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Bring Our Birds Home

$39,460 donated
Given by 456 generous donors in 8 years

'Bring Our Birds Home' is a campaign to save and recover 6 significant New Zealand air frames of historical and cultural importance.

Nationwide

'Bring Our Birds Home' is a campaign to save and recover 6 significant air frames that have played their part in the history and culture of New Zealand aviation over the past 6 decades.

These former New Zealand ordered and delivered airliners are in different locations across the globe.

Funds will be used to initially save and secure via purchase of the derelict DC-8-52, B737-219, Hs 748 and DC-10-30 asap and later facilitate the reclaiming of a B747-419 and L-188 Electra as they are withdrawn from commercial service in the next 3 - 8 years.

These aircraft were all originally delivered to TEAL, NAC and Air NZ and Mt Cook Airlines - the only ones remaining, modern day equivalents to the mighty Maori ancestral waka.

This is phase one, with your help, recovery/storage/restoration can go ahead if phase one is successful.

As of April 2018 - Bring Our Birds Home is a registered Charitable Trust.

About us

To save, secure, recover, repatriate, store and eventually display six New Zealand Airliner air frames of national historical and cultural significance.

Use of funds

Funds will be used to send recce parties lead by broadcaster Paul Brennan with an aircraft structural engineer and a negotiator to the four overseas locations (Brasil, USA, Bangladesh and Cuba to ascertain if the DC-8-52, B737-219, Hs 748 and DC-10-30 can be saved, secured and recovered.

These aircraft were all originally delivered to TEAL, NAC, Air NZ and Mt Cook Airlines - they are only ones remaining - modern day equivalents to the mighty Maori ancestral waka.

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Latest donations

Miles
Miles on 10 Oct 2025
What a great cause and what wonderful work being done by the good people at Bring Our Birds Home! Time is fast running out to save these fabulous pieces of our national history. True and unique national treasures that deserve to be saved for future generations to admire.
$100
Neil
Neil on 31 Aug 2025
$50
Warwick
Warwick on 15 Aug 2025
Love to see these birds back in NZ. Worked for NAC on DC3's, Friendships and Vicounts. Great memories.
$50
James
James on 02 Aug 2025
$50
Roy
Roy on 01 Aug 2025
Flew back from LA to Auckland, via Fiji and Hawaii in October 1972.
$100

Who's involved?

Bring Our Birds Home's avatar
Created by, and paying to a verified bank account of, Bring Our Birds Home (Charity)
Registered Charity
A Registered Charity has legal recognition under the Charities Act 2005.
Tax credit
Donations of over $5 are eligible for a New Zealand charitable giving tax credit.
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This campaign started on 20 Apr 2017 and ends on 10 Oct 2027.