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
URGENT CLARIFICATION: With International Talk Like A Pirate Day* looming, we’re moving swiftly to clear up any ongoing confusion between the Blackburn Buccaneer and Blackbeard the Buccaneer in the interests of public safety.
This confusion is understandable of course. As well as sharing very similar names, both are fearsome sea-going weapons of war with reputations for speed, surprise attacks, and heavy armament.
Since they’re virtually impossible to tell apart to the naked eye, we’ve prepared a handy three-step guide to the Buccaneers so you’ll be able to tell them apart at a glance.
The first, and arguably most obvious giveaway, is in the engine department.
The Blackburn Buccaneer was powered by two powerful Rolls-Royce Spey turbofans fuelled by military grade jet fuel, capable of propelling it to a top speed of 1,074 km/h.
Blackbeard the Buccaneer was powered by two rickety legs and fuelled mostly by rum. Contrary to popular belief, one leg was not wooden – that was the Long John Silver model Buccaneer.
The second major difference, and you will kick yourself when it is pointed out, is in the armament department.
The Blackburn Buccaneer was designed to carry the 'Red Beard' nuclear missile with a yield of 25 kilotons as its main attack weapon.
Blackbeard the Buccaneer also came armed to the teeth but was less lethal. Blackbeard sported a cutlass and a musket – and had no time for Red Beard at all.
Finally, and you will kick yourself when it is pointed out, is in their avionics suite.
The Blackburn Buccaneer came fully loaded from the Blackburn factory with a radar, compass, speed indicators, altimeter and everything you’d expect in a 1960s-era nuclear capable attack aircraft.
Blackbeard the Buccaneer came with a compass, an auxiliary shoulder parrot, a spyglass and a canny eye for the weather tides and cowardly shipmates, but no avionics to speak of.
So, there you have it. Never confuse your Buccaneers again.
And to be doubly sure visit our museum on Fridays when Bucanneer pilot Terry Summers will be happy to talk you through the characteristics of a Bucanneer.
*International Talk Like a Pirate Day is on 19 September me hearties.
#blackburnbuccaneer #internationaltalklikeapirateday #raf #royalnavy ... See MoreSee Less
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I visited the Brough factory where the solid Buccs were being built back in the mid 60's. An unforgettable experience seeing how they were built in the machine shops, and can fully understand why they were so successful
Did any Buccs ever land in NZ?
Any pirate that uses anything other than the present tense Dies where he stands!
Finally! that's confused me for years. You forgot the most important difference though, due to standing on the quarter deck Blackbeard did his attack runs at a much higher altitude.
Interesting that the Blackbeard model carried more guns than the other.
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BEAR POST: Henry Fanshaw was opening his mail this morning and was pleased to get a nice letter and picture from Ella Brogan.
Thanks Ella ❤!
Henry's post cubby hole is usually full of bills, and the odd police summons, so it was nice to get some fan mail.
In regards to the summons, it dates back to Henry's days as a young Bear on base at Ohakea in 1972.
The Bear has no futher comment t#criminalbeari#fanmailr #fanmail ... See MoreSee Less
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I was in the warehouse a few days ago and found the book about Henry Fanshaw! How cool is that. His own book about his adventures during the time he served.
❓DOUBLE MYSTERY COMPETITION:❓ This week's competition combines aircraft recognition skills with airfield recognition skills - otherwise known as a double trouble puzzler.
To recap:
❗Can you name the aircraft?
❗Can you name the airfield?
Do both and you go in the draw to win an Air Force Museum of New Zealand roundel mug.
Made of space-age ceramic material, they are round and have roundels. They make the perfect vessel for dunking, or if you have other mugs, a gift for an unsuspecting relative.
Answers in the comments below or, if you are feeling shy, you can email communications@airforcemuseum.co.nz for a confidential service.
Good luc#mysteruyaircraftc#mysteryairfieldfield ... See MoreSee Less
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B-47 is the plane
Boeing B-47 Stratojet at Harewood (CHC)
Boeing B 47 at Christchurch Airport. I recall it being in support of some Lockheed U2 research flights.
Dave, the plane looks like a Dave
B 47 predecessor to the B52
It’s the Boeing B-47. It’s the start of a long line of Boeing aircraft with swept wings and podded engines. A direct lineage right through to the 787 and the 777X. It was originally quite a different design. Until captured German designers were brought in after WW2 and brought there designs with them. Swept wings, antiskid brakes etc.
B-47 at Harewood. Gate #6 was a bit of a clue...
Not Ohakea with the civilian gate number s d airline staff. Terrain looks more like Harewood too.
Boeing B-47 Stratojet, JB- 47E variant, Christchurch International Airport ( Harewood) 😃
Boeing B47 Ohakea
Boeing B-47 at CHC
B47 at Christchurch airport
Boeing JB-47E Stratojet. Christchurch Airport (Harewood).
Boeing B-47 Stratojet at Chch international airport
B-47 at Harewood
Boeing B-47 Stratojet at Harewood.
B-47 Plane, Harwood airport
B-47E 52-0514 at Harewood Christchurch.
Boeing B47. Harewood.
Boeing B-47 Stratojet Harewood/Christchurch airport
Air Force One at Rangiora air field
Definitely a B-47, possibly at Christchurch Airport.
It’s a B-47 Stratojet at Harewood
Boeing JB-47E Stratojet at Christchurch at the time of the RNZAF 21st anniversary Ohakea Airshow.
Boeing B-47 at Harewood.
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