Air Force Museum of New Zealand
{{short description|Military and Aviation Museum in Christchurch, New Zealand}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2021}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox museum
| name = Air Force Museum of New Zealand
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| image = RNZAFmuseumwigram.jpg
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| caption = Museum entrance
| map_type = New Zealand Christchurch
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| coordinates = {{coord|-43.5466|172.5477|region:NZ-CAN_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| former_name = Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum
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| location = Wigram, Christchurch
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| website = {{URL|airforcemuseum.co.nz}}
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The Air Force Museum of New Zealand, formerly called The Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum, is located at Wigram, the RNZAF's first operational base, in Christchurch, in the South Island of New Zealand. It opened on 1 April 1987 as part of the celebrations for the RNZAF's 50th anniversary, and is primarily a museum of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, its predecessor, the New Zealand Permanent Air Force and New Zealand squadrons of the Royal Air Force. The Air Force Museum of New Zealand's mission is to preserve and present the history of New Zealand military aviation for commemoration, learning, inspiration and enjoyment.
Overview
The Museum holds the national collection of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The collection includes objects covering the early days of New Zealand military aviation both prior to World War I and during this major conflict, the interwar years which saw the formation of the RNZAF in 1937, New Zealanders who fought in the RAF and in other Allied air forces during World War II, the RNZAF's campaign in the Pacific, and the post-war period to the present day. The collection also includes objects from former enemy forces, aircraft, aircraft components, aircraft engines, large objects, textiles, art and memorabilia as well as an extensive paper and photographic archive.
Visitors can take a half-hour guided tour through 'behind the scenes' areas of the Museum, which includes the Reserve Collection hangar. The Museum's most recent restoration project, an Airspeed Oxford, is now on public display since February 2016. The Museum also has a Mosquito Flight Simulator, which features a mission based on the Allied bombing of German battleships in the Norwegian fiords.
History
In response to the 2011 earthquake, the museum opened its collections storage facility to other cultural institutions that had been damaged.{{cite thesis |last=Topham |first=Abbey L. |date=2017 |title=Laying Down Foundations: Reflecting on Disaster Management Planning in Museums in Christchurch after the 2010 and 2011 Earthquakes |type=MA |publisher= University of Canterbury |url=http://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/handle/10092/15790 |access-date=18 June 2020}}
The museum opened a new {{convert|6,500|m2|sqft|abbr=on}} Technology Centre in February 2017.{{cite web |title=Wigram Air Force Museum |url=http://www.contech.co.nz/wigram-air-force-museum |website=Contech |access-date=11 March 2025 |date=16 June 2017}}
The museum's Canberra was transported to Ardmore for restoration and conversion to a B(I).12 variant in 2021.{{cite news |last1=Allott |first1=Amber |title=Rare Vintage Plane Off to New North Island Home |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/124293305/rare-vintage-plane-off-to-new-north-island-home |access-date=11 March 2025 |work=Stuff |date=18 February 2021}}
A C-130H was flown in to the museum on 19 February 2025.{{cite news |title=First RNZAF C-130H Hercules Aircraft Retires to Air Force Museum |url=http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/media-centre/news/first-rnzaf-c-130h-hercules-aircraft-retires-to-air-force-museum |access-date=11 March 2025 |work=New Zealand Defense Force |date=19 February 2025}}
Aircraft
Image:RNZAFTransantarcticDHCBeaver.jpg
Image:RNZAF Museum Grumman Avenger.jpg
Image:RNZAFMuseumLockheed Hudson.jpg
File:NZ050315 RNZAF Museum 04.jpg
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- Aermacchi MB-339CB NZ6460{{cite web |title=Aermacchi MB-339CB |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/aermacchi-mb-339cb |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020}}
- Airspeed Oxford PK286{{cite web |title=Airspeed Oxford |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/airspeed-oxford |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020}}
- Auster T.7 NZ1707{{cite web |title=Auster Mk.7c |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/auster-mk-7c |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020}}
