Air Museum in the 1960's

[GregP]

Here is a URL: F-261 California Air Museum (Planes of Fame, Chino) - YouTube

Put it in and select F-261 California Air Museum.

I shows the Air Museum, which became the Planes of Fame, in the 1960's.



Enjoy!

[A4K]

Nice post Greg - a hell of a landing in the Mustang!!!

[GregP]

Thanks, glad SOMEONE liked it.

Anyone interested in some stories about the aircraft? Like maybe where is the Ki-84 today?

[muscogeemike]

I add my thanks as well. I grew up in SoCal (Azusa, Covina, Brea) and had family living in Chino. I remember visiting this museum at least twice in the late '50's and early '60's.
I would like to read more about the Ki-84 and other air craft there.

[GregP]

Ed Maloney and the other guys got the Ki-84 flighwortyhy and flew it. The museum was funded by Ed and he needed money, and a Japanese museum wanted the Ki-84 after they took it to Japan and flew it. Ed had a problem with it anyway since almost nobody in the U.S.A. knew what it was (being a late-war fighter of foreign manufacture), and it was always the subject of curiosity, but never requested for airshows. So, he sold it to a museum in Japan. When they came to pick it up, they remarked on the narrow streets in Japan, and could not be bothered to take the wings off the normal way, by disassembly.

So, they SAWED them off, cutting the spars, packed it away, and took it to Japan, where it is now ... never to fly again.

A very sad but true story. Ed wishes he never had to sell it, but he was the only source of income for the museum at the time, and the money kept them going ... so maybe it was all for the best. At least we know the engine and airframe were flyable in the 1960s!

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

I believe Shinpachi, a member here has commented on that before about them cutting the wings off. Very sad. I think he actually posted some photos of it in the museum present day. Excellent post Greg! Thank you for sharing sir! Great find!

[GregP]

The Hellcat in the film is the one lost in Tennessee when it was flown by Atr Vance, for some reason, in very bad weather and hit a power line across an interstate highway near Crossville, Tennessee. Tragic and completely unnecessary.

[Shinpachi]

Thanks Greg for sharing such a nice footage and an interesting story about the Ki-84 sold to Japan.
The Japanese buyer was said a big fool as he did not consult with the former Nakajima engineers about how to disassemble it before delivery.
However, the Ki-84 is said flyable again once the spars reinforced with the duralumin plates.

There is no problem technically but the new owner seems not being interested in doing so.
In public, these old weapons have been regarded as a tragic symbol of the past war in my country since 1945.
The Ki-84 is now displayed as such a symbol together with a Ki-61 at Chiran Memorial Museum for Peace in Kyusyu.
Old Chiran Base was famous for Kamikaze Operation. Hundreds of young pilots left there for their suicide attacks.

With no sarcastic sense, this reality is a remakable difference between the winner and the loser.
War was over but pain and saddness still remain for their families.

[muscogeemike]

Thanks for the story Greg and also Shinpachi for the further info.

[Gnomey]

Cool video! Thanks for sharing Greg!

[GregP]

Hi Shinpachi,

I thank you for posting the pic! Nice to see it again! I wish these thiongs would fly again, but the owners are free to do so or not do so as they see fit.

We now have a static Yokosuka D4Y-2 Judy at the Planes of Fame, and it is nearing a stae where we can start and taxi it. Since we didn;t reproduce the longerons, this will not be flyable. But at least the type will come to light for people to see other than the one in Tokyo. Meanwhilem we get to see our Mitsubishi A6M5 Model 52 Zero fly every once in awhile. Recently, we had some folks froma Jpanese magazine come to the museuma nd they dragged out the Mitsubishi J2M Raiden and did a coplete photo shoot of it. I hope you see it soon in a local magazine!

I saw an old video of some US Air Force guys in a Lockheed T-33 flying at high speed through the grand Canyon ... but can't find it again to popst the link! Ah well, I'll keep on looking ... and I'll start looking for a video of the Japanese Air Self Defence Force F-15J's flying over Alaska. I was there when they were flying and they looked great!

[Shinpachi]

Thanks again, Greg!

[Matt308]

Great video!

[bobbysocks]

i remember airshows like that....lol. never went to chino but it is very reminissent of all the airshows of the day. going to have to see if i can convert my dad's old 8mm onto dvd...

that is one hell of a landing in that mustang...gear locked halfway down...no prop strike...damn!

[GregP]

My overriding impression was exactly that! Gear malfuntion and no prop strike. Now THAT was a low-dmage landing in an emergency situation!

A asked and found out that plane was flying only a short while later! They had spare parts and didn't have to manufacture them.