Air Force
‘Never A Dull Day’: Teaching At The Air Force Museum Of New Zealand
Chris Davey has been the Education Officer at the Air Force Museum for over 16 years. A former primary school teacher and North Canterbury native, he recently shared what makes his job so special.
Read MoreAn album of memories: Stanley Wilks and 226 Squadron RAF
One of the first photo albums to be donated to our collection belonged to Stanley Edward Wilks mid (mentioned in despatches), NZ415429. A rather anonymous plain brown cover hides a trove of excellent photographs of operations by No. 226 Squadron RAF, sightseeing and recreation.
Read MoreWe will remember them: interviews with New Zealand’s last wartime aviators
While unable to hold our usual Anzac Day service at the Air Force Museum for Anzac Day 2022, it is a fitting opportunity to share with you some newly-edited interviews with some of the last RNZAF veterans of World War Two: Ron Hermanns, Bryan Cox, Max Collett, Maurice Mayston, and Alan Deere (interview with his nephew Brendon).
Read More“Dear Daisy and Norrie”: The letters home of Squadron Leader Herbert George Percy Blackmore (RAF) to his sister, 1938-1941
rough a variety of ways. Letters were by far the most common during the two World Wars and provide us with an insight into New Zealand families separated by war.
Read MoreTaking flight: the RNZAF contribution to NAC
75 years ago, on 1 April 1947, the New Zealand National Airways Corporation (NAC) officially launched its operations. The NAC period – with its Dakota DC-3 airliner in particular – is considered by some to be the ‘golden age’ of air travel in New Zealand. This blog highlights how the RNZAF contributed to the emerging national airline.
Read MoreBrief Encounters: The short histories of No. 7 and No. 8 Squadrons RNZAF, 1942-1943
The entry of Japan into the Second World War in December 1941 led to the creation of a number of short-lived squadrons to fill the immediate defensive needs of New Zealand and train personnel for future operations of the RNZAF against the Japanese in the Pacific. These are the stories of two of these squadrons, which are closely linked together.
Read MoreThe Hush Hush Boys: An Untold New Zealand Story of the Defence of Singapore, 1941-1942 (Part Two)
leet at Pearl Harbour in Hawaii and British forces in Malaya, Singapore and Hong Kong. This anniversary seems an appropriate time to continue and conclude our previously untold story of a small group of New Zealanders serving as Air Force ground officers in Malaya and Singapore.
Read MoreCombating Disease: Public health efforts in the RNZAF
Public health is all about protecting against community health risks and threats, preventing illness, and promoting health and wellbeing across the population or within groups of people. This blog looks at how the New Zealand military has historically promoted public health messages amongst its personnel, using examples from the RNZAF.
Read MoreOccupying Japan: the RNZAF and J-Force 1946-1948: Part 2
In a previous blog we looked at how RNZAF personnel were sent to Japan in 1946 with ‘J-Force’, part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF). In a continuation of this 75th anniversary blog, we’ll take a look at what those RNZAF personnel did as part of J-Force and how it ended.
Read MoreThe Hush Hush Boys: An Untold New Zealand Story of the Defence of Singapore, 1941-1942 (Part One)
About 600 New Zealand Air Force personnel served in the defence of Singapore in 1941-1942. Some of their stories, such as the exploits of No. 488 Squadron RNZAF and the Aerodrome Construction Squadron have been well researched and written about. There are, however, other stories still to be told. This is one about a small group who had extraordinary experiences.
Read MoreConflagration at ‘Cardboard Castle’: The Rongotai Exhibition building fire
75 years ago, the former RNZAF station Rongotai was the scene of one of Wellington’s largest fires. The uncannily glamorous facility that had started life as a tourist mecca, then morphed into a busy military station, ultimately became a hot spot of a much more unfortunate kind.
Read MoreOhakea Beer Fest
These potent examples of pottery were donated by a self-described ‘regular’ at the Ohakea baggies’ (junior ranks) bar – read more!
Read MoreMatariki: Let’s go fly a kite!
Matariki Māori New Year is a time to celebrate and come together with whānau, friends and communities, maumahara (remember) the people who came before us and share knowledge, traditions, and skills through wānanga (learning), while looking forward to the year ahead. Read this article to find out where kites come into play!
Read MoreMay the 4th be with you!
As fans across unite in celebration of Star Wars, who would’ve thought that we’d have a link to the film franchise in our own collection?
Read MoreRemembrance Poppies
Somehow cheerful and solemn at the same time, the simple lapel poppy has a been a familiar feature of Anzac Day commemorations for generations of New Zealanders.
Read MoreParading for Victory: Air Force Contingent
75 years ago, the troopship “SS Maunganui” left Wellington to convey the New Zealand Victory contingent to the United Kingdom. Embarking on 20 April 1946, this journey took them all the way to London, where they joined a total of 1,600 personnel representing Commonwealth forces in the victory parade on 8 June 1946.
Read MoreAir Force veteran helps Rangiora student achieve flying dream
When Air Force veteran Derrick Hubbard flew solo on his 90th birthday with the Canterbury Recreational Aircraft Club (CRAC) in 2017, he and his (now late) wife, Vera, decided they would like to ‘pay it forward’ and sponsor a young person to experience the same opportunity. This person was Armani Hansen.
Read MoreOccupying Japan: the RNZAF and J-Force 1946-1948: Part 1
In March 1946, the first RNZAF personnel of No. 14 Squadron paraded through the streets of Auckland to board the British aircraft carrier HMS ‘Glory’. Bound for the homeland of their recent enemy, Japan, it was an overseas odyssey which would last for two years.
