What's on at Air Force Museum of New Zealand
Latest from the museum
Latest Exhibition
Victory!
It is 80 years since the end of the Second World War.
Our Victory exhibition, upstairs in the atrium, 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.
Exhibition
The Mighty Hercules
The Mighty Hercules exhibition is on in the Cochrane Gallery upstairs in our atrium. Come and visit and learn all about this extraordinary aircraft.
Learn More
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.
The charge is required to cover rising costs and to contribute to our new $20 million extension to house the newest members of our collection – our historic Hercules and Orion aircraft.
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Our Aircraft
Explore AircraftMore to explore
GLIDING ON: Our Air Training Corps Schleicher KA 4 Rhonlerche II Glider is one of only four examples on public display around the world.
So it deserves regular tender loving care, and who better to do it than our aircraft whisperer Jim ‘Scissor-lift hands’ Ritchie?
The Ka-4 was designed by Rudolph Kaiser and manufactured by Alexander Schleicher Sailplanes in Germany during the 1950s.
Tauranga Gliding Club purchased the glider from Germany in 1958, and it was registered as ZK-GBQ.
It was sold to the Waipukurau Gliding Club in 1969, and in 1975, the Hastings Division of the Air Force Association purchased it for No. 11 Squadron ATC.
The following year, 1976, young Jim Ritchie joined the RNZAF as an air cadet. And here he is today, still working, just like the Schleicher KA 4 Rhonlerche II!
#jimscissorlifthands #SchleicheRhonlerche #aircadets #cadetforces ... See MoreSee Less
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FANCY SOME WING WALKING*? Our volunteers love nothing more than a spot of wing walking* here at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, it's an essential skill to keep our aircraft safe as we move them around.
With 36 rare aircraft that's at least 72 wings!
If you're interested in becoming a volunteer and making sure our wings are safe have a look at airforcemuseum.co.nz/volunteer/
*Wing walking is conducted on the ground in a safe controlled environment. No red jump suits supplied, although the overalls a#VolunteeringCanterburyeringcanterbury ... See MoreSee Less
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MYSTERY SYMBOL: What does the 'R' mean on an RNZAF C-130Hercules?
Copyright reserved?
Right hand side?
Reservoir?
Really?
Ruh roh?
Let us know your best guess, most imaginative and accurate win an Air Force Museum 'R' mug. R for is#rnsafo#c130hherculesrnsaf #c130hhercules ... See MoreSee Less
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"Rescue" safe point to cut into in an emergency.
R for right. There will be an L for left, and an F on its nose for front, so you know which way it's meant to go
🏴☠️🪂It's an "Arrrrrr" for air piracy, denoting that this plane has no Cooper vane😉
R is for Rippa aircraft. Or Rip along the dotted line Or R is for RRRRRRRR
Ready for action? Righto let's go! Remember righty tighty. Or maybe it is just the right side of the plane.
It means 'Rejected' as it was not meant to fly.... but it saw the movie of "The Little Engine That Could" and said it to themselves. They flew and flew and flew. They flew for so long that they eventually flew to the museum where it retired and took a nice long nap. There it rests and everyone was happy ever after.
Seriously for the love God it's "R for Romeo" cause l know stuff 🤔😅😅
Rabbit chasing model (also hares)
It's a registered name, "Hercules"... you can't use it without permission.
Reconnaissance version. The R is that small as they need to be very, very sneaky.
R for Conan Doyle? R for pint of bitter?
That's the (R) hand side. You'll see a (L) on the other side...
Not enough paint to finish it.. “R is for rivets “
Reconnaissance. Or Rivets! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Release button! According to my 7year old!
Rockets. For mounting the JATO rockets when you've all had too much to eat for Christmas and need that little help to get airborne
NATO symbol for the flight data recorder location
Rank-slide detector – operational.
Reliable... being the workhorse it proved to be Or... Recreational version
Refurbished, or perhaps Rough Ride, Ready to Roll
Reverse? It must be a special model that can fly backwards!!!
Rooted. 😆
ROYAL?
Position of the millionth rivet on that airframe.
Right side; not to be confused with the left… LOL!!!
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