and the airfield was all set to go.
The first recorded forced landing at Momona by an RNZAF aircraft was by Flying Officer PC Lewis in NZ711 on 27 June 1941. He successfully landed his Tiger Moth after its engine iced up and failed.
By 1948 the time had come to find a new site for an airport to service the metropolis of Dunedin, and Momona was chosen. Dunedin Airport was established by 1962 and today it handles about 903,000 passengers a year.
RNZAF Station Taieri was closed in 1957 but has remained an active airfield and the home of the Otago Aero Club.
Controversially, a former Momona local says the area where the airport is built is low lying and there was some discussion in the 1950s about a third option to build an airport on higher ground in the nearby Chain Hills – but this never got off the ground so to speak.
Our pics show the earliest shot of Momona from the 1940s, with the emergency landing strips just able to be made out; Lockheed Hudson NZ2031 leaving Momona on a trailer bound for MOTAT in Auckland; and de Havilland Vampire 5711 at Momona.
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RNZAF was based at Taieri air port not Momona airport
Lived at Taeiri 55 til 59 then off to Whenuapai
Do you have any photos of Selgrove that was near Papakura but on the harbour towards Kingseat?
Am I correct in thinking the emergency runways were on the other side of Centre Road from the modern airport? A bit hard to tell with the photo oriented cross-ways…
Extremely appreciated the historical facts dunedin being my birthplace this information has eased some questions on tairei and dunedin airports strategy in safe landings for former jets or other aircraft of any era.
There was also a proposal to fill in part of Otago Harbour and create an airport.
My uncle was ATC and then airport manager at Momona…
I remember transporting 2x Hudsons ...fuselage s...from motat to ardmore in the early 70z...they ended up with the corsair nz 1256...which is the so called stolen corsair
RNZAF Taieri closed in 1959 Momona airport is at sea-level
Does anyone have information or pictures of Taieri airport, where I believe there were DH Mosquitos stored?
where is NZ2031 now
I know where NZ5712 is hiding...
Dunedin has never been a metropolis.
Ray Bremer
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TOP 10%: Thank you to all the travellers out there who have visited and reviewed us and contributed to TripAdvisor!
For the fourth year we’ve earned a TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice award for consistently receiving great reviews from travellers, putting us in the top 10% of properties on the world’s biggest travel review site.
Ka pai – we thank you very much!
www.tripadvisor.co.nz/Attraction_Review-g255118-d256991-Reviews-Air_Force_Museum_of_New_Zealand-C...
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Well deserved team 👏👏👏