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The Planes of Fame Air Museum at Chino, California hosted a flying display of numerous warbirds over the weekend of May 15 - 16. I shot these pictures on Sunday, May 16.

Founded over 43 years ago, The Air Museum "Planes of Fame," a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, is dedicated to preserving aviation history for the benefit of future generations. Currently, The Air Museum houses over 150 aircraft at its two locations, the main facility at chino Airport in California and a satellite museum near the Grand Canyon at Valle Airport in Arizona.  The Air Museum displays aircraft spanning the history of manned flight, from a replica of the Chanute Hang Glider of 1896, through modern space flight, and includes numerous milestone achieving test and research flight vehicles.

Most of the airplanes that participated in the airshow were parked in two rows along the flightline. This page is a walk along the airplanes parked in the row on the left.

Curtiss P-40N Warhawk, N1195N has been registered to Warhawk LLC of Meridian, Idaho since October 29, 2002. Its Curtiss construction number is 30158. Its Army Air Corps serial was 42-106396. It was delivered to the Royal Canadian Air Force as 880. Fred Dyson bought it at Boeing Field, Seattle, Washington on October 23, 1947. Hardwick Aircraft of Rosemead, California bought it in 1953. Following a wheels up landing, the damaged airframe was stored in Jack Hardwick's yard from 1955 to 1976. John Paul of Alamo, California bought it in 1976. It was rebuilt and returned to airworthy condition in 1984. It flew for a while with tail number 130158 and now carries 2106393 on its tail. It has raced as #77 and #17.

Curtiss P-40N Warhawk, NL85104. Its Army Air Corps serial was 42-105192. It was delivered to the Royal Canadian Air Force as 858. Fred Dyson bought it and 42-106396 at Boeing Field, Seattle, Washington on October 23, 1947. It was owned by W. Bridges in Jackson, Mississippi from 1952 to 1954. Louis Rice of Marysville, California bought it in 1954 and very quickly sold it to Richard Rowlette of Riverside, California. Walter Brockin, also of Riverside, acquired it in 1955 nd then sold it to W. Keith Larkin of Weather Modification Company in San Jose, California. It was damaged in a wheels up landing near Denver, Colorado in 1958. The Air Museum in Ontario restored it to static display condition in 1959. Restoration of the airframe was begun in 1977. It made its first flight after restoration in 1981, when it acquired its current registration. It is powered by an Allison V-1710 twelve-cylinder engine.

P-40N Warhawk, NL85104 at the Chino Airport on October 18, 1987.

P-40N Warhawk, NL85104 at the Chino Airport on April 24, 1999.

North American P-51D Mustang, N20TF 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, N64824 Speedball Alice has been registered to Arthur Vance of Sebastapol, California since October 2000. It served the Army Air Corps as 44-74389. It was transferred to the Royal Canadian Air Force as 9580 in 1950. It received its current registration in 1973. Art Vance bought it in 1976. It was rebuilt at Shafter in 1982 as Million Dollar Baby in 1982. It was renamed Speedball Alice in 2000.

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.

Elmer Ward's North American P-51D Mustang, NL44727 Man-O'-War originally carried Army Air Force serial 44-72739. Its North American construction number is 122-39198. For a number of years it sat in open storage on the Universal Studios lot until Ascher Ward of Van Nuys, California recovered it in August 1970 and registered it as N44727 in 1971. For a while it was named Poontang. Elmer Ward acquired it in 1975 and restored it to the appearance of his original WW-II mount, 44-14292.

North American P-51D Mustang, NL44727 Man O' War at Chino on September 2, 1978.

North American P-51D Mustang, NL7715C Wee Willy II has been owned by Steve Hinton since September 1985. This Mustang has adopted the identity of the Red Baron RB-51 racer, once the fastest piston powered aircraft in the world. Its original serial was 44-84961, but it carries 413334 on its tail. The Air Force disposed of it at McClellan Air Force Base, California in 1958. It was purchased by Capitol Airways of Nashville, Tennessee and registered as N7715C. In July 1964 it was acquired by Charles Willis Jr., Frank Lynitt, and Charles Hall of Seattle, Washington. They raced it as #5, first named "Red Baron", then "Miss RJ". Gunther Balz of Kalamazoo, Michigan bought it in July 1971 and changed its name to "Roto-Finish", keeping race number 5. John Sliker of Wadley, Georgia picked it up in October 1973, but sold it to Ed Browning of Brownings Incorporated in Idaho Falls the following February. Brownings Inc. installed a Rolls Royce Griffon engine with contra-rotating propellers and called it the "Red Baron" RB-51. It first flew with the Griffon engine on March 6, 1975. It set the world's piston engined speed record of 499.018 miles per hour on August 14, 1979. It crashed with Steve Hinton at the controls at the Reno Air Races that September. Hinton survived the crash. Richard Ransofer of Grapevine, Texas acquired the wreckage in 1980. Steve Hinton and Fighter Rebuilders at Chino transferred the dataplate and probably a small section of the fuselage of the "Red Baron" wreck to P-51D, 44-73053 to reconstruct "Wee Willy II". It first flew after reconstruction in September 1985. Some of the hulk of the RB-51 was acquired by Terry and Bill Rogers of Sherman, Texas in 1989 to be used in another Griffon powered race conversion, but Rogers' efforts were diverted into the rebuilding of Vendetta into Miss Ashley II.

