..

2010 Articles

APR 20 2010
Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland

Located in the northwest suburbs of New Zealand’s largest city, the Museum of Transport and Technology (known as MOTAT) was first established in 1964. It is home to a diverse collection of exhibits including cars, trains, trams and heavy industrial machinery, along with a great selection of fascinating aircraft.

The aviation collection is located at a separate site some distance away from the main museum, linked by a free historic tram service. Currently a multi-million dollar program is underway to build a new hangar to house the aviation collection. As a consequence of this building work, many of the aircraft exhibits are somewhat crammed in, or stored outside making them slightly difficult to photograph, but the disruption will no doubt result in a superb new facility when it is finished.

On entering the aviation site, the aircraft which dominates the hangar building is the museum’s Avro Lancaster. This aircraft was built for the RAF but completed too late to see service during WWII. It later passed to the French Navy and was used as a maritime reconnaissance aircraft, serving in France, Morocco and New Caledonia.

Upon retirement in 1964, the Lancaster was acquired by MOTAT and eventually restored to represent a Lancaster B Mk III, the type which was most prevalent in the RAF during WWII. Around 6000 Kiwis flew with Bomber Command, and nearly a third died. MOTAT’s Lancaster is maintained as a tribute to all those who served during this period.

Around the Lancaster are a variety of smaller aircraft, all of which have some connection with New Zealand. Military types include a Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawk, the primary fighter flown by the RNZAF during WWII. Kittyhawk pilots were responsible for shooting down 99 of the 104 Japanese aircraft claimed by NZ fighter pilots during WWII. The museum’s aircraft was built using parts from one of the RNZAF aircraft which was used for training pilots to fly the type.

One of the most historic civil aircraft in the collection is the museum’s de Havilland Dragon Rapide. This aircraft began its career with Cook Strait Airways, and was one of the first aircraft to operate over the hostile Cook Straits, which divide the North and South Islands of New Zealand. It spent WWII in the ownership of the RNZAF before returning to a variety of civilian operators throughout New Zealand, ending up being used on tourist flights around the West Coast region of the South Island. It was retired in 1974 and passed to the museum.

Currently exhibited outdoors due to the building work, but hopefully undercover soon is the museum’s magnificent Shorts Solent IV. This wonderful flying boat entered service with Tasman Empire Airways Ltd, and was one of four which operated routes from Auckland to Sydney, along with the glamorous Coral Routes, taking in many of the smaller Pacific islands such as Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. The Solent operated its last service in 1960 and is preserved as a reminder of those days of luxurious travel, which was only experienced by the rich and famous.

The Solent’s temporary location outside means that it is displayed alongside another Shorts flying boat, this time a Sunderland V, a unique opportunity to see a pair of these spectacular aircraft together. The RNZAF acquired 16 Sunderlands after the end of WWII, and they were used for SAR and other missions throughout the Pacific, until replaced by P-3 Orions in 1966. MOTAT’s Sunderland has been exhibited outside for many years and is consequently looking slightly shabby, but remains in good condition and is scheduled for restoration and exhibition inside the new hangar.

Also displayed outside at the moment is a DC-3, another former RNZAF aircraft, which subsequently passed through the hands of several civilian operators in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, before being retired to MOTAT. There is also a pair of closely related Lockheed types – an Electra and a Lodestar.

On the far side of the museum site there is a smaller hangar, inside which museum volunteers work to restore aircraft for the collection. Main focus of their energy at the moment is a rare de Havilland Mosquito. After WWII, New Zealand acquired around 80 Mosquitoes from the RAF, and in order to train crews on the type also received eight dual control trainers from the Royal Australian Air Force. The aircraft under restoration is one of the Australian built trainers, a T Mk 43. Restoration is progressing well and the volunteers are confident of having the aircraft ready for the opening of the new aviation hall in 2011.

Also in the restoration area is the museum’s Grumman Avenger. This aircraft is one of a total of 49 Avengers operated by the RNZAF during WWII. After the war it was used as a target tug, before being sold to a company who intended to use it in an agricultural role. It subsequently ended up in a children’s playground in Rotorua, before being donated to the museum.

http://www.motat.org.nz/

GAR wants to interact with its readers so if you have a question for the author or a comment to make on this feature, please click on the button below. The best comments will appear right here on GAR.

Global Aviation Resource's photographic and written work is subject to copyright and may not be reproduced or distributed in any form without express written permission.

If you would like to discuss using any of our imagery or feature content please contact us.