MMPI Aviation Photography, 45 Harvard Avenue, Wigram, Christchurch (2026)

26/04/2026

For ANZAC Day 2026 my wife and I once again travelled to Toowoomba for their ANZAC Day march. Local aviation company Aerotec organises a formation flypast over commemoration ceremonies around the Darling Downs region. I planned to capture them at takeoff but arrived just as they blasted off the the flight so missed out there. I waited for them to return to Toowoomba City Aerodrome and captured them on approach. Following this we went to Queens Park in Toowoomba CBD for the ANZAC Day parade, and caught the formation as they went up for another overflight of that ceremony. Many thanks to owners and pilots of this trio of CAC CA-25 Winjeels ; Matt Handley (VH-XXD A85-436), Stephen Bowtell (VH-NSJ A85-404) and Peter Thompson (VH-XXD A85-455) for performing this valuable contribution to our national day of remembrance.
Lest We Forget.
Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia.

30/03/2026

Bleriot XI-2 (replica) "Britannia" on static display suspended from the ceiling of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. The display recreates the original Britannia on its exhibition flight with Joe Hammond at the controls, and actress Esme McLellan as his passenger on the first passenger flight.
Air Force Museum of New Zealand , Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.

=== FROM MUSEUM WEBSITE ===
Bleriot XI-2 ‘Britannia’
This aircraft is a replica of Britannia, New Zealand’s first ‘military’ aircraft.
It was a larger and more powerful version of the Bleriot XI, the aircraft in which inventor-turned-aviator Louis Bleriot had famously become the first person to fly across the English Channel, in July 1909.

The XI-2 was presented to the New Zealand Government in 1913 by a group of English businessmen known as the Imperial Air Fleet Committee. After an embarrassing start – it arrived in New Zealand without its propeller – Britannia’s first demonstration flights took place above the Auckland Showgrounds in January 1914. It was flown by official Government Pilot, Joe Hammond, one of the few New Zealanders who held a pilot’s licence at the time.

When the time came to choose a passenger, Hammond picked pantomime actor Esme McLellan rather than one of the many dignitaries present. It was an unconventional choice that probably humbled some of the officials, but there is no evidence to support the popular story that Hammond lost his job because of it.

Damage and equipment problems meant that Britannia’s later flights were cancelled, and it went into storage. Following the outbreak of World War One, the Government decided that the aircraft would be of more use in Britain, and Britannia returned there in October 1914, having flown in New Zealand for only about two hours. It was written off in May 1915 after being involved in a fatal crash.

The Museum’s replica Bleriot XI-2 was constructed by David Comrie at his home in Dunedin in 1985. While under construction, it was discovered that the aircraft being built was not the military version. Hurried changes were necessary to ensure the correct configuration, and finishing touches and fitting of the replica engine were undertaken at the Air Force Museum in time for its opening in 1987.

25/03/2026

Auster T.7 Antarctic NZ1707 (WE563) on static display suspended from the ceiling of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.
Air Force Museum of New Zealand , Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.

=== FROM MUSEUM WEBSITE ===
Auster T.7 Antarctic NZ1707
This aircraft was manufactured by Auster Aircraft Ltd at Rearsby, England, in November 1950 as a dual-control trainer for the Royal Air Force. It served in this capacity (possibly in the Middle East) before being allocated to the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition in November 1955.
WE563 was purchased from the UK Air Ministry for the use of the NZ Antarctic Expedition, arriving in Lyttelton on 28 May 1956. It was left in the paint scheme it arrived in, except for the addition of the RNZAF serial number, ‘NZ1707’, on the rear fuselage. During cold weather training for the Expedition in 1956, the aircraft was damaged while landing on the Tasman Glacier and had to be hurriedly repaired before traveling to the Antarctic for the summer season. It had two tours of duty ‘on the ice’, the first from December 1956 – March 1958, and then from December 1959 – March 1961.
After returning to Wigram, NZ1707 was overhauled and put into service as a trainer at RNZAF Hobsonville in 1963. In 1965 it was transferred to No. 3 (Battlefield Support) Squadron RNZAF, before being eventually written off following a crash in the Kaipara Harbour in August 1966.
Initially disposed of to the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) in Auckland, NZ1707 was later returned to the Air Force Museum at Wigram.

20/03/2026

Cessna O-2A Skymaster 69-7639 on static display in the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.
Air Force Museum of New Zealand , Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.

