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The 2006 Chino warbird airshow really stood out for the number of long unseen participants that pushed even the Northrop N9M flying wing off the schedule. It featured flights by the Planes of Fame Boeing P-26 Peashooter, Seversky AT-12 trainer version of the P-35, and Bob Odegaard's Goodyear F2G Corsair with an R-4360 twenty-eight cylinder radial engine. Sunday was overcast and much cooler than last year. The cloud deck descended in the afternoon, so that the Air Force General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon frequently disappeared into the clouds during its aerobatic display.
Goodyear F2G-1 Corsair, N5588N was the fifth F2G-1. It carries Goodyear construction number 6167 and flew for the U.S. Navy as BuNo 88458. It was tested at Port Columbus, Ohio and Naval Air Station Patuxent River from October 1945 to July 1946. The Navy retired it in January 1948. Cook Cleland bought it for spare parts, but then registered it as NX5588N. That was the same registration worn by Cleland's F2G-1 BuNo 88457, which crashed at the 1947 Thompson Trophy Race. NX5588N raced as Race #57 in the 1949 Thompson and Tinnerman Trophy Races at Cleveland, Ohio.
Ben McKillen Jr. piloted Race #57 to third place in the 1949 Thompson Trophy Race at a speed of 387.589 miles per hour, behind Cook Cleland in F2G-1 N5590N Race #94 (397.071 miles per hour) and Ron Puckett in F2G-1 N91092 Race #18 (393.527 miles per hour). McKillen won the 1949 Tinnerman Trophy Race in Race #57 at a speed of 386.069 miles per hour.
From 1950 to 1996, NX5588N passed through the hands of several owners, deteriorating progressively over years of outdoor storage. Robert J. Odegaard of Kindred, North Dakota acquired it on March 2, 1996. He performed a meticulous restoration of its appearance at the 1949 air races and returned it to airworthy condition in 1999.
North American B-25J Mitchell, N3675G Photo Fanny has been registered to James Maloney
of Corona Del Mar, California since January 10, 1978. Its Army Air Corps tail number was 44-30423. It joined the Air Museum in Ontario, California in 1965. It is often used for air-to-air photography sessions of the warbirds flying out of Chino. It is powered by a pair of Wright R-2600 radial engines.
Lockheed P-38J Lightning, NX138AM 23 Skidoo is registered to the Air Museum at Chino. It was built as Army Air Corps 44-23314. It was acquired by the Hanfield School of Aeronautics in Santa Maria, California in 1950. Jack Hardwicke of El Monte, California registered it as N29Q in 1954. He sold it to the Air Museum in Ontario, California in 1960 where it sat on static display for seventeen years. It was restored to flying condition, making its first flight on July 22, 1988. It then went to the Planes of Fame East museum in Minnesota. Bob Pond purchased it in October 1989 and registered it as N38BP.It returned to the Air Museum at Chino in 1998. It is powered by a pair of Allison V-1710 twelve-cylinder engines.
Mitsubishi A6M5 "Zero" NX46770 is registered to the Planes of Fame Museum of Chino. Its Mitsubishi construction number is 5357. It was captured by U. S. troops at Asilito Airfield, Saipan on June 18, 1944. It was shipped to the U. S. for evaluation, arriving in San Diego, California on July 16, 1944. It was flown for approximately 190 hours by Navy pilots at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Maryland. Ed Maloney acquired it for the Air Museum in Claremont in 1950. It first flew after restoration on June 28, 1978. It is powered by an original Sakai 21 radial engine.
North American P-51D Mustang, N2580 Six Shooter has been registered to Charles Hall of Annis, Montana since January 1996. It was rebuilt as a Cavalier T Mk. 2 two seater in the 1960s. It received a new Air Force serial number, 67-22580, and was delivered to the FA Boliviana as FAB 520 on January 19, 1968. It was recovered by Arny Carnegie of Edmonton, Alberta in December 1977 and recieved the Canadian registration C-GXUQ. McClain Flight Service of Strathmmore, Alberta bought it in August 1978. Richard Korff of Lockport, New York reigstered it as N151RK
in October 1986.
