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See all productsWe have a great range of aviation-themed gifts and souvenirs. Your support helps continue to preserve and share New Zealand’s military aviation history.
We have a great range of aviation-themed gifts and souvenirs. Your support helps continue to preserve and share New Zealand’s military aviation history.
Open daily from 9.30am to 4.30pm (except Christmas Day)
Entry to the Museum is free, donations are appreciated.
45 Harvard Ave, Wigram, Christchurch | 03 343 9532
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Go to FacebookDue to the high numbers of airmen undergoing flying training during World War Two, accidents happened regularly. A report was always carried out to establish what happened and if any lessons could be learned.
Sometimes, the archives reveal that the reporting officer had a sense of humour. This is a rare example of humour extracted from an accident report relating to a Harvard incident at Woodbourne in 1944. The full report can be obtained from Archives New Zealand by requesting file AIR25/2/1774.
“…The instructor meant the pupil to carry out the landing. The pupil thought he meant that he, the instructor, would land it. The Harvard didn’t care what they meant. It hit the ground. Mind reading is not included in the training syllabus.”
Seen in this image is Harvard NZ947, from No. 2 Service Flying Training School, after a heavy landing at RNZAF Station Woodbourne, 1944. Image ref DWNZ947e, Air Force Museum of New Zealand. ... See MoreSee Less
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.... any landing you walk away from is a good landing .....
The eternal risk with tandem cockpit aircraft! the first tandem aircraft I was taught in, the very first item in the briefing was the handover of control - "I have control" - "You have control"...
As a kid I used love watching and listening to the Harvard trainers based at Wigram.
The first auto land trials carried out at Woodbourne. Engineering whoops who forgot to add the gear drop in the logic box.
Clearly the instructors faulty.
t.me/+frQH256iFPg3ZTg0 Thank me later 👆
In every flight, take off is optional. Landing however is mandatory.....
Josh Lavelle
Joseph Lavelle
So nobody had the controls
Benjamin Augustus Dodd
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#Matariki – Te tau hōu Māori / The Māori new year
Today is the first time Matariki is celebrated as a public holiday in Aotearoa New Zealand. Note that while we get 1 public holiday to acknowledge Matariki, the celebration itself is spread out over multiple days.
Matariki is the Māori name for a cluster of stars, also known as the Pleiades, which rises over Aotearoa in midwinter. For many Māori, the emergence of Matariki in the sky marks the start of the new year.
The crews of voyaging waka used constellations like Matariki to guide them on their journeys across the Pacific Ocean. Modern technology assists our Air Force with navigation today, but the skill of navigating using stars is still taught.
This cardboard planisphere from our collection has a rotating wheel that is set to the date and time of night, showing the stars if the viewer is located at Latitude 41°South, Longitude 174° East. It belonged to Flight Lieutenant Jack Edwin Dawber, who served during World War Two.
Find out more about Matariki here: matariki.net.nz
📸: Air Force Museum of New Zealand ... See MoreSee Less
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Le Pleiadi... simbolo della Subaru!
The Air Force Museum of New Zealand was delighted to host the Christchurch Aerospace Challenge Awards yesterday.
It was fantastic that one of the birth places of Aviation in Aotearoa New Zealand hosted an event showcasing the future of aviation and beyond!
Learn more about the event here: newsline.ccc.govt.nz/news/story/christchurch-aerospace-challenge-winner-announced
📸: Aerospace Christchurch ... See MoreSee Less
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