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The 2006 Van Nuys Rockin' Air Fest marked the end of a forty-six year tradition at the Van Nuys Airport. New hangars will be constructed on the area where the airshows have been held. Several of the aircraft that appeared at the Air Fest departed or were towed to their usual parking places on Monday, June 12.
Airport development plans have also resulted in the closing of the Western Museum of Flight at the Hawthorne Airport and the end of the Hawthorne Air Faire. The loss of these local aviation events is part of an unfortunate trend. Southern California developers are turning their backs on the region's aviation heritage. Each year there are fewer venues to introduce the youth of today and the engineers of tomorrow to aviation.
Coast Guard Sikorsky HH-52A, 1426.
Lockheed T-33A N17076 served the U.S. Air Force as 57-0751. It is registered to the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Clay Lacy's 1931 vintage Stinson JR.S, NC10833. Its construction number is 8027.
Clay Lacy's North American P-51D Mustang, N64CL, Race #64. It was built for the Army Air Force as 44-74423. On November 8, 1950, it was delivered to the Royal Canadian Air Force as 9595. James H. Defuria and Intercontinental Airways of Canastota, New York acquired it on July 21, 1958 and registered as N6517D. Madison Aviation Corporation of Canastota, New York bought it on November 11, 1959 and sold it to Naylor Aviation Incorporated of Clinton, Maryland the following day. North American Maritime Corporation of Cambridge, Massachusetts acquired it later in November 1959 and registered it as NX182F. Hamilton Aircraft Company of Tucson, Arizona bought it on October 2, 1962 and sold it to Hillcrest Aviation Industries of Lewiston, Idaho on November 1, 1962. California Airmotive Corporation of Burbank, California acquired it on May 1, 1964 and registered it as N182X. Clay Lacy raced it as #64 Miss Santa Barbara, eventually purchasing it in 1970 and giving it its current registration. It is now named Miss Van Nuys.
Learn more about Clay Lacy Aviation.
Clay Lacy's North American SNJ-5 Texan, N164CL served the U.S. Navy as BuNo 85056. Its construction number is 88-17277. It was ordered for the Army Air Force as AT-6D 42-85496 and delivered to the U.S. Navy as SNJ-5 BuNo 85056. Clay Lacyacquired it in 1963 and registered it as N447C. Lacy registered it as N164CL on June 4, 1975. The FAA database indicates that the certification of this Texan has been revoked.
Lockheed TV-2, NX6633D is the Navy version of the T-33A. It served the U.S. Navy as BuNo 126591. Although it is restored in U.S. Air Force markings it carries the last five digits of its Navy BuNo on its tail.
North American P-51D Mustang, N51MV Nervous Energy No. 5. It served the Army Air Force as 45-11391.
It is restored in the colors of the 325th Fighter Group of the 15th Air Force, which was based in Lesina, Italy. 00 was the mount of Lt. Colonel Ernest H. Beverly, 325th Group Commander from September 11, 1944 to March 2, 1945. It has been registered to Terence Cunningham since April 7, 2004.
North American P-51D Mustang, NL5441V Spam Can has belonged to the Planes of Fame Air Museum since June 1957. It flew for the Army Air Force as 45-11582 and it still wears that number on its tail.
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.
Curtiss P-40N Warhawk, NL85104 was ordered by the Army Air Corps as 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 and 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.
At 12:30 a pair of Fresno Air National Guard F-16Cs took off and made two low passes each. They did an excellent job of beating up the field at quite low altitude in afterburner.
General Dynamics F-16C Block 25A Fighting Falcon, 83-1135 and F-16C Block 25F, 84-1391 of the 194th Fighter Squadron with the Fresno Air National Guard.
F-16C Block 25A, 83-1135.
F-16C Block 25F, 84-1391
F-16C Block 25F, 84-1391
F-16C Block 25F, 84-1391
F-16C Block 25A, 83-1135.
F-16C Block 25F, 84-1391
The only airworthy Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver, NX92879 made its first visit to California in many years. It belongs to the Commemorative Air Force and is based in Texas. It served the U.S. Navy as BuNo 83589. Ed Maloney and The Ontario Air Museum acquired it in May 1963 and sold it to the Confederate Air Force at Harlingen, Texas in 1970. It was registered as N92879 and restored to airworthy condition in Ontario, California before its delivery to the CAF in November 1971. It flew for the CAF as USN #5. It crashed after an engine failure at Harlingen in August 1985. It flew again on September 27, 1988. It flies now as USN #32.
Thirty-five years ago: SB2C-5 NX92879 is seen here at the Chino Airport in April 1971.
The crew pulls the propeller through before starting the engine.
The pilot cranks up the Wright R-2600 radial engine.
The Helldiver unfolds its wings as it prepares to depart.
You can buy a 2009 calendar featuring my photographs of the sole airworthy Curtiss SB2C Helldiver.
A dozen photos of the sole airworthy Curtiss SB2C Helldiver, N92879 at Van Nuys and Camarillo on June 12, 2006.
Put a copy of the Curtiss SB2C Helldiver Visits California: 2009 Calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart.
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.
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.
The Helldiver takes off from Runway 16R on its way to visit the Southern California Wing of the CAF at Camarillo.
More photos of Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver, N92879 visiting Van Nuys and Camarillo.
The CAF's Helldiver Home Page.
The Southern California Wing of the Commemorative Air Force' Home Page.
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