Palm Springs Air Museum

[Slomo]

I was out in Palm Desert with the Family over New Years and managed to sneak away and visit the Palm Springs Air Museum. It is very cool and I can highly reccomend it to anyone interested in WWII era planes. They have 3 hangers and a ton of planes, almost 25 of which are flyable. I also had the honor of meeting and talking with a gentleman by the name of Ralph Peterson. He was an 18 year old when he went off to war and was assigned as a Belly Ball Turret Gunner on a B17 Flying Fortress. He flew 33 missions over Germany in WWII and was never shot down. His first mission he was awakened in the middle of the night and informed that he would be substituting for a sick gunner on another plane with another crew. Imagine flying into a carpet of 88mm anti-aircraft fire undr the belly of a plane that cannot change course with a bunch of guys you have never met! He also shared with me how he shot down an ME109 of the Luftwaffe, although he admitted it blew a ton of smoke and went down through the clouds so it is only a probable kill, not confirmed. He flew the rest of his missions with his own crew and has some stories that really make you appreciate the service of all of the veterans. He has a wonderful sense of humor and is a pleasure to talk to. You can often find him there volunteering along with a fair group of other veterans. Well worth talking to if you have the chance.

Thought I would share a few pics.

Pic 1. Mr. Ralph Peterson by his "post"

Pic 2. B17 Flying Fortress

Pic 3. Another of my favorites the P51D Mustang (When fitted with the aux belly tank they were able to escort the B17s on thier entire mission, a first)

 

[Slomo]

Some more

1. Another great the F4U Corsair

2. SBD Dauntless

3. B25J Mitchell

 

[Slomo]

Last couple

1. F7F Tigercat

2. P40 Hawk

 

[94landcruiser]

Very cool. The first time I saw one in person I was shocked how small B25s were.

 

[tehcruiser]

Now, that guy had some balls!!!

 

[LandCrusher'70]

Very cool Mo. My wife's Grandfather used to race planes. Her family is from the area. I'll have to take the kids to see this.

 

[SOCALFJ]

Very cool. My buddy hits that place up every time he's in PD. I have yet to go there.

 

[sdnative]

Love those mustangs. One of my favorites.

Also, it's interesting, the F4U has to have that wierd shape in the wing to accomodate the huge engine prop.

I used to go to the air shows down at Brown Field, and I met Chuck Yeager once.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[bluto]

what no thunderbolts? now those planes remind me of our 80s. big sss fuel thirsty reliable and itll bring you back home type of machine after a long day. thanks for sharing another good destination.

 

[Slomo]

Very cool. The first time I saw one in person I was shocked how small B25s were.

Funny, that is exactly what I thought.

Now, that guy had some balls!!!

Thanks I just had them stuffed.

Very cool Mo. My wife's Grandfather used to race planes. Her family is from the area. I'll have to take the kids to see this.

Definitely worth the trip.

what no thunderbolts? now those planes remind me of our 80s. big sss fuel thirsty reliable and itll bring you back home type of machine after a long day. thanks for sharing another good destination.

Yeah, um I somehow forgot to take a picture of the P47, thanks for pointing that out Alan. A fantastic plane and theirs is in great flyable condition. I got to talking with Ralph and talked until closing time and had to bail. Thought I had shot all the planes but didn't. I just brain farted.

 

[Brentbba]

Great Pics Mo.

 

[SoCalJohn]

Company had an event last year, They took out the NA B-25 Mitchell Bomber, onto the runway and did three or four fly overs for us, after clearence from the Tower. Took about 25 minutes to prep and get it under way. Goose bumbs just listening to the engines. One of the last airports, where you can stand at the fence and watch the planes land.

Great pictures!

 

[Slomo]

Great Pics Mo.

Great pictures!

Thanks, used the new Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT to take them.

 

[lacruiser]

One of my favorite things

Is to visit air museums, and the one at Palm Springs is a fine little museum indeed.

Mo, you did take the B-17 tour, didn't you? Amazing they built over 12.000 of those and only a handful left that fly. Did they have the fully-restored Mustang that had the entire body only polished aluminum? Looked like a chrome aircraft.

If you like air museums, several other recommendations when you're in the area:

Obviously the National (Smithsonian) in DC.

My favorite is the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton OH. They have a B52 inside one of the hangers and right next to it is Bock's Car (twin of the Enola Gay). And they have a beautiful 1903 Wright Flyer on display.

Another fine museum is The Museum of Flight at Boeing Field in Seattle. This is built similarly to the Crystal Cathedral, so it's quite light and very large inside. They have aircraft hanging all through the place, and some are really rare and very unusual. Of particular note was a fully-restored Curtiss JN-4 (Jenny) that is a work of art. They also have a flying car.

These are all great museums and well worth visiting if you're nearby.

 

[Slomo]

Mo, you did take the B-17 tour, didn't you?

But of course.

Amazing they built over 12.000 of those and only a handful left that fly.

Sad isn't it.

Did they have the fully-restored Mustang that had the entire body only polished aluminum? Looked like a chrome aircraft.

I saw that on thier web site but I didn't see it when I was there only the blue and silver one pictured above.

If you like air museums, several other recommendations when you're in the area:

Obviously the National (Smithsonian) in DC.

My favorite is the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton OH. They have a B52 inside one of the hangers and right next to it is Bock's Car (twin of the Enola Gay). And they have a beautiful 1903 Wright Flyer on display.

Another fine museum is The Museum of Flight at Boeing Field in Seattle. This is built similarly to the Crystal Cathedral, so it's quite light and very large inside. They have aircraft hanging all through the place, and some are really rare and very unusual. Of particular note was a fully-restored Curtiss JN-4 (Jenny) that is a work of art. They also have a flying car.

Thank you for the recomendations.

 

[gon2srf]

Really great pics Mo, I'm going to check it out soon.

If you ever make your way up to Grass Valley, the Nevada County Airport is great to visit. The airport is home to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Grass Valley Inter-Agency Air Attack Base. I have been up there during a big fire and there was a lot of action going on. They have a couple Grummans and some strange looking spotting plane that does visuals before they make air drops.

This is one of those old school airports where you can walk on the tarmac and storage areas, see all the planes tied down up close. Chuck Yeager lives in Grass Valley and flies regulary in his beautifully restored Corsair which I got to see close up.

There is also lots of good wheeling, trout fishing and cool gold mines
to visit.

Scott

Nevada County Airport
13083 John Bauer Avenue
Grass Valley, CA 95945
530-273-3374
Fax 274-1003
Office Hours:
8:00-5:00, M-F

 

[Slomo]

Thanks Scott, I have family in Grass Valley that I have been meaning to go see. That gives me another reason to get up there. They don't need to know that though.

 

[LandCrusher'70]

Obviously the National (Smithsonian) in DC.

The Air & Space in DC is awesome. That was one of my favorite places to go when I was a kid.

Anybody been to the March Air Base Museum? We stopped by there once, and it was closed.

 

[Slomo]

Anybody been to the March Air Base Museum? We stopped by there once, and it was closed.

I just drove by there on Monday and was checking out the planes and thinking I needed to go there. They do appear to have alot but I haven't been inside. Sad thing is I used to work in Riverside County and went by there many times but never stopped. Maybe we could do a little SoCal 80's get together there for all who are interested?