The New Zealand Aces

Our museum is dedicated to all New Zealand fighter pilots. Because it is not possible to display photographs and combat details of every one of these men in the museum the walls of the aircraft area are devoted to the 94 pilots who are known to have achieved 'ace' status in World Wars I & II. 
 
The term 'fighter ace' is generally held to mean a pilot who has scored at least five confirmed victories in air to air combat. In the case of night fighter and multi-seat day fighter aircraft the navigator/radar operator, without whose assistance the pilot could not have reached his total, is named where possible.

While the museum highlights the aces, it does not seek to sensationalise their achievements. There were many fine pilots who for reasons of circumstance or opportunity were unable to build up 'ace' scores. 
 
We pay tribute also to the ground crews whose skill and dedication, often under great pressure and in almost intolerable conditions, provided the essential strength of the Air Forces. 
 
The destruction of an enemy aircraft, designated a 'victory' in combat terms, very often meant the death of its pilot. Respect for the adversary was common among the fighter pilots and since the war many survivors from both sides have sought contact with each other. 
 
We honour here our own aerial warriors - we ask you to think too of the young men who, also flying in the Air Force of their country, fought against them. 
 
(A note regarding our World War One fighter aces - the rank on their biography is that which they held at the end of the Great War).

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Squadron Leader Robert Hamish Balfour by Ken Wynn 'Jimmy' Balfour, born on 19 April 1917 in Waimate, worked as a stock and station agent with Pyne, Gould and Guinness in South Canterbury before the war. Read more... Captain Ronald Burns Bannerman by Trevor Richards The son of an accountant, Ronald Bannerman was born in Invercargill on 21 September 1890. Educated at Otago Boys’ High School, he afterwards studied law at the University of Otago. One of twelve new pupils enrolled at the New Zealand Flying School in March 1916, he passed his flight tests in December and some time after this ... Read more... Captain Harold Francis Beamish by Trevor Richards The son of a sheep farmer, Harold Beamish was born in Hastings on 5 July 1896 and educated at Wanganui Collegiate. Upon leaving school he attempted to join the Army, but failed a medical examination. Undaunted by this setback he made his own way to the United Kingdom, where he had no difficulty in satisfying the requirements of the ... Read more... Wing Commander Minden Vaughan Blake by Ken Wynn The son of a country schoolmaster, "Mindy" Blake was born at Eketahuna on February 13 1913. Academically gifted, he graduated from Canterbury University in 1934 with an MSc (Hons) in mathematics. His academic excellence was coupled with great sporting prowess and a very inventive turn of mind. Having become New Zealand pole vault ... Read more... Squadron Leader Allen Edward Browne by Ken Wynn Allen Browne was born in Auckland on July 14, 1913 and worked as a factory manager before joining the RNZAF in December 1940. After pilot training in New Zealand he was posted to the United Kingdom in August 1942 to join 488 Squadron in Ayr, Scotland. Read more... Squadron Leader Stanley Franklin Browne by Ken Wynn Born in Wellington on October 20 1919, Browne was a medical student before joining the RNZAF in March 1941. After completing his pilot training, he was posted to the United Kingdom where he joined the New Zealand fighter squadron, 485, at Kenley in early 1942. Read more... Flight Lieutenant Charles Roy Bush by Ken Wynn Roy Bush, born in Wellington on 7 February 1918, was an insurance clerk when he applied to join the RAF. He left New Zealand in mid-June 1939 and in May 1940, at the conclusion of his flying training, having converted to Gladiators, was posted to 615 Squadron at Abbeville in northern France. He flew on aerodrome defence until the ... Read more...

