As settings go, the warbird enthusiast would be hard pressed to beat Chino Airport in southern California. Forty minutes from downtown Los Angeles and nestled amongst rural properties, the airport has a backdrop of snow capped mountains which exist in perfect harmony with the warming influence of the Santa Anna breeze. An absolute setting of nature at its finest, yet at any given moment the peace can be shattered in the nicest possible way; by the awe-inspiring roar of an aircraft from a bygone era, refusing to go silently into slumber.
The time warp can begin from the minute you drive into Chino. Tucked between hangars and huts sits Flo’s Diner, an absolute must for any visit to the airfield. Behind the old screen door waitresses hustle about with pots of coffee as jacketed pilots, engineers, enthusiasts and tourists hunch over the nearby counter. The coffee is black, the eggs are over-easy and the menu keeps cardiologists in business. The walls are all but hidden by yellowing posters proclaiming support for ‘Our Boys’ and an array of photos portraying long gone men and machines. The background hum of conversation sits well with the bustle of laden trays and create an atmosphere that has seemingly remained unchanged for half a century. Flo’s is more about character than cuisine.
It’s best to breakfast at Flo’s as lunch won’t leave you with adequate time to dawdle through the two major museums at Chino; ‘Planes of Fame’ and ‘Yanks’. The former is synonymous with the airfield, whilst Yanks is a relative newcomer, though no less impressive. Both are a treasure trove of aircraft that date back to before World War One, though the roaring piston engined aircraft of the second major conflict definitely make up the bulk of the collections. In company with the early jet fighters, the aircraft are not simply museum pieces and there are many living, breathing and flying examples that cast off the shelter of hangarge and show their wares at a variety of airshows throughout the year. For the fiscally advantaged, there is even the opportunity to back-seat in a P-40 Kittyhawk, or some similar steed. There is so very much on offer.
The long established, “Planes of Fame” museum welcomes you with a four-engined Flying Fortress on the front lawn. Aircraft from the earliest days of military aviation through to a specifically designated “Jet Hangar”, feature static and flying examples of a vast range. Many of the flying examples have made the trek to the bright lights of nearby Hollywood and starred in such films as Pearl Harbour. Conveniently, the tremendous collection of Japanese aircraft allowed the “Planes of Fame” to participate in both sides of the battle. One such example, the Mitsubishi Zero, transcended the celluloid in times past and flew in actual combat over such Pacific islands as Iwo Jima and Tinian.
Wandering amongst the maze of hangars, all manner of aircraft can be encountered. They are from all continents and each come with their own history. French Ace Charles Nungesser’s WWI biplane, a Canadian Spitfire from D-Day or an F-86 Sabre from Korea. The list is all but endless. A particularly attractive display sees the US Navy carrier-based contingent hangared in a style reminiscent of the USS Enterprise. Wings folded and crammed in, the sense of an aircraft carrier is tangible. Complete with side railings, semaphore flags and a shiny deck, the portholes are filled with a treasure chest of nautical memorabilia. It’s a time warp within a time warp.
Like Santa’s workshop with rivet-guns, a number of the hangars are dedicated to renewing or extending the life of these fine machines. Jigs, paint-shops and engine-trestles fill every corner to restore these stallions above and beyond their former glory. In one such hangar sits a forerunner of modern day ‘stealth’ technology. The Northrop N-9M is one of a kind, an original flying wing that harks back to the 1940s. Designed as a 1/3 scale flying example of a larger bomber, the N-9M was piloted by a lone pilot and used to prove a unique aerodynamic theory. Whilst its larger brethren did eventuate, it failed to go into major production and it would be decades before the concept was successful in the modern generation of stealth warriors. The Museum’s flying wing still takes to the sky and is another example of living history, rather than the dusty cabinets that characterise some other collections.
Rare types are not the only medium by which history remains tangible. Seminars are monthly, ‘joyflights’ are on demand and air displays are definitely not to be missed. The ‘member flights’ in these historic warbirds are the ride of a lifetime. Strapped into one of these classics, you’ll experience the real seat-squashing inertia of a high performance take-off, zoom climbs, tumbling rolls and high speed passes, all to the beautiful backdrop of pastures and raking ridge lines. Whilst customer satisfaction is all but guaranteed, such fun does not come cheaply. Starting with the P-51 Mustang for around $700US, the price increases into the thousands to ride the twin-boomed P-38 Lightning.