=== FROM MUSEUM WEBSITE ===
Cessna O-2A Skymaster 69-7639
The Cessna O-2A was flown by a number of RNZAF pilots seconded to the United States Air Force (USAF) in South Vietnam.

The O-2A was commissioned by the USAF in 1966 and developed as a forward air control (FAC) aircraft. It entered production in 1967 and went straight into operational service in the Vietnam War. With none of their own combat aircraft deployed to South Vietnam, the RNZAF sent 14 pilots to be attached to the USAF as forward air controllers between December 1968 and February 1972. FACs were responsible for carrying out visual reconnaissance, marking targets on the ground, and calling in and controlling attacks by strike aircraft.

This aircraft, 69-7639, served with various Tactical Air Support Groups of the USAF Reserve and Air National Guard between 1970 and 1986. It was loaned to the Air Force Museum of New Zealand by the National Museum of the USAF in 1990, and is displayed in a FAC configuration.

15/03/2026

Bristol Freighter Mk31M NZ5903 on static display in the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. I love the way they were referred to as ’40,000 rivets flying in close formation’ :)
More information on the type and NZ5903 in comment on original post below.
Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.

09/03/2026

Nia Franks' lovely de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth II VH-WII (R-5261) captured air-to-air around the Caboolture-Bribie region during the Brisbane Biplanes' 2025 Barnstormers Caboolture Classic and Vintage Fly-In. The event celebrated the 100th anniversary of first flight of the de Havilland DH.60 Gipsy Moth.
Many thanks to Brett, Luke and Jordan Westerhuis from Brisbane Biplanes and Nia Franks for making this air-to-air shoot opportunity possible.
This aircraft served with RAAF from 1940, retaining the RAF S/N R-5261 in RAAF service. Struck off the RAAF register in 1947, it has passed through many owners and held the registrations of VH-BDI (1948-56), VH-RNR (1956-59), VH-WFO (1959-61), VH-CKA (1961-67), VH-UYE (2013-19) and VH-WII (2019-present).
Caboolture-Bribie region, Queensland, Australia.

27/02/2026

Back on the weekend of 9-10th August 2025 Brisbane Biplanes hosted their Barnstormers Caboolture Classic and Vintage Fly-In to celebrate the 100th anniversary of first flight of the de Havilland DH.60 Gipsy Moth. Rain all day Friday and on the Saturday morning put a dampener on things, but on Saturday afternoon the rain moved away and under overcast skies a formation of vintage machines was formed (individual aircraft details below). The formation took off to the East towards Bribie Island, passing over Pumicestone Passage, back over Toorbul and back to Caboolture Airfield. This gave us some nice vistas of waterways and the beautiful Glasshouse Mountains in the background. As I was in the photoship at position five of the six-ship formation, I did not get Nia's Tiger Moth VH-WII (in sixth position) in the formation shots - only singular shots.
Thanks very much to Brett, Luke and Jordan Westerhuis (Brisbane Biplanes), Ed Field, Bill Finlen and Nia Franks for making this formation and air to air shoot opportunity possible.
Caboolture, Queensland, Australia.
=== Aircraft Details ===
- Brisbane Biplanes Boeing A75N1 Stearman VH-SNM
- Bill Finlen's de Havilland DH.60M VH-UMK
- Ed Field's de Havilland DH.60M VH-UQH
- Brisbane Biplanes de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth II VH-APB
- Nia Franks de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth II VH-WII
- Brisbane Biplanes de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth II VH-HCI (photoship - not pictured)

22/02/2026

Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk XVI TE288 on static display in the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. Although the RNZAF never operated the Spitfire, many Kiwi pilots flew them in RAF squadrons during WWII. Read more of this aircraft's history below.
Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.

=== FROM THE AIR FORCE MUSEUM. OF NEW ZEALND WEBSITE FOR TE288 ===
Although the RNZAF did not operate Spitfires in its own right, many hundreds of New Zealanders piloted them while serving with the RAF during World War Two. No. 485 (NZ) Squadron RAF was equipped with Spitfires, and was manned mainly by New Zealand pilots.
This aircraft was manufactured at the Castle Bromwich Aeroplane Factory in England in May 1945. It was too late to see active service during World War Two, although it did serve for a short time with several RAF squadrons and training units before being placed into storage.