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Major Keith Logan Caldwell by Trevor Richards To students of First World War aviation the name of Keith Caldwell is easily the best known among all those New Zealanders who flew on operations with the British air services. Even among his contemporaries, his reputation was formidable. Read more... Flight Lieutenant Brian John George Carbury by Ken Wynn Brian Carbury, the son of a veterinary surgeon, was born in Wellington on February 27 1918. The family later moved to Auckland where he attended King’s College from 1932 to 1934, before becoming a shoe salesman at the Farmers’ Trading Co., Auckland. Read more... Squadron Leader Donald Carlson by Ken Wynn Born in Owhango on October 4 1912, Carlson was only just inside the twenty-five year age limit when he joined the RAF in August 1937. By the outbreak of war he was an experienced pilot and by 1941 was a flight commander with 74 Squadron. On sorties in June and July he shot down two Bf 109’s with two listed as probables and one ... Read more... Squadron Leader Hansford Ward Chambers by Ken Wynn Chambers, born in Opotiki on 24 February 1915, was a farmer before he joined the RNZAF in November 1940. Having gained his wings in New Zealand as a Sergeant he sailed for the United Kingdom to join 154 Squadron in November 1941. Read more... Wing Commander John Milne Checketts by Ken Wynn Checketts was born in Invercargill on 20 February 1912 and was educated at the Invercargill South School and Southland Technical College. A motor mechanic by trade, he was twenty-eight - an advanced age for a trainee fighter pilot - when he joined the RNZAF in October 1940. He graduated from his Wings course in June 1941 as a Pilot ... Read more... Wing Commander Wilfrid Greville Clouston by Ken Wynn Born in Auckland on January 15 1916, Clouston later moved to Wellington where he received his secondary education but spent his final school year, 1932, at Nelson College, after which he worked as a clerk for a Wellington company. Read more... Captain Clive Franklyn Collett by Trevor Richards Clive Collett was born in Blenheim on 28 August 1886, receiving his education at Queen’s College, Tauranga. Upon leaving school he pursued a career in engineering. Read more... Flight Lieutenant Basil Collyns by Ken Wynn Basil Collyns, born in Greymouth on 24 February 1913, attended Nelson College from 1925 to 1930 and then spent two years at Lincoln Agricultural College before becoming a sheep farmer at Kaikoura. Read more... Major Arthur Coningham by Trevor Richards Arthur Coningham was born in Brisbane, Australia on 19 January 1895. Brought to New Zealand by his parents in 1901, he was educated at Wellington College and afterwards made a living working as a farmhand. Read more... Air Vice-Marshal William Vernon Crawford-Compton by Ken Wynn Bill Crawford-Compton’s journey to war had many of the elements of a "Boy’s Own" adventure. Read more... Flight Lieutenant Thomas Culling by Trevor Richards Although not well known among New Zealand’s top First World War fighter pilots, the honour of being this country’s first "ace" belongs to Thomas Culling. His fifth credited victory was scored some five weeks before that of the next qualifier, Keith Caldwell. Read more...

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Air Commodore Alan Christopher Deere by Ken Wynn Alan Deere, possibly the best known of all New Zealand fighter pilots, was born in Auckland on December 12 1917. He joined the RAF in October 1937 and was posted to 54 Squadron in September 1938. From the outbreak of war until mid-May 1940 the Squadron, based in England, carried out only defensive duties. Read more... Captain Euan Dickson by Trevor Richards Euan Dickson was born in Sheffield, England on 31 March 1892. Details of his early life are not known, but it is understood that he emigrated to New Zealand in about 1912 and worked for an engineering firm in Thames. Early in 1916 he left again for the United Kingdom, obtaining his RNAS commission in July. Read more... Pilot Officer Antonio Simmons Dini by Ken Wynn Antonio Dini was born in Christchurch on 17 January 1918. He received his secondary education at the Christchurch Technical College, obtaining his University Entrance Certificate and Engineers Preliminary Certificate. His school sports included rugby, swimming and badminton, becoming a member of the Colleges 1st XV 1935-36 and senior ... Read more... Pilot Officer Eric Steele Doherty by Ken Wynn Eric Doherty was born in Gisborne on 29 July 1922 and was a student when he joined the RNZAF in September 1941. Posted to Britain as a sergeant pilot, he joined Hurricane-equipped 242 Squadron in North Africa in early 1943. Read more... Captain Herbert Drewitt by Trevor Richards The son of a compositor, Herbert Drewitt was born in Christchurch on 25 March 1895 and educated at Waitaki Boys’ High School. Having enrolled at the New Zealand Flying School in March 1916 he eventually passed his flight tests in December and sailed for the United Kingdom in January 1917. Read more...