Air Show and Museum Aircraft

[BigPlay]

Just tought I'd put this up there for those that like to see the actual birds up close. For those travelling to the San Diego area, your first stop should be the Midway Museum (CVA-41) located in downtown San Diego. Lots of static displays of modern jet aircraft, plus the bonus of a TBM and an SBD in the Hangar Bay. There are also simulators in the Hangar as well (They're a hoot!)

While your in San Diego, visit the Air Museum at Balboa Park. They have a very large selection of WWI and WWII aircraft, Including a PBY, F4F, and P-40. This is an indoor museum.

For those closer to Los Angeles, head to March Field, off Interstate 215 just south of Riverside, CA. They have a B-25J, B-17G, P-38J, P-39Q, PBM, and a P-59 as well as a lot of cold war era and modern aircraft. This is well worth the trip.

Finally a note on the B-25. Did you know that army bombers have been flown from Navy Carriers 3 times? The first of course is the Doolittle Raid on 12 April 1942. However, the next two time were 12 April 1992 (50th Anniversary flight) and the last was for the filming of the movie Pearl Harbor.

I had the priveledge of being a crewmember of USS Ranger (CV-61), back in 1992. 2 B-25's, 'Heavenly Body" and "Executive Suite" were craned on board the flight deck of the Ranger on the 11th, and launched from the deck under their own power on the morning of the 12th off of Point Loma. Both aircraft left the deck about half way down the deck.

As for the filming of the movie Pearl Harbor, I believe it was the same two aircraft and crew for the second launch. Only this time, they took off from USS Constellation (CV-64). It was big news in the Navy at the time. I was in Japan stationed on board USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63). Wish i remembered the date the second launch happened!

Actully the best place to see WW2 aircraft is at the Chino air show in California. This yaer it's May 16-17. It's the best flying ww2 air show in the world. I have seen 5 P-47's all flying there one year, 4 P-38's another another year not to mention about 6 different Spits and couple of Hurri's all the Navy planes some 2 or 3 of the same kinds many B-25's a B-17 Migs, F-86 and they have 2 Japanese Zeros, one is the only original powered Zero in the world. The also have a real Sherman tank along with American, British, Russian, German and Japanese reenactors who actually had a couple of German jeeps and a German halftrack. They fly everything and also included in the admission price is a tour through their muesum. They have a He162, Me 163,  a nattar ( german manned rocket) a Japanese Jack fighter all perfectly restored. They also have a Japanese Betty bomber wreck in jungle setting to simulate Yamamoto's downed bomber. There is so much more almost worth a trip out from the east coast.

[Brooke]

Yep, Planes of Fame in Chino, CA is very good and definitely worth checking out if you are in the LA area.

I also very much like the Museum of Flight in Seattle -- also an impressive lineup of WWII aircraft (in addition to other aircraft, including of WWI).  I like the book store there, too.