More than a dozen aeroplanes from World War I and World War II were wheeled out of their Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre hangars in preparation for the royal visit on Thursday afternoon.
Several museum volunteers were waiting to greet the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the centre near Blenheim.
Prince William in the cockpit of a replica Sopwith Pup with Sir Peter Jackson. Photo: POOL
The public queued up for a glimpse of Prince William and Catherine, with many making the short trek from Seymour Square where they did a walkabout earlier in the day.
"To see them earlier was amazing, like a dream. I just have to see them again," Wilma Dickson said.
Film director and aviation buff Sir Peter Jackson gave Prince William and Catherine a personal guided tour of his World War I aircraft and artefacts at the centre.
A Caproni CA 22, was the first they saw. "Oh wow, look at this!" said Prince William. "This is awesome. How old is this?" "1913," Sir Peter replied.
To commemorate the visit, the centre gave the royal couple's eight-month-old son Prince George a child-size flying helmet.
The World War I-style helmet is the creation of Trevor Lamb and is made of deer leather with a lining of New Zealand possum fur.
Catherine receives a flying hat for Prince George. Photo: POOL
World War II spitfire pilot Harcourt "Bunty" Bunt told the couple of an amazing war tale. The 93-year-old from Picton explained the story of New Zealand's highest scoring ace of The Great War, Keith Logan 'Grid' Caldwell.
Lieutenant Caldwell got into trouble behind enemy lines. At 5000 feet, he stepped out onto his wing - a fact that amazed the Duke and Duchess - and hung on to wing to control the plane and jumped off.
"He brushed himself off," and made contact with trenches, Bunty said.
"No way, that's amazing," Prince William said. "And how fast was he going when he jumped off?"
Sir Peter explained how he might've done it. Catherine added: "That's an extraordinary story."
The royal couple also stepped inside an Avro Anson plane from World War II, complete with rear gun turret. Owners Bill and Robyn Reid told them it took 10 years to restore the plane - believed to be the only kind of its type.
Prince William sat at the cockpit controls for some time which were all from the war period and painstakingly restored. Later he said he enjoyed the visit, describing he museum as "incredible. It's so important to keep the linkage of the generations."