- Avro 626 NZ203{{cite web |title=Avro 626 |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/avro-626 |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020}}
- Avro Anson Composite{{cite web |title=Avro 652A Anson Mk.I |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/avro-652a-anson-mk-i |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020}}
- BAC Strikemaster NZ6373{{cite web |title=BAC 167 Strikemaster Mk.88 |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/bac-167-strikemaster-mk-88 |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020}}
- Bell 47G-3 Sioux NZ3705{{cite web |title=Bell 47G-3B-1 Sioux |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/bell-47g-3b-1-sioux |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020}}
- Bell UH-1H Iroquois 69-15923{{cite web |title=Bell UH-1H Iroquois 'NZ3800' |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/bell-uh-1h-iroquois-nz3800 |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020}}
- Bell UH-1H Iroquois NZ3801{{cite web |title=Bell UH-1H Iroquois NZ3801 |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/bell-uh-1h-iroquois-nz3801 |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020}}
- Bleriot XI "Britannia" – Replica{{cite web |title=Bleriot XI-2 'Britannia' |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/bleriot-xi-2-britannia |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020}}
- Boeing 727 NZ7272 – Forward fuselage, engine, main undercarriage{{cite web |last1=Watmuff |first1=David |title=Boeing 727 Nose Joins Our Collection |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/blog/boeing-727-nose-joins-our-collection |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020 |date=9 May 2019}}
- Bristol Freighter Mk 31M NZ5903{{cite web |title=Bristol 170 Freighter Mk.31M |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/main/BristolFreighter |website=Air Force Museum |accessdate=23 June 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150522122257/http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/main/BristolFreighter |archivedate=22 May 2015}}
- Cessna O-2A Skymaster 69-7639{{cite web |title=Cessna 0-2A-2E |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/main/Cessna |website=Air Force Museum |accessdate=23 June 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523002147/http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/main/Cessna |archivedate=23 May 2015}}
- Curtiss P-40F Kittyhawk 41-14205{{cite web |title=Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawk |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/curtiss-p-40e-kittyhawk |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020}}
- de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth NZ1481{{cite web |title=De Havilland D.H.82A Tiger Moth Mk.II |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/de-havilland-d-h-82a-tiger-moth-mk-ii |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020}}
- de Havilland Vampire FB.5 NZ5757{{cite web |title=De Havilland D.H.100 Vampire F.B. Mk.5 |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/de-havilland-d-h-100-vampire-f-b-mk-5 |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020}}
- de Havilland Vampire T.11 NZ5710{{cite web |title=De Havilland D.H.115 Vampire T.Mk.11 |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/de-havilland-d-h-115-vampire-t-mk-11 |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020}}
- de Havilland Devon NZ1803{{cite web |title=De Havilland D.H.104 Devon |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/main/DeHavillandDevon |website=Air Force Museum |accessdate=23 June 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150420010433/http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/main/DeHavillandDevon |archivedate=20 April 2015}}
- de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver 1084{{cite web |title=De Havilland Canada D.H.C.2 Beaver |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/main/DeHavillandCanadaBeaver |website=Air Force Museum |accessdate=23 June 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523183626/http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/main/DeHavillandCanadaBeaver |archivedate=23 May 2015}}
- Douglas C-47B Dakota NZ3551{{cite web |title=Douglas C-47 Dakota |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/douglas-c-47-dakota |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020}}
- GAF Canberra B.20 A84-240{{cite web |title=English Electric Canberra B.Mk.20 |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/english-electric-canberra-b-mk-20 |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020}}
- Grumman TBF-1C Avenger NZ2504{{cite web |title=Grumman TBF-1 Avenger |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/grumman-tbf-1-avenger |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020}}