Read MoreAir Force Day ’81
The end of Summer in 1981 at RNZAF Base Ohakea was marked by a full-scale episode of PDA. Not a public display of affection (although who’s to say that didn’t happen?) but a public display of aircraft.
Read MoreRemembering Operation Desert Storm: the RNZAF and the Gulf War, 1991
30 years ago, operations against Iraq ended with the conclusion of Operation Desert Storm. During this brief but decisive conflict, RNZAF personnel were deployed in support of the wider Coalition against Iraq’s dictator, Saddam Hussein, and his forces.
Read MoreRemembering ‘The Few’ 80 Years On
The Battle of Britain in the summer of 1940 was one the turning points of World War Two. For five months, from June until October 1940, a small number of young fighter pilots of the Royal Air Force (RAF) struggled against the much larger German Luftwaffe for control of the skies over southern England.
Read More50 Years On: RNZAF Skyhawk Purchase and Arrival
It has been 50 years since the McDonnell Douglas A4-K Skyhawk, one of the most iconic and longest-serving aircraft in the history of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF), first arrived in New Zealand
Read MoreHighlights from the Memorabilia Project
75 years ago, in April and May 1945, one of the first major humanitarian operations carried out by air forces took place over Holland.
Read MoreRemembering Operation “Manna”, 1945
75 years ago, in April and May 1945, one of the first major humanitarian operations carried out by air forces took place over Holland.
Read MoreOrigins of the Royal New Zealand Air Force
On 1 April 1937, following the passing of the Air Force Act, the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) was established as an independent service.
Read MoreMy time at the Museum
The past three months I had the opportunity to work with the collections team and have discovered that there is so much more to the Museum than what is on public display.
Read MoreWāhine Toa: Women in Defence: collaborating and curating online
The first collaborative, online exhibition of its kind by New Zealand’s national service museums explores the journeys of women serving in New Zealand’s military since gender integration.
Read More40 years of service – the military journey of Harry Leese
Read the story of the life of a veteran who served in both World Wars.
Read MoreRon Hermanns’ trench art collection
Discover Ron Hermanns collection of exquisitely-crafted ‘trench art’, produced during two tours of operation to the Pacific islands during World War Two.
Read MoreOn the wing – Rugby in the Royal New Zealand Air Force
With the Rugby World Cup in full swing, we thought it would be a great opportunity to trace the story of New Zealand’s national game in the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF).
Read MoreA Bridge Too Far? Remembering New Zealand airmen and the battle for Arnhem 75 years on
Discover more about one of the most daring and ambitious military operations in history, Codenamed Operation Market-Garden which took place in Holland.
Read MoreMany a Close Run Thing
An excerpt from the published memoirs of Tom Enright, a veteran New Zealand pilot from Central Otago. Tom joined the RNZAF in 1951, and on graduation, was recommended for a cadetship with the Royal Air Force College at Cranwell, England. His first 20 years flying was in a variety of military aircraft, including Vampires and Sunderlands, and he was a member of the famed RNZAF Vampire aerobatic team. He then spent the next 25 years as an airline pilot. This is an extract from his new book Many A Close Run Thing (Harper Collins NZ).
Read MoreBoeing 727 nose joins our collection
Read more about the arrival at the Museum of the nose section of former RNZAF Boeing 727 NZ7272.
Read MoreThe Berlin Airlift – Seventy Years On
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the climax of one of the most remarkable logistic and humanitarian operations in history.
Read More“Dismal News”: New Zealand Airmen’s reactions to the Armistice
At the 11th hour of 11 November 1918, the guns on the battlefields of Western Europe fell silent, marking the end of what would later be known as the First World War. Newspapers around the world reported the momentous news in detail, and people across the world rejoiced. New Zealand airmen serving overseas reacted to…
Read MoreThe New Zealand Fighter Wing and Mono Island, 1943 – taking the fight to the Japanese
By October 1943, the tide of the war in the Pacific against Imperial Japan had turned in favour of the Allies. Following the defeat of Japan’s aircraft carrier fleet at Midway in June 1942, the offensive passed to the Americans with Australian and New Zealand forces in support. Key to pushing onward was the seizure…
Read MoreRemembering Thérèse
Last month we said goodbye to our long-serving and much-loved Director, Thérèse Angelo MNZM. Thérèse passed away on 15 October 2018 following a long, and brave, battle with illness, and was farewelled in a fitting service at the Museum she loved so much. Thérèse has left an indelible legacy across three decades of service to…
Read MoreThe arrival of the Southern Cross at Wigram
Until 1928, only two overseas flights had arrived in Australia and none at all in New Zealand. That changed when Charles Kingsford Smith and his crew of the aircraft Southern Cross landed at Wigram on 10 September 1928. Our guest blogger, Brian Lockstone of the Aviation Historical Society of New Zealand, explores the story behind…
Read MoreRAF Centenary Air Show
On Sunday 10 June, the Air Force Museum of New Zealand attended an air show overseas for the very first time as exhibitors, as part of the RAF Centenary Air Show at RAF Cosford in England. We travelled all the way to the other side of the world courtesy of our friends at No. 40…
Read MoreKiwis in Combat – Flying the Meteor with the Australians in Korea
This is the story of two New Zealanders and one epic battle they fought alongside Australian pilots in true ANZAC spirit. In 1950, the Cold War heated up when conflict between North and South Korea brought the United Nations (UN) into the struggle. China later joined the war in support of the faltering North Koreans.…
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