Just to clrify if doing a search, the “Keith Park” Museum that Richard mentions is the Museum of Transport and Technology’s Site 2, situated on Sir Keith Park Memorial Airfield, Meola Road, Western Springs, Auckland. It is a must for the visitor.
Other must sees in the Auckland region are Ardmore Airfield (South Auckland), the Auckland War Memorial Museum (central Auckland), Dairy Flat airfield (North Auckland), and if possible by prior arrangement the Subritzky collection at Dairy Flat (not on the airfield), and also Glyn Powell’s Mossie facility seems to welcome people. We were made welcome at least.
Further south, yes the Royal New Zealand Air Force Museums at boith Wigram, Christchurch, and at Ohakea (above Palmerston North) are worth a visit. In Christchurch there is also Ferrymead which is a little disappointing compared with Wigram, Motat or Ardmore, but they do have things like a Sunderland cockpit, a Bristol Freighter, a C47 used by the USN in Antarctica and a Hudson under restoration. I think they have a Mossie, too, from memory.
There is also…
– The Ashburton Aviation Museum at Ashburton;
– The SVAS and OSRC collections at Hood Aerodrome, Masterton;
– I understand the New Plymouth Museum has an aviation section (can anyone confirm this?); Plus there’s now an L39 based at New P.
– The New Zealand Fighter Pilot’s Museum at Wanaka is a must see, which is all part of the Alpine Fighter Collection;
– I believe Wanganui’s museum may have an aircraft – anyone confirm?
– There are a couple of aircraft in the Southward Car Collection, which in itself is worth a visit for the cars, at Paraparaumu
– There is the Croydon Aircraft Company at Mandeville in Southland
– There is the Omaka airfield collection at Blenheim, a must see too
– There is a gorgeous Bristol Freighter at the Founders Museum in gorgeous Nelson
– Another Freighter is now a backpackers at Waitomo
– there is the McDonalds C47 at Taupo and the Cookie Time C47 at mangaweka worht a photo if driving south
And no doubt there will be much more around and about that I’ve forgotten.
As for high ground wrecks I’d very much doubt you’d find much at all. Most wartime wrecks of aircraft like Hinds, Vildebeest, Baffin, etc., have long been retreived by collectors and musuems. The only wreck i still know is in the hills is the DC3 that crashed in 1963 into the Kaimai Ranges. That was buried sometime afterwards so the glinting of the wing couldn’t be seen when the sun caught it. Other than that, there are no doubt a few yet to be discovered wrecks, so if you can find them you’d do us all a favour – see Chris Rudge’s excellent book “Missing” for details.
If you or your mate wants further advice on these places mentioned feel free to contact me or any of the Kiwis who’ve replied. DaveM2 would also be a great source of knowledge on this subject I’m sure.
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