North American P-51D Mustang, NL20TF has been registered to Chino Warbirds Incorporated since December 2001. It was rebuilt as a Cavalier T Mk. 2 two seater in the 1960s. It received a new Air Force serial number, 67-14866, and was delivered to the FA Boliviana as FAB 521 on January 19, 1968. It was recovered by Arny Carnegie of Edmonton, Alberta in December 1977 and recieved the Canadian registration C-GXUR. McClain Flight Service of Strathmmore, Alberta bought it in November 1978. Cinema Air of Houston, Texas registered it as N20TF in October 1991.
North American P-51D Mustang, NL451TB Kimberly Kaye has been registered to Banta Aviation Corporation of Dover Delaware since February 2001. It served the Army Air Corps as 45-11559. It was transferred to the FA Salvadorena as FAS-401 in September 1968. Flaherty Factors Incorporated of Monterey, California registered it as N34FF on November 1, 1974. It swapped identities with 44-11153 when it returned to the United States. Clark Motor Company of State College, Pennsylvnia bought it in 1983 and re-registered it as N51WE in September 1985. It crashed near
State College, Pennsylvnia on March 7, 1988, killing William Clark. It was restored to airworthy condition, making its first flight on March 22, 2003.
North American P-51D Mustang, NL151D Sparky is sponsored by Jelly Belly jellybeans. It flies as race #44 and carries tail number 472777. It carries construction number 122-39236 and was delivered to the Army Air Force as 44-72777. Trans Florida Aviation of Sarasota, Florida acquired it on August 28, 1959. It was rebuilt as Cavalier Mk. 2 and assigned Air Force serial number 72-1537. It flew for the Indonesian Air Force as F-344 from 1967-1978. Vanpac Carriers of Oakland, California returned it to the United States in 1978 and sold it to Al Letcher of Mojave, California on July 16, 1979. It was registered as N8064V in April 1981 and flew as Singapore Sally. Steve Seghetti of Vacaville, California acquired it on April 14, 1984 and registered as N151D. It was damaged in a landing accidentat the Vacaville-Nut Tree Airport in 1994. It appeared in the movie Tuskegee Airmen in 1995. It formerly raced as Race #68.
Curtiss Warhawk Mk. 1, N940AK is restored as P-40E 41-13521. It was built for the Royal Air Force as AK940, but it was diverted to the Royal Canadian Air Force, which it served as 1058. It was recently restored in New Zealand. It is currently based at Livermore, California.
Bell P-63C King Cobra, NX163BP Pretty Polly is part of the collection of the
Palm Spring Air Museum. It has been restored as P-63A, 42-68864.
Republic P-47G "razorback" Thunderbolt, N3395G Spirit of Atlantic City NJ has been registered to the
Planes of Fame Museum since December 1965. Its original serial was 42-25254. It was manufactured under license by Curtiss. It was purchased by the Grand Central Aircraft Company of Glendale, California in 1944. Cal Aero Technical Institute used the airframe as a mechanic training aid from 1950 to 1955. The Claremont Air Museum acquired it in October 1955. It was restored to flying condition at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. The restoration began in 1958, and it first flew in 1963, when it received its current registration. It flew as Roscoe's Retreat for a while. It crashed during an airshow at Pt. Mugu Naval Air Station, California on October 23, 1971. The next time it flew was in 1976. It is powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engine.
North American P-51D Mustang, NL327DB Lady Jo is registered to Aero Classics, Inc of Chino, California. It was built as Army Air Corps 44-84860. Stephen Johnson of Oakland, California recovered it in 1978. John MacGuire of El Paso, Texas registered it as N55509 in August 1984 and sold it to Aero Classics of Chino in June 1989. It was rebuilt at Chino as a two-seat TF-51D, making its first flight after restoration on May 19, 1989. It wears 484860 on its tail.
North American P-51A-10NA Mustang, NX4235Y Mrs Virginia carries construction number 99-22354 and served the Army Air Force as 43-6251. Cal Aero Technical Institute of Glendale, California acquired it in 1946 and sold it to Ed Maloney and The Air Museum at Claremont, California in 1953. It made its first flight after restoration to airworthy condition on August 19, 1981. It was formerly restored as Royal Air Force Apache AG470, RU-M and displayed at Valle, Arizona.
