The Air Force Museum of New Zealand will open its doors to the public from 11–15 April for a special event celebrating the iconic C-130H Hercules aircraft — featuring guest appearances by members of No. 40 Squadron.

The open days will run daily from 10am to 4pm, giving visitors the chance to get up close to the Hercules in No. 2 Hangar, a short 250-metre flat walk from the main entrance. The hangar is fully wheelchair accessible.

As part of the programme, the flight crew and planning team behind the historic February landing of NZ7001 will deliver twice-daily talks in the museum’s theatre. These sessions will cover the extensive planning and preparation that went into landing the Hercules at the museum for the final time.

“They’ll also be able to answer any curly questions you may have about the Herc – within reason!” the museum said in a post.

The museum has also launched a new “Mighty Hercules” exhibition, showcasing the aircraft’s history, now open in the atrium.

To support accessibility, the museum has introduced a special viewing hour from 9am to 10am daily, designed for the deaf and disabled community and others needing additional assistance.

While entry is free, the museum is encouraging visitors to donate what they can to help fund a permanent home for both the C-130H Hercules and the P-3K2 Orion, which are currently housed in historic hangars. Donations can be made online at airforcemuseum.co.nz/make-a-donation.

Daily Programme (11–15 April):

•9am – Accessible hour

•9.30am – Museum opens

•10am – Hercules hangar opens

•11am – Hercules crew talk (90 seats max)

•1pm – Hercules crew talk (90 seats max)

•4pm – Hangar closes

•4.30pm – Museum closes

“Herc Yeah – see you there!” the museum said.