THE AVIATION HISTORICAL SOCIETY
OF THE NORTHERN TERRITORY INC.


The new entrance foyer at the Museum, 2011


The steel door still bears bullet holes from
strafing in WWII


Society members preparing a new exhibit


Comparison in size - the massive B-52 Bomber and the
DeHavilland Dove

The Aviation Historical Society of the Northern Territory was established in 1976 by a small group of enthusiasts who sought to preserve aviation relics salvaged after the destruction of Cyclone Tracy. The Society is a non profit organisation run by a committee elected by the membership and its main aims are to record, document, recover and preserve a collection of the Northern Territory’s aviation heritage and to display this collection to the public through the Society’s Australian Aviation Heritage Centre.

The original Museum, first opened to the public in 1988 was a pre WorldWar II navy victualling yard building leased from the NT Government and now used by the Society as a storage and restoration facility. In fact it still bears the scars of Japanese strafing in World War II. Negotiations were carried out for some time with the United States Air Force and the Northern Territory Government to obtain a Boeing B-52 bomber and to build a museum to house and display it. This was achieved in June 1990 when the new Darwin Aviation Museum was officially opened with a fully refurbished B-52G bomber on permanent loan from the USAF.

The Society, including the Australian Aviation Heritage Centre is fully independent of other bodies, however, the Aviation Heritage Centre is an accredited Northern Territory regional museum recognised by the Northern Territory Museums and Art Galleries Board. The Society provides assistance in many areas, but principally in research, education and promotion of historical tourism.

Exhibits are continuously being upgraded and added to by the Society which is proud of its achievements in the historical and tourism aspects of the Australian Aviation.

Please feel free to download a Members Nomination Form from the link below.

Members Form Members Nomination Form.

Any donations of suitable memorabilia will be gratefully accepted for preservation and possible display with the donors being officially acknowledged.