22 years ago: North American P-51A-10NA Mustang, NX4235Y on static display in Royal Air Force colors at the Chino Airshow on May 20, 1984.
14 years ago: North American P-51A-10NA Mustang, NX4235Y on display at the Air Museum Planes of Fame on August 9, 1992.
13 years ago: North American P-51A-10NA Mustang, NX4235Y on display at the Air Museum Planes of Fame on October 17, 1993.
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt, NX47DF is registered to Ted Melsheimer of Carson City, Nevada. It was built as 45-49335, but it carries tail number 45-49385. In the early seventies it was owned by Vintage Aircraft International of Nyack, New York. It was
reassembled by the Confederate Air Force in Harlingen, Texas in 1973 and flew as Unadilla Killa of the 354th Fighter Group. In 1974 it was sold to Tom Friedkin of Palomar, California. In April 1975 it went to the Military Aircraft Restoration Group at Chino, which stored it at Barstow-Dagget
airport in California for several years. It crashed on take-off on March 7, 1980 at Barstow. It was rebuilt in Tulsa, Oklahoma. After that it was based in Caspar Wyoming through 1986. It was loaned to the Liberal Air Museum in Liberal, Kansas until 1990. In October 1990 it made a forced landing near Flagstaff, Arizona while it was being ferried from Topeka, Kansas to Chino. It is powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engine.
Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat, NX30FG has been registered to Chino Warbirds since 1991. Its Grumman construction number is A-3196. Its Navy BuNo was 41930. It first appeared on the civil register as N6096C in 1963. Its registration changed to N103V in 1965. From 1972 to 1990 it was displayed at the Champlin Fighter Museum at Falcon Field near Mesa, Airzona.
Supermarine Spitfire LF IX E, NX2TF has been registered to Chino Spitfire LLC of Houston, Texas since December 2001. Data about NX2TF from the Airworthy Spitfires Page of the Military Airshows in the U.K. web site:
Built by Vickers-Armstrong at Castle Bromwich early 1944. To 6 MU April 28th passed to 84 Support Group Unit May 30th. Allocated to 443 (RCAF) Sqn Ford June 2nd coded 21-T. In action on D-Day by late June based at St Croix-sur-Mer, Normandy. June 26th claimed Fw190 damaged/probable over Rouen, July 13th Bf109 damaged/probable over Normandy. Two Bf109s destroyed September 29th. Subsequently issued to 442, 401, and 441 Sqns. To 29 MU August 1945 and stored. Sold back to Vickers-Armstrong, South Marston October 31st 1946 and converted to 2-seat trainer for Indian Air Force by October 1948, tested as G-15-11 and delivered to IAF and became HS543. In IAF Museum, Palam 1967; bought by Senator Norman E. Garr in April 1971. Arrived Charleston March 15th 1972 and stored at New Orleans until November 1972, sent to Darrell Skurich, Fort Collins, Colorado for restoration but little done before being traded to Stephen Grey and freighted to UK. Restored by PPS at Booker, registered G-BJSG January 29th 1981 and flew February 10th 1984. Was based at Duxford and operated by TFC. ML417 suffered an undercarriage collapse while parked at Le Touquet in 1999 and was given a major overhaul at Duxford. Flew again after 2 years at Duxford on 18th June 2001. Sold to Tom Friedkin, registered to 'Chino Spitfire Ltd' as NX2TF and shipped to USA in December 2001.
Fairey Firefly AS-6, N518WB has been registered to Edward Kurdziel of Del Mar, California since February 2003. It was built in 1950 and is a veteran of the Korean War. It flew for the Royal Australian Navy as WB518 and still carries that ID. The K on the tail denotes that this Firefly came off the HMAS Sydney. Its Fairey construction number is F.8646. For a while, it was displayed on a pole at Griffith, New South Wales. Classic Aviation Pty Limited of Bankstown, NSW acquired it in 1991. It was restored using parts of Firefly WD828.