In 1955, TE288 featured in the movie ‘Reach for the Sky’, based on Paul Brickhill’s biography of wartime fighter ace Douglas Bader. As a non-airworthy example, TE288 was used for static, close-up cockpit shots only, including publicity shoots with the starring actor, Kenneth Moore. After filming, TE288 was used to promote the movie, being placed on public display outside a number of cinemas up and down the United Kingdom. It was subsequently allocated as an RAF maintenance airframe (No. 7287M) from 24 October 1955 to April 1962.

In 1959, the Canterbury branch of the Brevet Club made an approach to the British Air Ministry to acquire a Spitfire for display outside its new premises in Christchurch. The request was successful and TE288 arrived at its new home and was mounted on a pole outside the Brevet Club at Christchurch International Airport on 3 March 1964. In 1983 the decision was made to transfer the aircraft to the Air Force Museum to guarantee its preservation. A fibreglass replica was made at RNZAF Base Woodbourne and this was swapped for the real aircraft in 1984. Not long after the replica was erected, a protester set fire to it. A second replica was then made and erected, this second replica can still be seen outside Christchurch Airport.

=== JOHNNY CHECKETT'S MERLIN ENGINE ===
Displayed alongside TE288 is the recovered Merlin engine from Kiwi ace Johhny Checkett's Spitfire when he was shot down over France in 1943. The French aviation enthusiast group ‘Somme Aviation 39-45’ uncovered and restored the heavily damaged engine to current condition and through Johnny's son donated it to the museum.

02/02/2026

Lockheed Hudson Mk.III NZ2013 on static display in the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. This particular Hudson served Nos, 1, 4 & 9SQNs RNZAF in the Pacific theatre during WWII.mAt noe stage post-war it was used by a farmer as a chicken coop, before being purchased by RNZAF Museum Trust Board and beautifully restored to the display condition seen here. More details from the museum's website below.
Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.
FROM THE AIR FORCE MUSEUM OF NEW ZEALAND WEBSITE FOR NZ2013:
================================================
NZ2013 was manufactured in 1941 by the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation at Burbank, California. Originally destined for the Royal Air Force, it was diverted to New Zealand, and entered service on 18 September 1941 with No. 1 Squadron at Whenuapai. NZ2013 later served with No. 4 (General Reconnaissance) Squadron in Fiji, and briefly in New Caledonia with No. 9 Squadron in August/September 1942. It suffered a major accident in Fiji in early 1942 and was out of commission for several months. NZ2013 returned to New Zealand in July 1944, serving with the School of Navigation and Reconnaissance at New Plymouth, then Wigram, where it continued in service until July 1948.
The aircraft was then sold to a farmer in Oamaru in May 1949, and was used as a shed and chicken coop until being purchased by the RNZAF Museum Trust Board, with fundraising assistance from No. 26 (Oamaru) Squadron Air Training Corps, in 1985. NZ2013 underwent nine years of restoration work at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand before finally going on display in 1996. It is finished in the colour scheme that it would have worn when serving with No. 4 Squadron in Fiji in 1943-44.

The Lockheed Hudson served extensively with RNZAF within New Zealand and in the Pacific theatre of operations.
The RNZAF received 94 American-made Hudson bombers in 1941-42 as part of measures to counter the threat of German raiders around the New Zealand coastline. Subsequently, they formed a major part of the RNZAF’s capabilities to counter the threat from Japanese forces in the Pacific, serving operationally at both Espiritu Santo and Guadalcanal. The Hudsons were operated by No. 1,2,3,4 and 9 Squadrons in the maritime search and strike operation roles until their replacement in 1943-44 by the more powerful Lockheed Ventura.

Air Force Museum of New Zealand

03/01/2026

Air Force Museum of New Zealand;s North America P-51D Mustang NZ2410 on static display in the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. While the RNZAF did not actually operate Mustangs in wartime or after, they were operated by the NZ Territorial Air Forces (TAF) of Otago, Canterbury, Wellington and Auckland regions. The museum states that they were not able to procure one of their own aircraft, the one on display was operated by USAAF, then post-war was converted to a P-51D ‘Cavalier’ model in 1967, and supplied to the Indonesian Air Force 1972-1976. It is displayed as NZ2410 in colours of No.4TAF Squadron from Taieri.
For more detailed aircraft and type history see my comment below original post.
Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.

MMPI Aviation Photography

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