World Famous in New Zealand: Ashburton Aviation Museum
Jun 18, 2022 17:55:44 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 18, 2022 17:55:44 GMT 12
World Famous in New Zealand: Ashburton Aviation Museum
Pamela Wade
07:00, Jun 18 2022
EXPERIENCE MID CANTERBURY - There are many aircraft displayed in the museum's big new hangar.
Located at Ashburton Airport, this award-winning museum was conceived and created, and is now maintained, by a team of aviation enthusiasts with considerable community support.
It’s no amateur effort, though: in its two hangars you’ll find a remarkable collection of almost 30 aircraft, from a RNZAF Skyhawk to a propeller-powered Stanton Sunbird glider.
Some of them are quite rare, many are still airworthy – the Douglas DC-3 is often out and about – and they are all meticulously maintained.
Why go?
Because of the connections. This is where over 1100 brave young men learned to fly, before heading overseas to pilot bombers and fighters in WW2, not all coming home again.
ROBERT JONES - The old control tower is one of the attractions.
Walking around the grounds, you can still see the tie-down rings where the 50 Tiger Moths were parked between sessions, and the tarmac where they did their first terrifying take-offs. There is still a Tiger Moth here, as well as a range of jet warplanes that includes the Skyhawk, a jump-jet Harrier, a Meteor, an Aermacchi and two Vampires.
Though the military aircraft are naturally the stars, there are civilian aircraft in the museum too, some familiar and some most definitely not: the Transavia Airtruk is one of the weirder inventions, as is the Flying Flea.
ASHBURTON AVIATION MUSEUM - An Aermacchi Trainer is just one of the military aircraft.
You can get up close to look into the cockpits, and sometimes even enter the planes. Outside is the old control tower, which you can climb up into to marvel at the primitive instruments that were used. There are interactive exhibits, children are catered for, and there is always someone handy to answer questions and make sure you don’t miss anything.
EXPERIENCE MID CANTERBURY - There are aircraft big and small at the museum.
Insider tip
It’s not all about the aircraft. There’s a wide variety of memorabilia too, from books, photos, models, medals and uniforms to the ‘Space Ball’ – a piece of the Soviet Cosmos satellite that fell to Earth in 1972.
On the way/nearby
There are other forms of transport on view at the Plains Vintage Railway & Historical Museum over the river at Tinwald Domain, and near there at the Ashburton Vintage Car Club Museum. Both are also run by passionate volunteers who are keen to show off their treasured machines.
Also in the Domain is the Ashburton Fire Museum, recording nearly 150 years of local fire-fighting and displaying vehicles, equipment and uniforms.
ASHBURTON AVIATION MUSEUM - The DC-3 fits neatly into the big hangar.
After all that heavy metal, try a soothing wander around Trott’s Community Garden. Established over 30 years ago, it’s a delightful combination of formal and informal with woodland, an impressive knot garden, pond, chapel and seasonal flowers including a red border.
How much?
Entry fee to the Aviation Museum is $10 per adult, children free. Open every day 1-3pm, or by appointment: phone ahead.
Best time to go
Wednesdays and Saturdays are workshop days, opening at 9.30am with lots of group members onsite. Look out for the currently Covid-delayed Militaria and Aviation Extravaganza day to be held at the museum, where there will be a wide range of up-close exhibits from throughout New Zealand’s military and aircraft history, plus demonstrations, entertainment and refreshments.
See: aviationmuseum.co.nz
ASHBURTON AVIATION MUSEUM - The Tiger Moth played a major part in the RNZAF story.
www.stuff.co.nz/travel/destinations/nz/canterbury/300612779/world-famous-in-new-zealand-ashburton-aviation-museum
Pamela Wade
07:00, Jun 18 2022
EXPERIENCE MID CANTERBURY - There are many aircraft displayed in the museum's big new hangar.
Located at Ashburton Airport, this award-winning museum was conceived and created, and is now maintained, by a team of aviation enthusiasts with considerable community support.
It’s no amateur effort, though: in its two hangars you’ll find a remarkable collection of almost 30 aircraft, from a RNZAF Skyhawk to a propeller-powered Stanton Sunbird glider.
Some of them are quite rare, many are still airworthy – the Douglas DC-3 is often out and about – and they are all meticulously maintained.
Why go?
Because of the connections. This is where over 1100 brave young men learned to fly, before heading overseas to pilot bombers and fighters in WW2, not all coming home again.
ROBERT JONES - The old control tower is one of the attractions.
Walking around the grounds, you can still see the tie-down rings where the 50 Tiger Moths were parked between sessions, and the tarmac where they did their first terrifying take-offs. There is still a Tiger Moth here, as well as a range of jet warplanes that includes the Skyhawk, a jump-jet Harrier, a Meteor, an Aermacchi and two Vampires.
Though the military aircraft are naturally the stars, there are civilian aircraft in the museum too, some familiar and some most definitely not: the Transavia Airtruk is one of the weirder inventions, as is the Flying Flea.
ASHBURTON AVIATION MUSEUM - An Aermacchi Trainer is just one of the military aircraft.
You can get up close to look into the cockpits, and sometimes even enter the planes. Outside is the old control tower, which you can climb up into to marvel at the primitive instruments that were used. There are interactive exhibits, children are catered for, and there is always someone handy to answer questions and make sure you don’t miss anything.
EXPERIENCE MID CANTERBURY - There are aircraft big and small at the museum.
Insider tip
It’s not all about the aircraft. There’s a wide variety of memorabilia too, from books, photos, models, medals and uniforms to the ‘Space Ball’ – a piece of the Soviet Cosmos satellite that fell to Earth in 1972.
On the way/nearby
There are other forms of transport on view at the Plains Vintage Railway & Historical Museum over the river at Tinwald Domain, and near there at the Ashburton Vintage Car Club Museum. Both are also run by passionate volunteers who are keen to show off their treasured machines.
Also in the Domain is the Ashburton Fire Museum, recording nearly 150 years of local fire-fighting and displaying vehicles, equipment and uniforms.
ASHBURTON AVIATION MUSEUM - The DC-3 fits neatly into the big hangar.
After all that heavy metal, try a soothing wander around Trott’s Community Garden. Established over 30 years ago, it’s a delightful combination of formal and informal with woodland, an impressive knot garden, pond, chapel and seasonal flowers including a red border.
How much?
Entry fee to the Aviation Museum is $10 per adult, children free. Open every day 1-3pm, or by appointment: phone ahead.
Best time to go
Wednesdays and Saturdays are workshop days, opening at 9.30am with lots of group members onsite. Look out for the currently Covid-delayed Militaria and Aviation Extravaganza day to be held at the museum, where there will be a wide range of up-close exhibits from throughout New Zealand’s military and aircraft history, plus demonstrations, entertainment and refreshments.
See: aviationmuseum.co.nz
ASHBURTON AVIATION MUSEUM - The Tiger Moth played a major part in the RNZAF story.
www.stuff.co.nz/travel/destinations/nz/canterbury/300612779/world-famous-in-new-zealand-ashburton-aviation-museum
It reinforces mine's and other aviation writers' points that public media need to invest more in aviation knowledge because a. its so specialised and b. it is a staple industry in this country within which thousands are employed and on which thousands more rely.