Visit the web site of Fairey Firefly WB518.
Douglas A-1H Skyraider, NX39606 is registered to Warbird Aircraft of San Diego. Its Navy Buno was 139606 and it was delivered to the South Vietnamese Air Force. It was recovered through Thailand by Yesterday's Air Force in 1980. It was registered as N3915B by Military Aircraft Restoration Corporation at Chino in 1983. The Donald Douglas Museum at Santa Monica registered it as NX39606 in July 1988 and passed it on to the Santa Monica Museum of Flying in 1990.
Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless, NX670AM of the Planes of Fame Museum. It was built as Navy BuNo 28536 but delivered to the Royal New Zealand Air Force as NZ5062. After the war it was used as a wind machine by MGM Studios. Wings from another SBD were recovered from Guadalcanal to return this Dauntless to flying condition in 1987. It flew its first flight after reconstruction on February 7, 1987. It is powered by a Wright R-1820 radial engine.
19 years ago: Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless, NX670AM on display at the Air Museum Planes of Fame on October 18, 1987.
Hawker Sea Fury Mk. 11, N19SF Argonought was originally delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy. Frank Sanders of Chino acquired it in 1970 and used parts from it for other restoration projects. It was transferred to Frank's son Brian and Sanders Aircraft Incorporated in 1990. It was rebuilt based on the cockpit section of Sea Fury TG114 (former N232J) which was itself restored from parts of VR918 and VR919. Its Bristol Centaurus engine was replaced with a Wright R-3350 radial engine. It first flew after restoration on July 30, 1994. It was named Argonought and assigned race number 16. It was registered N19SF, which was previously assigned to a different Sea Fury that crashed at Harlingen, Texas on October 9, 1981.
Grumman F7F-3N Tigercat night fighter, N805MB Big Bossman was recently purchased from the Lonestar Flight Museum of Galveston, Texas by Mike Brown and the September Pops Unlimited Racing Group. Its Grumman construction number is C.245. It was built as a ingle seat F7F-3 and served the U. S. Marine Corps as BuNo 80503. It was converted as a fire fighting tanker and operated by TBM Incorporated from 1960 to the 1970s. It was rebuilt as a two-seater in 1988 - 1989. The Lonestar Flight Museum registered it as N800RW in January 1989.
Grumman designed TBM-3E Avenger, N28SF was built by General Motors. It has been registered to Charles Wentworth of Paso Robles, California since August 1995. It was assigned U. S. Navy BuNo 85983 but was delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy as 374. Simsbury Flying Service of Simsbury, Connecticut registered it as N4039A. Miramichi Air Service registered it as C-FBEG in May 1974. Hicks & Lawrence limited of St. Thomasl, Ontario operated it as tanker #1 and named it Yogi Bear. Syracuse Flying Service of Syracuse, Kansas gave it its current registration in November 1985. C & C Corporation of Rialto, California bought it in 1987.
MiG-15, NX87CN has been registered to the Air Museum at Chino since February 1999. It was operated by the Chinese Air Force as 83277. Tom Friedkin first registered it in the U. S. in June 1991.
North American F-86F Sabre, NX186AM has been registered to the Air Museum at Chino
since March 1999. Its Air Force serial was 52-5012. Its North American
construction number is 191-708. Tom Friedkin of
Cinema Air Corporation registered it as N4TF in April 1990.
North American SNJ-5 Texan, N3375G carries construction number 88-18068.
Avione Cariova SAS Yak-3U/R200, N46463 was built in 2005 and carries construction number 001-3/2005. It is powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-2000 radial engine.
Grumman F3F Flying Barrel N20FG is owned by Cinema Air of Carlsbad, California. It was manufactured by the Texas Airplane Factory. It is powered by a Wright R-1820 radial engine.
Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat, NX12260 is powered by a Pratt and Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp two-bank, fourteen cylinder radial engine. It was flew for the U.S. Navy as BuNo 12260. It was assigned to the U.S.S. Wolverine and was ditched in Lake Michigan. It was recovered by A&T Recoveries in 1991. They restored it to airworthy condition and gave it its current registration. It made its first flight after restoration on July 18, 1994. It has been registered to S.J. Craig Farms LLC of Lawrence, Kansas since September 2, 2003.
