What's on at Air Force Museum of New Zealand
Latest from the museum
Latest Exhibition
Tall Tails
Our Tall Tails exhibition features the mounted tails of the C-130 Hercules and P-3 Orion, this new exhibition brings visitors closer to two extraordinary aircraft and the stories they carry. It also highlights the importance of finding a permanent home for them, as the Museum continues to fundraise through the Home for Heroes project.
Tall Tails is on display in our Thérèse Angelo Wing.
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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.
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Support Us
Home for Heroes
Join us in building a forever home for New Zealand’s C-130 Hercules and P-3 Orion – icons of service.
For more than half a century, these legendary aircraft carried our nation’s courage across the world – in peace, crisis, and discovery. Now, they need a home worthy of their legacy, where their stories of service, innovation and humanity will continue to inspire.
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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
Our Aircraft
Explore AircraftMore to explore
LAST DAY: It was Squadron Leader James Laurence's last official day in the RNZAF today - and he used it to visit the home of the air force here at Wigram.
James spent 20 years in the RNZAF, serving most of his time as a No. 40 Squadron navigator on the mighty C-130H Hercules.
He loved his time in the RNZAF, which included flights all over the globe, from Antarctica to Afghanistan.
"For me it was all about the flights all over the world and the crews I flew there with.''
He said some flights were 'trickier' to navigate than others, and flying down to Antarctica beyond the point of safe return was a combination of extremely busy and tricky at the same time.
So was he ever worried?
"No, I always knew we had a good navigator on board,'' he laughs.
James, who you may have guessed is a Hurricanes fan along with his sons Ben and Henry, said his feelings were mixed about leaving but he was looking forward to the next chapter of his career.
Thanks for visiting and for your service James.
#rnzaf #hurricanes ... See MoreSee Less
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Cletus! Happy days working with you at LSV after your knives & forks Cse, and awaiting wings. But that can't have been 20yrs ago.....ohhh hang on a minute....🤔 All the best mate....
Great work Cletus 20 years! They say time flies but a Navi would say to which waypoint?
All the best in the next career chap
A true gem of a human- best of luck on your next venture!!🤗🤙🏽🌷💙🩵💙
All the best Cletus. Smartest navigator I ever had the pleasure or working with.
Nice work bro
Good work Cletus. Best of luck with your new adventure.
Tyfys Cletus!
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YOU CAN'T PARK THERE MATE: This one dates back to 12 May 1985, when RNZAF Cessna Golden Eagle NZ7942 suffered multiple bird strikes at Wairoa, aborted take off and ran off the end of the runway.
The Cessna had Minister of Māori Affairs Koro Wētere aboard and thankfully, there were no injuries to the passengers or RNZAF crew.
While technically a case of you can't park the Cabinet Minister there mate, it is also a brilliant piece of flying skills given the circumstances.
The RNZAF purchased three Cessna Golden Eagles in 1981 for training, communications and VIP duties with No. 42 Squadron.
They were superceded by Beechcraft King Air ai#youcantparktherematek#RNZAFa#cessnagoldeneagleoldeneagle ... See MoreSee Less
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It was 104 Flight when I worked on them at Woody Valley..?
After this event, Koro Wētere was known as "Minister of De Fence".
That should buff out
Bit of paperwork upcoming....
Well done Guy's.!!
I’m Koro’s combover would help this safe outcome
Sure Dennis Butler was the pilot.
Poor Koro! I hope he didn’t lose any of his crayons under the seat in front of him when it happened
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CENTRAL'S FINEST: No. 50 Squadron air cadets from Alexandra roared into our place yesterday, and we were very pleased they did.
The group of 12 young aviators from what is arguably Central Otago's prettiest town were on an aviation skills course at Burnham. They took time out fom their studies to visit our Freighter as well as taking a full tour of the museum.
Among the cadets was young Jude Straker, whose grandfather Donald was a No. 5 Squadron P-3 Orion flight engineer.
Which makes Jude practically Orion royalty in our book, and he happily posed with the tail of NZ4203 - and its No. 5 Squadron Albatross.
Welcome to your #no50squadron5#aircadets##RNZAFe#p3orionf #p3orion ... See MoreSee Less
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Awesome 👌 good to see new visitors