Old war-birds are occasionally flying over head today... getting ready for the Chino, CA Planes of Fame air show next weekend.

Link

Would love to go up in one of them in the near future, slot's are usually sold quite a few months in advance unless there's a no show.

Phil

I had a chance to experience a "reasonable facsimile thereof" when I learned to fly in the Marine Corps in the North American T-28 Trojan . . . R1820 Wright Cyclone nine-cylinder radial with 1425HP on tap. The first fighter, which showed any success against the Jap Zero was the Wildcat, some powered by a Wright Cyclone 1820ci radial. Most of the naval aviation flight students back in 1980 flew the "teeny weeny" turboprop Beechcraft T-34. I'm glad I volunteered to fly the beast and have a chance to experience early WW2 performance.

I see a P51 flying out of Corona airport I think, over Norco just about every Saturday that the weather is good. It's hard to mistake the Mustang sound for anything else.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTbMKVuijE8

We get a few airshows up our way every year, and I've seen just about a little bit of eveything roaring over head. B-17, B-25, F4U, AT-6, P-51, P-47, and I swear I saw what I think was a Fiesler Stork. The roar of a WWII vintage piston powered prop plane is unmistakable. I had an older fellow working part time for me who was on the original R&D team that produced the P-35 Seversky. Boy, did he have some stories.

When you live in the same town as this:
http://www.ezellaviation.com/

And you are friends with the owners son,you get to see and play with a lot of cool stuff !!
Mike

Ten days ago the Collings Foundation had some planes around here. Saw B-17, B-24 and B-25 in the air. There was supposed to be a P-51C dual (with rides at $3200 per half hour and $4400 per full hour) and a friend saw a P-38 in the air.

Correction: It was $2200 and $3200 for the P-51. Just found the ad.

City just recently closed down the Rialto municipal airport just a mile down the road... an old post WW2 relic that the city couldn't make amends with (not producing enough cash flow)... use to be a couple old war-birds hangered there, use to go in there and at the old Chino air museum with my crane to assist with plane assembly. Always an interesting job.


Phil

Actually, considering the money it must take to keep these birds flying, that seems very reasonable for a memory that will last a lifetime.

I'd sure be up for a ride in Lancaster bomber!

John

Probably so. (Especially with the corrected amounts of $2200 and $3200.)

If you were around in 1943, the RAF would have set you right up...

they'd have trouble guaranteeing you a return flight home tho...