General Motors FM-2 Wildcat, N29FG is powered by a Wright R-1820 Cyclone single-bank, nine-cylinder radial engine.
Air Service Control Incorporated of West Bend, Wisconson registered it as N90523 in the early fifties. They sold it to Frank Tallman's museum at the Orange County Airport, California in 1960. Wade Porter of Columbus, Indiana bought it in 1963 and sold it to the Yankee Air Club of Sunderland, Massachusetts in 1966. It joined the Damned Yankee Air Force at Turner Falls, Massachusetts later that year. William Whitesell of Medford, New Jersey acquired it in 1969 and sold it to Doug Champlin on Enid, Oklahoma in 1971. He moved it to the Champlin Fighter Museum at Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona in 1978. Tom Friedkin of Cinema Air in Houston, Texas bought it from Champlin in December 1990 and registered it as N16TF. He moved it to Cinema Air of Carlsbad, California and re-registered it as N29FG the next year.
Vought F4U-1A Corsair, NX83782 is registered to the Planes of Fame Museum at Chino, California. It is the oldest airworthy Corsair. It flew for the Navy as Buno 17799 and still carries that number on its tail. It was used as a movie prop by MGM Studios. The Ontario Air Museum acquired it in 1970. It was restored to airworthy condition in 1977.
Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat, N198F has been owned by Cinema Air of Houston, Texas since June 1982. It still carries its original Bureau of Aeronautics number 122637. It was first registered as N1033B in 1963 by William Johnson of Miami, Florida. Subsequently
it was owned by New Jersey Air Company of Hackensack, New Jersey from 1966 to 1968, Sherman Cooper of Merced,California from 1968 to 1971, and John Church of Hackensack, New Jersey from 1971 to 1973. John Gury of St. Louis, Missouri changed the registration to N198F in 1973. Gury raced it under race numbers 99, 11, and 98. It was sold to John Herlihy of Montara, California in 1980 and then to Cecil Harp of Canby, Oregon in 1981.
28 years ago: Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat, N198F on static display at the Chino Airshow on September 2, 1978.
28 years ago: Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat, N198F on static display at the Chino Airshow on September 2, 1978.
Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat, NX4964W was delivered to the U. S. Navy as BuNo 94473. Its Grumman construction number is A-12225. It was displayed as a red drone at the Air Museum in Ontario, California from 1967 to 1970. It moved to the Chino Airport with the Air Museum in 1970. It was rebuilt with parts from F6F BuNo 08831 in 1984. It was acquired by Robert Pond and Planes Of Fame East at Minneapolis, Minnesota and given its current registration in 1984. It was damaged in a landing accident at Chino on March 19, 1984. It is now displayed at the Palm Springs Air Museum.
Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat, N7825C originally wore Navy BuNo 122674. Its Grumman construction number is D.1227. It was built in 1948. E. Weiner of Los Angeles registered it under its current tail number in 1958. It was bought by Leo Demeers of Aurora, Oregon in
1963. Richard Tobey of Newport Beach, California in acquired it in 1966 and then sold it to Paul Finefrock of Hobart, Oklahoma in 1969. Gary Levitz picked it up later that year. It has belonged to the Confederate Air Force since 1972. It underwent a major rebuild from 1989 to 1991. It made its first flight after the rebuild on December 17, 1991.
Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat, N1078Z Minsi III. Its Grumman construction number is A-5634. John Sandberg recovered it from the Fergus Falls Airport in Minnesota in 1962. It was subsequently owned by Lloyd Nolan and Ed Messick.
Replica Day Sopwith F.1 Camel, N8343 was built in 1980 and has been registered to C C Air Corporation since January 18, 1991. It carries construction number DS-200. It is powered by a rotary engine.
North American B-25J, Pacific Princess has been registered as N9856C since 1963. It is currently owned by Ted Itano of Monterey Park, California. It still carries its original Air Corps tail number 43-28204. While still in the service of the Air Force, it was redesignated TB-25N. Idaho Aircraft Incorporated of Boise operated it as a tanker in 1963. Dennis Smilanich of Boise owned it from 1963 to 1966. Filmways Incorporated acquired it for use in the movie Catch-22 and then sold it to Ted Itano in 1972.