- Hawker Siddeley Andover C.1 NZ7621{{cite web |title=Hawker Siddeley Andover C1 |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/main/HawkorAndover |website=Air Force Museum |accessdate=23 June 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150420010813/http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/main/HawkorAndover |archivedate=20 April 2015}}
- Kaman SH-2F Seasprite NZ3442{{cite web |title=Kaman Seasprite SH-2F |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/kaman-seasprite-sh-2f |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020}}
- Lockheed Hudson III NZ2013{{cite web |title=Lockheed Hudson MkIII |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/lockheed-hudson-mkiii |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020}}
- Lockheed P-3K2 Orion NZ4203{{cite web |title=Lockheed P-3K2 Orion |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/p-3k2-orion-nz4203 |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |access-date=11 March 2025}}
- Lockheed C-130H Hercules NZ7001{{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}
- McDonnell Douglas A-4C Skyhawk NZ6205{{cite web |title=McDonnell Douglas A-4K Skyhawk NZ6205 |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/main/A4_Skyhawk_NZ6205 |website=Air Force Museum |accessdate=23 June 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150420005617/http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/main/A4_Skyhawk_NZ6205 |archivedate=20 April 2015}}
- McDonnell Douglas A-4K Skyhawk NZ6207{{cite web |title=McDonnell Douglas A-4K Skyhawk NZ6207 |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/main/A4_Skyhawk_NZ6207 |website=Air Force Museum |accessdate=23 June 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150420010532/http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/main/A4_Skyhawk_NZ6207 |archivedate=20 April 2015}}
- McDonnell Douglas TA-4K Skyhawk NZ6254{{cite web |title=McDonnell Douglas TA-4K Skyhawk - NZ6254 |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/mcdonnell-douglas-ta-4k-skyhawk-nz6254 |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=23 June 2020}}
- North American Harvard III NZ1087{{cite web |title=North American Harvard MKIII |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/north-american-harvard-mkiii |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020}}
- North American P-51 Mustang F-367{{cite web |title=North American P-51 Mustang |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/north-american-p-51-mustang |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020}}
- Pacific Aerospace CT-4B Airtrainer NZ1948{{cite web |title=Aerospace CT/4B Airtrainer |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/main/aerospace |website=Air Force Museum |accessdate=23 June 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150522090911/http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/main/aerospace |archivedate=22 May 2015}}
- Sopwith Pup – Replica{{cite web |title=Sopwith Pup |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/sopwith-pup |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020}}
- Supermarine Spitfire XVI TE288{{cite web |title=Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk.XVIE |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/aircraft/supermarine-spitfire-lf-mk-xvie |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020}}
- Westland Wasp HAS.1 NZ3906{{cite web |title=Westland Wasp HAS1 |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/main/WestlandWasp |website=Air Force Museum |accessdate=23 June 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150522102321/http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/main/WestlandWasp |archivedate=22 May 2015}}
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=Under restoration =
- Canadian Vickers PBV-1A Catalina 44-34081{{cite web |title=Canadian Vickers PBV-1A Catalina |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/collections-research/conserve/current-projects/canadian-vickers-pbv-1a-catalina |website=Air Force Museum of New Zealand |accessdate=22 June 2020}}
- Vickers Vildebeest/Vincent NZ102/NZ124/NZ105/NZ355/NZ357{{cite web |title=Vickers Type 277 Vildebeest Mk.III |url=http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/main/VickersVildebeest |website=Air Force Museum |accessdate=23 June 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150406084205/http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/main/VickersVildebeest |archivedate=6 April 2015}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [http://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/ Air Force Museum of New Zealand]
{{Royal New Zealand Air Force}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Museums in Christchurch
Category:Royal New Zealand Air Force
Category:Aerospace museums in New Zealand
Category:National museums of New Zealand
Category:Museums established in 1987
Category:Military and war museums in New Zealand
Category:1987 establishments in New Zealand
Category:World War II museums in New Zealand
Category:World War I museums in New Zealand
Category:Physical museums with virtual catalogues and exhibits