Well not only am I lucky enough to live 10 minutes from one of the biggest LHS around, but I am within 45 minutes of one of the nations largest WW2 Aviation restorers and museums… Planes Of Fame in Chino Ca.
Finally got to have a birthday day this weekend and went there. Thinking I would get some good photos (and boy did I) and hang out for a while. Well I pulled up and faced about 150 cars, something you usually dont see other then the annual airshow here. I thought maybe something was up elsewhere in the little airport and made my way to the entrance. As I was walking a deep throated growl was screaming over me, and of course I looked up to see a P-38J with some throttle on turning hard left about 200 ft over the field. Seems I chose the weekend of my birthday to go and join in, in one of their monthly events. Today they were giving annual paying members rides, and I saw one of the guys enjoying his lightning ride when I arrived.
The place was packed and I had my Camera out as soon as I forked over my 12 bones to get in.
For Salty: got you some stang pics. Couple of D’s call this place home, one was out somewhere, one was on display and the last had her top unbuttoned so I got some good pics of the engine and coolant system for you.
For Jeeves: The lightning wasnt the only oldy up givin rides… can you say -2 Dauntless. Yeah baby!!! she coughed to life then gave us all ringing ears.
I used up 3 rolls of film and didnt even get into the enterprise hanger where a Bearcat, Hellcat and Corsair along with some 30’s birds there nesting.
Also giving rides were a Texan and a late model Spit PRU (Griffon Engine with Contra-rotating props). It was loud and exciting there today
So you all ready for some of those pics…???
Ok here ya go…
Next week when I get them developed[:D][;)][^]
Until then if you need any color PROFILES of any BF 109F-G models let me know I have a 200 page book with nothing but color profiles of said models of the F-G 109 (including some Text on the z).
Jeff
Very cool Jeff!! Those other planes are overrated anyways [;)]…now tell me more about this Dauntless [;)]
That must have been a hoot Jeff. Lucky guy. I have never seen a WW II bird fly for real. The P-38 must have been a sight indeed.
First time for me too… I was suprised how quiet it was compared to the Griffin Powered Spitfire PRU. Though at speed the lightning is anything but quiet, but still not as loud as the spit, or the Duantless for that matter.
Jeeves I got some good pics for you when I get them developed. Shows the dive breaks well, the radio/gunner second seat is glazed in, alot like a texan if you ask me. This Dauntless gets a lot of flight time so it has a cool weathered look to it. Sounds good flying.
Sounds like a great day. Looking forward to the pics.
Regards, Rick
Just to let rjkplastic model know the Kalmazoo Air Zoo has (at least last summer) a Dauntless on Display. It has markings from Operation Torch and it was fished out of Lake Michigan and restored if I remember right. I am not sure if it is a -2 or a -3. You can walk right up to it and take pictures from every angle. Not to mention the F6F, F8F, F7F and F4F that are restored and flying. Although the Cats are not always there. You should not be to far away to drop by and spend a day.
I’ve only seen the C.A.F. B-29,B-25,B-24,and B-17. That’s great that you got that opportunity. You mentioned the book on Bf-109s and the Dauntless pics, can anybody get copies?
Whoa, Jeff -
Happy birthday and it sounds like you had a good one! Fantastic.
Some guys have all the luck…
Well here we go… I chose a cross section of pics for ya all that showed my day there…
Is this the best looking Mustang or is just ME… Guess its just ME…
Jack be nimble, Jack be… getting ready to be air worthy [;)]
All the little birds are starting to hide… the Hawk’s gettin ready to fly again…
Another Bearcat about to fly… REAL soon
First up is Saltydaaawwg:
Heres some engine work, P-51D RR Merlin
Now that Jeeves guy:
Could this possibly be a Banshee???
On with this little tour…
One Jug… alot more then a Gallon here…
Spitfire Mk IXc
A huge donation drive is underway to put Lily back in the air…
whered the heck this one come from?!?..
Now for the meat of the day… what made this special, the pics will speak for themselves…
and this is the newest addition that I am familar with… soon to be restored…
Thanks, Jeff
I grew up close to the Chino airport, and back in the early seventies, they were just starting to get the thing going. I remember my dad taking me out there to the flightline on Saturdays and you could just walk right up to the planes. There would be guys working on them and of course, I became aquainted with the mechanics. There were only a few planes then, a TBF, a Mustang and a T6. I had a ball, and learned a lot too
Steve
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Allen if you need some color profiles of a BF109F-G models let me know… I have alot of them now. If you have something specific in mind email me Ill get it to you.
Not sure on the Dauntless Jeff-- a Banshee was basically a SBD-3…and one of the few ways you could tell the difference was the tail wheel-- Banshees had pneumatic wheels as they were land based while carrier SBD’s had hard rubber wheels…but I don’t think the one in your pic is doing carrier landings anymore [;)] If I had the serial number on the one in your pic I could tell you if it was a Banshee…
Pnumanic would that be it CANT be steered with the tail will or can be?
As they towed it past me the wheel turned with the plane on its own.
Another pic for ya Jeeves
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Nope-- pneumatic meaning it had a tube in it-- in other words- like your car tire [:)] Carrier Dauntlesses had hard rubber tailwheels to endure the tough carrier landings.
That is definitely a tricolor Navy scheme-- it also has a tailhook which the Banshees didn’t need or have. It is an SBD-5-- the -3’s had three cowl flaps on each side-- but you can see only one on this particular plane-- which is what the -5s had.
Woodbeck, there seems to be something on the picture of the P-51. OH MY GOD!!! It’s you !!! I thought it was a mistake (maybe it is) but there you go, SOR-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y. Nevermind.
LoL Vance thats the best lookin Mustang pic ever taken!!
Looks like you had a fun weekend
Thad