What's on at Air Force Museum of New Zealand
Latest from the museum
Birthday Parties
Mission: Best birthday ever
Zip up a flight suit, grab your dog tags, and dive into a fully hosted birthday “mission”. From air & sea adventures for preschoolers to rescue and cadet challenges for older children. Our Programmes team runs the activities, the children get awesome photo moments (and party bags), and you can add catering through our café.
Book a birthday party
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.
Learn More
Our Aircraft
Explore AircraftMore to explore
URGENT CLARIFICATION: It has been brought to our attention that there is a degree of ongoing confusion out there about the differences between an Air Commodore and a Holden Commodore, which we’re happy to clear up.
The confusion is not surprising of course.
As well as sharing a name, Commodores are highly regarded, well specified, graceful, purposeful, well designed and they command respect.
To the naked eye they may be similar, as our photo of Air Commodore GJW ‘Goldie’ Goldsmith getting out of a Holden Commodore shows, but there are a few key differences that we’ll run you through with our handy three-point guide.
The first, and probably most noticeable difference, is in the fuelling department.
Holden Commodores are fuelled via a standard General Motors nozzle arrangement on the right-hand side towards the rear, while Air Commodores are fuelled via the top.
While we are talking propulsion, we should move on to next key difference – fuel types.
Holden Commodores take mostly 91-octane, depending on specifications. With engines ranging from the 1.9 litre straight four engine in the VC model, through to the 6.2 litre LS3 engine in the VF series, fuel economy varied.
Air Commodores also come in different sizes and capacities, with smaller versions getting by on sandwiches and tea, but more high-powered models demanding fuel a bit higher in octane, according to the mission.
Finally – the last key difference – and you will kick yourself once it is pointed out – is in the noise department.
Holden Commodores had different engine notes depending on their engine capacity. This ranged from the raspy cry for help from the1.9-litre four-cylinder from the desperately underpowered early models to the grunty deep growl of the later LS3 V8s.
Air Commodores sounded different according to the model. Their notes could range from baritone to contralto but always sounded confident and in control.
So, there you have it. Never confuse a Holden Commodore with an Air Commodore again.
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This could be the best one yet 🤩
One of them smokes badly when it gets older. I'm not sure which one, though.
Five Commer doors
BROTHERS IN ARMS: During the hectic days of the invasion of France and the Low Countries in May 1940, New Zealanders were at the forefront of the aerial defence. Some, like Edgar ‘Cobber’ Kain became household names.
One of the less glamourous roles in the campaign was performed by Army Co-operation squadrons of the Air Component of the RAF.
They flew Westland Lysanders in support of ground units, spotting the enemy and directing fire, just as they had in the Great War. This, however, was a different kind of war, one of movement and surprise.
The slow and lightly armed Lysanders were very vulnerable, and usually unescorted.
On Sunday 19 May 1940, seven Lysanders of No. 16 Squadron RAF hastily took off to relocate as German forces raced to encircle and capture their airfield at Bertangles.
A passenger in one of these aircraft was Pilot Officer Ian Dromgoole, a pilot from Lyttelton.
The Lysander was intercepted by enemy fighters and quickly shot down. No remains were ever recovered, and the crew were commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
One of Ian’s seven brothers Sydney was also killed on 22 April 1942 while serving with No. 75 (NZ) Squadron.
Some of Ian and Sydney’s letters home from England were found in the family home in Lyttelton, following his parent’s deaths, copies of which are now archived here at the Museum.
Another brother, Jack, was in the American merchant navy and was lost at sea.
Of his other brothers, Leo served with the RAF in Singapore, Malaya and with the RNZAF in New Zealand.
Max served with the New Zealand Army in Greece, Crete and North Africa and was wounded. Two others, Victor and Frank served in essential industry in New Zealand.
📸Portrait of Pilot Officer I Dromgoole, from the Weekly News issue 5 June 1940. Image: MUS0900515
📸Two No.16 Squadron Lysanders in formation. UG-H (behind) and UG-A (in front). Unknown location in England. Image: 2023/109.202 ... See MoreSee Less
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Rest in peace . Lest we forget .
HAPPY INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM DAY! Today's the day we celebrate the contribution museums make to the world.
This year's theme is Uniting a Divided World - and it is hard to imagine a time when the world has been more divided!
Today we'd like to thank the more than 200,000 visitors - including 5000 students - who have chosen to come museuming* at our place.
Ka rawe, ka pai, thank you very much!
*A made-up word which means learning all about incredible Kiwi stories with us the home of military aviation in#ICOMZ#InternationalMuseumsDayionalmuseumsday ... See MoreSee Less
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