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
REUNITED: Flight Lieutenant Ben Pickering dropped by the other day to be reunited with his old favourite - RNZAF C-130H 7001 - also known as Charles.
Ben is now an RNZAF C-130J pilot, but has great memories of his time flying the RNZAF's H fleet, which finally retired last year after 60 years of service.
"01 was my favoutite because it didn't break. The H models had a lot of character, but the J is a much better aircraft in a lot of ways - newer, more capable, more powerful and with a UD (heads-up display).''
Where the J model loses ground is in the catering department, he says.
"The microwave overns are not as good though, we could make scones and roast lamb in the H, which you can't do in a J.''
Nice to see you Ben - thank you for your service. ... See MoreSee Less
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FACING THE RISING SUN: Join Research Curator Simon Moody tomorrow morning at 10am for a talk on the experiences of New Zealand airmen in Malaya and Singapore in 1941-1942.
Life in Singapore was extremely peaceful in 1941 – until it wasn’t!
Simon will outline the role Kiwis played in what was ultimately a hopeless attempt to defend Singapore and Malaya against the overwhelming advance of Japanese forces.
This talk is FREE and on in our Theatre. No need to book.
The aircraft in the photo is the 'pathetic' Brewster Buffalo - which did its best to defend Singapore. Learn about all its shortcomings with Simon!
Short Talk: Facing the rising sun
Saturday 9 May 10am
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The Heroes of 488SQN fought the Japanese with obselete aircraft (Brewster Buffalo), and the population of Singapore never forgot their sacrifice. Which is part of the reason for our 'Special Relationship' with Singapore to this day.
STOP PRESS! RNZAF Radio Operators save lost American Flying Fortress!
In 1943 a USAAF B-17 Flying Fortress flying west across the Pacific became lost with one failed engine and precious little fuel when Kiwi radio operators on Norfolk Island picked up their distress call.
In 1986 when David Dunn, a RNZAF Direction Finding operator at Norfolk Island at the time, donated his photographs, he related the story:
“This United States Flying Fortress lost an engine in the area somewhere east of Norfolk, became lost, short of fuel, and sent out distress calls which were received by the Norfolk operations room.
"With the aid of information supplied by the Mt. Pitt radar station and D/F bearings from the control tower, the aircraft was guided to a safe landing at Norfolk.
"By the time it landed, the aircraft was critically short of fuel and most of the cargo had been dumped overboard through the open hatches on each side of the fuselage.
"The sight of crew members prostrating themselves on the ground after the aircraft had been parked attested to their joy of again finding mother earth!
Several days later, after a Liberator had flown in a replacement engine and it had been fitted, the Fortress departed to the strains of ‘The William Tell Overture’ sung by the crew over the command radio as the aircraft gathered speed down the runway and became airborne.”
The Dunn collection of prints and negatives has recently been digitised and will be made available in due course on the Air Force Museum’s online database of photographs fotoweb.airforcemuseum.co.nz/fotoweb/
Photos: The Flying Fortress landing safely at Norfolk Island after their ordeal. Image: 1986-016.3.19
The original D/F section photographed on the verandah of the D/F residence. L-R: Back; Aircraftman Ron Pearce, Corporal Bruce Evetts, Aircraftman Ross Noonan. Front; Aircraftman Dave Dunn, Gordon Findlay. Image: 1986-016.3.12
Norfolk Island Control Tower. The Direction Finding aerials can be clearly seen on the roof. Image: 1986-016.3.5
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I wonder if this is actually a C -108 transport version? There is no upper turret nor machine guns in the rear turret.
Did Ross Noonan stay in the RNZAF post war ?
Is it possible these were jettisoned? Unsure if the tail position is blanked over.
Looks like the summer uniform we had when I joined in 1959.
My husband and I were holidaying at Norfolk Island early 80's. At the airport was a group of American vets showing their wives where they had been during the war, but they were having difficulty with the orientation. Dave was able to show them the direction the runway ran when they were there and also where they had camped. Then it all came back them. I have always thought how fortuitous for Dave to have been there just at that time with just the right information.
The loop antenna..... is rotated to find the incoming signal
My uncle served on Norfolk Island. This photo from my mums collection. His name Robert (Bob) Brockie.
Great story.
Nice story
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