Some pics from Yanks Air Museum

Tue May 20, 2008 2:47 pm

These are from Yanks which is just down the road from Planes of Fame. The museum closed at 3:00 and the restoration facility at 3:30. We didn't get there until 2:30 so it must have looked kind of bizarre to see eight of us running around snapping pictures. I'd like to thank Carlos and the guys in the resto shop for taking some time and showing us around. These guys were doing great work.

Tue May 20, 2008 3:08 pm

Great photos. They truly have a fantastic collection there.

Tue May 20, 2008 3:43 pm

Nice Pictures Chris! Would you know how many of those Dudes are flyer's?
Hawk

Tue May 20, 2008 4:16 pm

If I remember correctly, this collection is maintained in flying condition but not flown, correct? Nice photos by the way!!

Tue May 20, 2008 4:19 pm

FutureCorsairOwner wrote:If I remember correctly, this collection is maintained in flying condition but not flown, correct? Nice photos by the way!!

That is mostly correct. They fly 2 or 3 of their planes. BDK knows for sure, but I believe they only fly their Lockheed Model 10 or 12 and the T-6. The vast majority of the collection is not flown.

Tue May 20, 2008 4:34 pm

Two questions:

1) On the Hellcat, there is what appears to be exhaust staining on the fuselage underbelly. Does this mean that the Hellcat has had the engine running? AFAIK, that Hellcat has never flown with Yanks.

2) Have they started the restoration on their Helldiver yet? Any pictures of that?

Tue May 20, 2008 4:41 pm

Did they build a new hanger for the Jets?

That is great they have them under a roof now. Things are looking like they are running out of room fast. What a great problem for a museum.

Thanks for the picts, I just love visiting Yanks when I get to Chino!

Tim

Tue May 20, 2008 7:03 pm

warbird1 wrote:
FutureCorsairOwner wrote:If I remember correctly, this collection is maintained in flying condition but not flown, correct? Nice photos by the way!!

That is mostly correct. They fly 2 or 3 of their planes. BDK knows for sure, but I believe they only fly their Lockheed Model 10 or 12 and the T-6. The vast majority of the collection is not flown.

Their Staggerwing also flies on occasion and their Hellcat and P-51 used to also be flown.

Tue May 20, 2008 7:27 pm

Beautiful Collection!
Robbie

Tue May 20, 2008 7:41 pm

I remember seeing a bunch of detail shots of that P-51A (F-6?). That airplane is a work of art...at least the restoration job was!! Too bad it doesn't fly. Anyone know if it ever flew post restoration?

Tue May 20, 2008 9:17 pm

WOW, I posted at lunch, I leave for a few hours and boom, lots of questions. OK here we go. As much as I know, all the planes have been "restored" to airworthy condition but if they were to be flown, they would require an extensive annual to be considered "airworthy". Pretty much the same scenario as when the Champlin museum was in Arizona. The jets have been moved into the existing hangar just south of the restoration facility. Last year they put up a new building kitty corner from the resto shop. Most of the classic planes and WWII fighters are there. Very nice facility. I didn't get too many shots in the resto shop although I may have some from a previous visit. They also have the ESSO B-25 that made the Australian trip. The SB2C is coming along very slowly. What a complex piece of machinery. Good luck Mike Rawson!!!! I never noticed just how much the vertical stab is offset on those things. The Corsair is till a long way off and the TBF is even longer. Those guys have enough stuff to last them for the next fifty years though, thats for sure. I'll try to find those pics from my previous visit and will post them on this thread. Did you guys notice they still had the one F-14 there. The other two were snatched back by the Navy :evil:

Tue May 20, 2008 9:27 pm

Thanks for the answers, Chris.

Some more questions:

1) Have they started at all on the Kingfisher project, or did you get any info on that at all?

2) Are they still planning on moving the musuem to Central California out in the wine country? Any timeline on this?

3) I noticed they had a nearly complete F-14 there and thought that odd, given the Navy's history about F-14's. Why did they get to keep that one and not the other two?

Thanks for the pictures and info!

Tue May 20, 2008 9:58 pm

I'm pleading Sgt Shultz (I know nothing) on the Kingfisher and F-14s but yes they are still moving forward on the NorCal move last I heard. Don't know about the timeline though.

Tue May 20, 2008 10:30 pm

warbird1 wrote:1) Have they started at all on the Kingfisher project, or did you get any info on that at all?

2) Are they still planning on moving the musuem to Central California out in the wine country? Any timeline on this?

3) I noticed they had a nearly complete F-14 there and thought that odd, given the Navy's history about F-14's. Why did they get to keep that one and not the other two?

1) As far as I know in storage.

2) http://www.yanksair.com/future.htm

The new museum facility is not intended to replace the existing facility in Chino, but to greatly expand the opportunities.

3) F-14 came from a different source. It wasn't so much the fact that it was an F-14 as it was how the four confiscated aircraft were released.

Wed May 21, 2008 12:22 am

Thanks for posting Chris, now I know what I missed

We thought we were foing to visit on sunday until we found out it was closed............