T&T go to Yanks and Planes of Fame!

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I owe a thank you to an old friend and fellow Disney fanatic who directed me to this place. He had mentioned a vintage air show. While looking up the air show I became confused between its admission, and the museum admission. AT the last minute Tink and I decided not to take the family to the air show. We were afraid it would be too hot, and the kids wouldn't really "get it". Around the same time I realized my mistake, and that the air show tickets were a lot more then I had previously thought.

However the museum still looked interesting so I made a note to do it on another weekend. Fast Forward a couple weeks and we took a half hour drive to Chino Airport. Since we were there for the air museum I followed the signs that said "Air Museum" and here is where we ended up.

http://www.yanksair.com/















I'm not sure if the kids were supposed to touch any of that stuff but they enjoyed it and no one was around. We made sure they didn't pound or pull on anything.

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I am not a plane whiz, others can tell you what is what and/or look up the collection online. All I know is that there were a LOT of vintage aircraft fully restored and in operating condition... that I didn't get to read a lot of signs because of the kids... and that I want to go back!

The museum is split into 3 sections. This is the vintage section which covers the birth of aircraft up through WW2.

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Sorry for the blur my son took it

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This is the second section which is modern aircraft

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Also with log book and donation box. The place is run by a non profit but I am told a major contributor is a millionaire with a love of vintage aircraft. All the restoration is done onsite by volunteers.

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Part 3, the restoration hanger








I was so busy snapping shots of the planes and parts I forgot to mention they have a HUGE collection of uniforms over the years including two space suits

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And they had a few things not on exhibit


Along the way I met the museum webmaster and photographer. I congratulated him on an amazing museum and picked up a some info about the collection. Most of it is flight worthy, a lot of it is one of a kind or very rare. I also explained that I am not an airplane buff, and that my main reason for taking the kids was for their own experience. He smiled... and I have to say the whole staff loved our 2.5 year old who would walk down the aisle, point, and say "APLANE" at the top of her lungs...

You can imagine my embarrassment when in the course of the conversation I was informed that I had stumbled upon the wrong museum. He laughed and said "we get that a lot". But the way I saw it... it was luck! I had been looking for a sign that said "air museum" and when I saw it I followed the sign. The Planes of Fame museum was also at Chino airport... right down the street... but if I had known that ahead of time I might not have stopped. So in the end not knowing was a good thing.

For anyone planning to go, Adult admission is $10, and the two exhibit hangers are air conditioned... restoration hanger is not. Chino can get hot... plan accordingly. Yanks also has earlier hours and a smaller collection so it is recommended to do this one first, get lunch, then do Planes of Fame.

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After Yanks we headed over to Flo's diner to get a bite to eat. A quick note on Flo's... been there 50+ years, serves pilots, farmers, and everyone else. Food is good because the produce is fresh... they're known for the all day breakfast and the pies (from fresh local fruit).

Now to redeem myself we headed from Flo's to Planes of Fame. This was my first clue I was in the right spot

http://www.planesoffame.org/



You see when I was about 13 my uncle took me here and I had great memories of climbing around and into this old plane. But more on that in a minute. Again same rules... I am not an airplane buff so if you know a certain model please feel free to quote and label it!

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My Uncle was in the Navy and had the unique experience of picking up Apollo 11 in the ocean. He also had a fun comment on another sailor he met.

"I was up above looking over the rail, everyone was down below in whites ready for some inspection that I had missed because of duty. As I'm about to turn around this old man walks up, leans over the rail and curses. He's in blues, same as me and says something about hating inspections (slightly more colorful). As he turns I notice the stars on his collar. Immediately I pop to attention but as I start to salute he tells me to stop. His exact words were if my elbow went above my shoulder I'd loose a stripe for every inch! That's how I met the Admiral"


I have a Harper's Weekly that has this on it!

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Here is the beauty up close


















They estimate it will take about 10 years and over $1million but they are working hard to make her flight worthy again. I couldn't really explain everything to my kids... they aren't old enough... but I want them to know about the sacrifices of their great grandparents. Years from now they can look back and say "I was on that"...

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You're not really supposed to touch but they thought this was so cute!

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