Replica Fokker Dr.1 triplane, N113PC is restored in the markings of Baron Manfred von Richthoven, best known as the Red Baron.
Silver Wings Stearman B75N1, N450SR is piloted by Hartley Folstad and carries wing walker Margaret Stivers. It carries construction number 75-7016 and was built in 1942.
Replica Day Sopwith F.1 Camel, N8343
Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress, N3509G Miss Angela. It was delivered to the U. S. Army Air Corps as 44-85778. It was converted to a TB-17H trainer and then to a VB-17G VIP transport. Ace Smelting, Incorporated of Phoenix, Arizona bought it on August 14, 1959 and gave it its current registration. Sonora Flying Service of Columbia, California acquired it on September 20, 1960. Leo Demers of Madras, Oregon bought it on May 25, 1961 and flew it as tanker #97. Aero Union Corporation of Chico, California bought it on April 29, 1966 and flew it as tanker e16. Central Air Service of Rantoul, Kansas acquired it on June 2, 1972 and flew it as tanker f42, #42, and #102. Western Air Contractors of American Fork, Utah bought it on July 6, 1978 and sold it to Westernair of Albequerque, New Mexico on June 15, 1981. Aircraft Component Equipment Supplies of Klamath Falls, Oregon acquired it on March 28, 1982 and placed it in storage at Stockton, California in 1984. Arthur McDonnell of Mojave, California bought it in July 1990 and sold it to Florida Aircraft Leasing Corporation of Miami, Florida in February 1991. The Lone Star Flight Museum of Galveston, Texas and World Jet International of Fort Lauderdale, Florida acquired it in April 1991 and named it Miss Museum of Flying. It has been registered to Pond Warbirds since July 3, 2001. It is now named Miss Angela and is based at the Palm Springs Air
Museum.
North American B-25J Mitchell, NL9117Z In The Mood. Its North American construction number is 108-33524.
Its Army Air Force serial number was 44-29199 and it still carries that number on its tail. It appeared on the civil register for the first time in 1963. Its first civilian owner was A. B. Sellman of Abe's Aerial Service in Safford, Arizona. Aircraft Specialties of Mesa, Arizona converted it to a fire
fighting tanker and gave it tanker c35. It was withdrawn from fire fighting use by the early 1970s and left derelict at Falcon Field. It was restored to airworthy condition in 1977-78. It has been owned by Robert Lumbard of Fontana, California since 1986.
North American SNJ-6 Texan, N349JB is restored as U. S. Air Force T-6G, 49-3319.
Beechcraft D17S Staggerwing, NC67736 was built in 1943. Its Beechcraft construction number is 4848. It has been registered to Archie Lane of Cyprus, California since August 1997.
Hawker Hunter GA11, N301XF has been registered to Garrett Moscos of Villa Park, California since June 1996. It was formerly Royal Navy XF301 and still carries that ID.
Seversky AT-12, NX55539 is a trainer version of the P-35 pursuit plane. It carries Seversky construction number 483-38. It was built for the Swedish Air Force as a 2PA Guardsman in 1940, but it was interned by the U.S. Army Air Force, assigned serial number 41-17529, and used as an advanced trainer. It was withdrawn from flight status in the late 1970s and only recently restored to airworthy condition. Its current flight certificate was issued on March 3, 2006.
Seversky AT-12, NX55539.
28 years ago: Seversky AT-12, NX55539 on static display at the Chino Airshow on September 2, 1978.
14 years ago: Seversky AT-12, NX55539 on display at the Air Museum Planes of Fame on August 9, 1992.
The wings were reattached to this Bell YP-59A Airacomet, 42-108777 just days before the airshow. Its General Electric I-A engines have been rebuilt and the airplane is expected to fly within a year. It carries construction number 27-10. It is displayed with a dummy propeller to confuse spies.
Bell YP-59A Airacomet, 42-108777.