Debut of the Red Baron RB-51 Griffon powered Mustang at the Mojave Air Races in June 1975.

North American P-51D Mustang, NL5441V Spam Can has belonged to the Planes of Fame Air Museum since June 1957. Its original serial was 45-11582. It is powered by a Packard V-1650 license built version of the Rolls Royce Merlin.

North American P-51D Mustang, NL5441V at Chino on October 6, 2001.

North American P-51D Mustang, NL5441V at Pt. Mugu NWC on October 16, 1982.

North American P-51D Mustang, N5460V StrawBoss 2 has been registered to California Warbirds of Hollister, California since June 1978. It served the Army Air Corps as 44-72192. James Bohlander of Roselle, Illinois registered it as N5460V in 1963 and sold it to William Cochrane III of Houston, Texas in 1966. John Crocker of San Mateo, California bought it in 1969 and sold it to California Warbirds in 1978.

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 (the standard 51 and owner's initials registration applied to so many Mustangs) in October 1986.

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.

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.

Republic P-47G Thunderbolt, N3395G at Chino on October 18, 1987.

Hawker Sea Fury T Mk 20, NX233MB September Pops is a two-place trainer variant. It has been registered to Fury Limited of Carson City, Nevada since January 1978. It served the Royal Navy as VX351. It was transferred to the Federal Republic of Germany as D-CEDO on August 11, 1959. Eric Vormezeele of Antwerp, Belgium bought it in 1975 and reserved the regiatration OO-SFY for it, but did noot restore it or take up the registration. Jimmie Hunt of Memphis Tennessee acquired it in October 1985. American Aero Service oof New Smyrna Beach, Florida bought it in 1987 and sold it to Michael Brown and Fury Limited in May 1997. It was restored at Ione, California. Its Bristol Centaurus engine was replaced with a Wright R-3350 radial engine. It made its first fligt after restoration in 1997. It flies as race #911.

Grumman F7F-3P Tigercat, NX6178C has been registered to Richard Bertea of Corvallis, Oregon since July 1993. It was built as Navy BuNo 80483. Cal-Nat Airways of Grass Valley, California gave it its current registration in 1964 and it flew as tanker #E43. Sis-Q Flying Service of Santa Rosa, California acquired it in 1969 and sold it to Macavia International Corporation, also of Santa Rosa, in June 1985. Weeks Air Museum of Tamiami, Florida bought it in 1987, but stored it at Santa Rosa. It was bought by the Duxford Air Museum, arriving on November 13, 1988.

Grumman F7F-3N Tigercat night fighter, 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 single 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 F7F-3N Tigercat Big Bossman nose art

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 B-25J Mitchell, NL9117Z In The Mood nose art.

North American B-25J Mitchell, NL9117Z at Falcon Field, Arizona on May 4, 1974

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.

North American B-25J Mitchell, N3675G Photo Fanny nose art.

B-25J, N3675G was painted olive drab over gray and named "Betty Grable" when it appeared at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station airshow on April 28, 1990.

North American F-86F Sabre, N186AM 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.

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, at the time registered N4TF and MiG-15, NX87CN have been performing at Chino since the October 8, 2000 airshow.

Classic Express Airways Douglas C-47B Skytrain, N103NA is registered to Newport Signal Air of Costa Mesa, California. Its Douglas construction number is 33569. It was built in 1945.

Beech Model H-18, N372PS has been registered to DB Aero Incorporated of Wilmington, Delaware since May 1997. Its Beech construction number is BA-693, and it was built in 1964.

More 2004 Chino Airshow pictures

Static Displays

Page 1

Most of the airplanes that participated in the airshow were parked in two rows along the flightline.

Page 2 is a walk along the airplanes parked in the row on the right.

Flying Displays

Page 1: Missing Man Formation and Silver Wings Stearman Biplane Wing Walking Act.

Page 2: D-Day Invasion Aircraft Display with Mustangs, Spitfires, P-47 Thunderbolt, Hurricane, and Avenger.

Page 3: Northrop N9M Flying Wing Performance by Ron Hackworth and Korean Air War F-86 Sabre and MiG-15 Tail Chase.

Page 4: Navy Flight SBD Dauntless, FM-2 Wildcat, F4F Hellcat, F7F Tigercat, F8F Bearcat, A-1 Skyraider, F4U Corsair, and Sea Fury.

Page 5: Pacific Air Battle FM-2 Wildcats, Zeros and P-38 Lightning and British Fighter Aerobatics Display.

Page 6: Air Power Formation Flight - Massive Gaggle of Warbirds and United States Air Force F-16 Viper Tactical Demonstration.

More Chino Airshows

More Chino Airshows.

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