PIREP - Planes of Fame, Chino, California [long]

Had some relatives in from Alaska last week. Al, a commercial fisherman
on Kodiak Island, shares ownership of a 150HP Super Cub on floats with one
of his sons. They use the airplane occasionally to spot fish when the boat
is working close enough to land to make it worth while.
In advance of the trip south, Al said he wanted to visit an aviation
museum. I picked Planes of Fame based on hearsay and a pretty good website.
You can fly in but we were five adults with a few cubic feet of heavy
luggage so this trip was in a rental mini-van.
Parking in the lot and walking into the building didn't make a real
positive experience. First off, you have to find the place up in the
northwest end of the airport property. Secondly, the outside just isn't very
impressive. The paint is a bit shabby and the bedraggled looking B-17 is
parked in an inaccessible area too far away for a good view.
The self-guided walking tour started in a big hangar stuffed with WWII
vintage German and Japanese aircraft. The first encounter [in this hangar --
there are three more to follow] is with a flyable Me-109 in excellent
exterior condition. At the end of the path is a diorama featuring the
remains of a Japanese Betty that crashed in and was recovered from a jungle
in the South Pacific. Next to it is a display board with photos and
documentation of the hunt for Admiral Yamamoto. For those too young to
remember, Yamamoto San commanded the attack on Pearl Harbor.
The path around the hangar displays is cordoned off with the typical
yellow nylon rope strung between pipe stanchions. It was easy to lose count
of the exhibits because they are tucked into every available space between
and under wings and hanging from the overhead roof trusses. The sheer volume
of hardware led to some confusion relating the display boards to the items.
Several of the planes, like the Zero, are in flying condition.
Speaking of display boards, I couldn't find the one to tell about a
rocket-powered aircraft dangling on cables. I think it is one of the bunch
the Japanese got from Germany and were planning to launch from submarines to
attack the US.
From that hangar you stroll to another packed with RAF machines: Hawker
Hunter, Spitfire, etc. Again lots of planes, gadgets, and gizmos.
The next hangar isn't packed nearly as full. That's because these
warbirds are all in good flying condition and are moved in and out
regularly. This building is set up to give the impression of a hangar deck
on a carrier. The catwalk leading down one entire side helps, but doesn't
quite pull off the masquerade. That, and having an A-4 parked between an
F-4U and an F-6F. I'm going to suggest they get an audio tape of a carrier
in operation and play it through a surround sound system.
We didn't get passed the doors of the next hangar. The ground crew were
busy prepping a P-40 for a flight out and recovering a P-47 that had just
returned. They had just launched a P-51 when we were driving up. That stable
includes a P-38 in flying condition.
I mentioned the B-17 parked outside. They also have a flyable B-25. I
think that's about the extent of the bomber planes. Except for lots of
gadgets, gizmos and hardware on display.
The ticket in includes a tour through the jet-aircraft museum just a
short drive away. The museum is in process of restoring a Bell P-59
Airacomet to flying condition. For you youngsters, that was the first jet
airplane flown by the US. The exhibit includes F-86, F-80, and a bunch more.
Now it occurs to me that I've shuffled some of the airplanes around into
the wrong hangars. If you've been there and noticed that, forgive me. Al
took my map of the layout back to Alaska.
Somewhere in amongst all the wings and tails, you'll come across a
superb display on the history of the flying wing and Jack Northrop's legend.
And a myriad of racers including a GeeBee. And hundreds of models of
everyairplane you can name and bunch you never heard of.
If you ever get in the vicinity, go there. It is worth the trip and the
price of admission.
And don't worry about the first impression on the outside. The stuff
inside more than makes up for it.

Regards,

Casey Wilson
Freelance Writer and Photographer

I picked Planes of Fame based on hearsay and a pretty good website.

Thanks for the PIREP, Casey. That museum has been on my short list for a
very long time -- it's just too danged far away!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"