22 years ago: Bell YP-59A Airacomet, 42-108777 had a second cockpit in the nose when it appeared on display at the Air Museum Planes of Fame on May 20, 1984.
The Air Museum Planes of Fame is conducting a fund raising effort to complete the restoration of the Airacomet:
January 2007 -- The Air Museum Planes of Fame -- Chino, CAIt’s crunch time, and we need your help!
This year the Air Force is celebrating its 60th anniversary and we plan to honor them with a fully restored P-59 -- America’s first jet aircraft. It will be the only P-59 flying today and, at 65 years old, the oldest flying jet in the world.
Imagine the spectacle of a Heritage Flight featuring both America’s first jet, and its latest modern fighter jet. What a treat it will be for thousands of spectators at air shows around the country. What an honor for our veterans.
All of this can soon be a reality if we can raise some $50,000.
Our little grass-roots group has been at it every Saturday for 16 years now. That’s nearly 40,000 hours.
We’ve made great progress! But we need your help with the final push.
So, please join us by giving what you can. No amount is too small, but time is of the essence. So help us finish this monumental project by giving big and giving soon.
Thank you in advance for your interest and support,
Team Comet
Print and fill out the Bell P-59 Airacomet Restoration Donation Form and mail it to the Air Museum Planes of Fame with your contribution.
Boeing P-26 Peashooter, N3378G flew for the Army Air Corps as 33-123. It carries Boeing construction number 1899. It was transferred to the Guatemalan Air Force as 0672 on May 11, 1943. The Air Museum of Ontario acquired it in 1957. The Autonetics Division of North American Aviation restored it to airworthy condition in 1962.
Boeing P-26 Peashooter, N3378G
28 years ago: Boeing P-26 Peashooter, N3378G on static display at the Chino Airshow on September 3, 1978.
22 years ago: Boeing P-26 Peashooter, N3378G on static display at the Chino Airshow on May 20, 1984.
14 years ago: Boeing P-26 Peashooter, N3378G on display at the Air Museum Planes of Fame on August 9, 1992.
North American T-28B Trojan, NX171BA was delivered to the U.S. Navy as BuNo 138171 in 1954.
Folland Gnat T.1, N7HY was restored in the colors of the Royal Air Force Red Arrows flight demonstration team in memory of Dr. Jim McMahon. It carries construction number FL529 and was built in 1962.
C-53D, N45366 carries Douglas construction number is 11757. It was delivered to the Army Air Corps as C-53D, 42-68830. It is in the collection of the Inland Empire Wing of the Commemorative Air Force at the Riverside, California Airport.
Thirteen years ago: DC-3A N45366 at the Tracy, California Municipal Airport on June 25, 1993.
Convair C-131D Samaritan, N131CW flew for the Air Force as 54-2809. It is part of the collection of the Southern California Wing of the Commemorative Air Force.
North American T-28A Trojan, N81643 served the Air Force as 49-1643. Its construction number is 159-155. Norman B. Dennis Jr. of Brookneal, California registered it as N9674C in 1966. Robert Eggmann of Belleville, Illinois registered it as N28RE in 1978. Edward A. Buerckholtz of Chesterfield, Missouri registered it as N81643 in 1985. It has been registered to Round Power Limited of Reno, Nevada since March 4, 2004. Its owner, Gregg Weitzman, recently had it restored in the colors of a T-28A that was flown by the Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in the 1950s. It is based at the Santa Barbara Airport.
Vertol H-21B Shawnee, N64606 flew for the Army as 54-4001. It is registered to the Classic Rotors Museum at the Ramona Airport.
Flying displays page 1: National Anthem Formation, World War I Dog Fight, Goodyear F2G Corsair Aerobatics, and Silver Wings Stearman Biplane Wing Walker.
Flying displays page 2: Pacific Theater Navy Flight
Flying displays page 3: Korean Air War, U.S. Navy F-18 Hornet Tactical Demonstration, and European Theater Flight
Flying displays page 4: Air Power Formation Flight, U.S. Air Force F-16 Viper Jet Tactical Demonstration, and Heritage Flight
Previous Chino Airshows.
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