Classic Flyers Museum
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| Established | 2005 |
|---|---|
| Location | Tauranga Airport, Mount Maunganui, New Zealand |
| Type | Aviation Museum |
| Director | Andrew Gormlie (CEO) |
| Website | www.classicflyersnz.com |
The The Classic Flyers Museum is an aviation museum located at the Tauranga Airport, Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, owned by a registered New Zealand charitable trust, the Bay of Plenty Classic Aircraft Trust.[1][2][3][4]
The museum has a range of flying and static aircraft displays as well as a cafe. The museum features a Hawker Hunter.
History
The museum was started in 2000 when several local businessmen, who were also aviation enthusiasts, decided to see if an existing World War II-era hangar at the Tauranga Airfield could be renovated for use. The hangar proved to be unsalvageable but the group decided to build a new facility instead and formed the Bay of Plenty Classic Aircraft Trust. The new hangar is at the entrance to the Tauranga Airport, on Jean Batten Drive, Mount Maunganui.[1]
The founders decided to focus on creating a flying museum, as opposed to one that just had static displays, with the intention of having a high number of museum aircraft movements.[1]
The museum was officially opened on Saturday 28 May 2005 with an air display and fly-past.[1]
In October 2012, the museum launched the Legacy Jet Centre and celebrated the arrival of an Aermacchi aircraft to be restored. In recognition of funding from the Legacy Trust, the main hangar was named "The Legacy Jet Centre".[5]
Currently, the museum is spread across three adjacent hangars, the first of which houses the visitor centre, cafe, and most of the museum exhibits, while the other two accommodate the bulk of the classic aircraft in working flying condition.
Additional airplanes are on display outside the hangars. One of them is an old New Zealand National Airways Corporation Douglas DC-3, which is open to the public, but not in airworthy condition.
Aims
The museum aims are:[1]
- Preserve classic and historic aircraft
- Support the retention of New Zealand’s aviation history
The Trust focuses on preserving aircraft and memorabilia that has a connection to the Bay of Plenty area or New Zealand generally.[1]
Collection
The museum aircraft collection includes:[6]
- Cessna A-37 Dragonfly[7]
- de Havilland Devon - 2
- Fletcher FU24 300
- Hall Cherokee II[8]
- Hawker Hunter T75
- North American Harvard - 2
- Pacific Aerospace Corporation CT-4B Airtrainer
- Van's Aircraft RV-3[citation needed]
- Supermarine Spitfire Mk V - replica
Moreland Collection
The museum also has exhibits on loan from Andy Moreland's Tauwhare Military Museum in a "M*A*S*H Chopper Hangar" that is located behind the main museum building. This collection includes Unimog vehicles, Jeeps, uniforms and weapons.[9]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Classic Flyers Museum (August 2004). "About Us". Retrieved 2009-07-24.
- ^ New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage (2006). "Classic Flyers Museum". Retrieved 2009-07-24.
- ^ Tourism Bay of Plenty (n.d.). "Classic Flyers NZ". Retrieved 2009-07-24.
- ^ totaltravel (n.d.). "Classic Flyers NZ". Retrieved 2009-07-24.
- ^ "Legacy Jets". Classic Flyers Museum. Retrieved 2014-08-28.
- ^ Classic Flyers Museum (September 2007). "Aviation Museum". Retrieved 2009-07-24.
- ^ Classic Flyers Museum (January 2009). "Cessna A37 Dragonfly Flies Again". Retrieved 2009-07-24.
- ^ Pardon, Leo (March 2007). "Hall Cherokee II aircraft". Retrieved 23 March 2011.
- ^ Classic Flyers Museum (October 2007). "Military Museum". Retrieved 2009-07-24.
External links