When you’ve finished crawling over the static display, prying into the workshop and cutting up the sky in a P-40 Kittyhawk, you’ll need to make your way to the Yanks Museum at the other end of the airfield. ‘Yanks’ came about when Charles and Judith Nichols purchased their first aircraft in 1973 and in doing so planted the seed for what stands today as one of the world’s largest private aircraft collections. The establishment of Yanks Air Museum at Chino subsequently came about in the 80s and has a focus on the preservation of American aviation history and technology. Now totaling in excess of one hundred and fifty machines, and growing, it is phenomenal that all are original airframes that belong to the Museum. No replicas, no reproductions and no ‘loaners’.
Entering the main hangar, one is immediately struck by the vast array of pristine, airworthy aircraft in an immaculate facility. An American flag stands near a pair of Curtiss JN-4D’s, or ‘Jennies’, and seemingly announces the arrival of US military aviation. They are kept company by an immaculate selection of civil aeroplanes from the ‘golden age’ of aviation. A time in which the likes of Lindbergh crossed the Atlantic, though not before living through the perils of the US Mail with the likes of Elrey Jeppesen. In fact, an example of the “Spirit of St. Louis” sister ship, the Ryan Brougham, is currently under restoration. The B-1 Brougham afforded the pilot the luxury of forward visibility with a windscreen, something Lindbergh did without!
Striking in terms of position, stature and its brilliant yellow paint scheme stands a Naval Air Factory (NAF) N3N-3 Floatplane. This ‘Stearman on floats’ is perched high and represents a very small group of survivors. This example was void of a centre float until one surfaced inland at a Sacramento trailer park. Living its retirement out as a garden bed, the Museum acquired the sought after component and supplied the owner with a replacement planter. The old naval trainer is shadowed by a variety of warbird heavy metal. A surviving Douglas SBD-4 is fittingly in company with a ‘bullet-holed’ wing recovered from Guadalcanal. This ‘Dauntless’ is a true veteran having seen action in the Marianas Straits and the Truk and Marshall Islands. In contrast, the dive bomber’s final posting was somewhat less lethal as it was used as a wind machine at MGM studios before being acquired in 1984. A Hollywood role that was filled by another of the collection’s combat veterans, a Grumman TBF-1 Avenger.
The adjacent hangar houses a memorabilia display and restoration facility. Recognising the interest in this fascinating aspect of preserving history, the people at ‘Yanks’ have wisely included a walk through the section where these fine machines are reborn. The line up is seemingly endless and each has a unique tale to tell. Perhaps most fascinating is the Model 11 “Ohka”. Designed and utilised as a manned kamikaze craft, it was launched from the belly of a mother ship. A lethal dart, it glided at speeds of 630 km/h with a 1200kg warhead on board. Six examples were recovered post war and the ravages of time had taken its toll on the wooden flying surfaces of Yanks’ model. In keeping with their policy, they sought to restore the Ohka to airworthy condition, though there is no intention of flying the aircraft. (After all, it was never designed with a system to land again.) This restoration goal created somewhat of a dilemma as the rather unique woodworking skills had not been used for many years. Unbelievably, the Museum’s master Woodworker, Tony Furukawa, had learnt the needed techniques when he was apprenticed in 1944 to Mr. Kenichi Maeda. The Ohka’s original designer!
Beyond the hangars and beneath the brilliant Californian sun stand the bigger brethren and some of those still awaiting restoration. Many of the machines have made their way via the famous storage facility of Davis Monthan and still bear evidence of the mothballing designed to preserve them. One such example was within hours of being broken up, a Sikorsky CH-3C, when it was spotted by the Curator of Yanks Museum, who recognised some peculiarities in the paint scheme. One US Commander-in-Chief had the Presidential helicopter changed from Marine’s green to the dark blue of his own former service, the Navy. The fateful day in Dallas cut short the Presidency of John F. Kennedy and today the hulk of his helicopter is set to be preserved at Chino.
Chino is all about such history. Perhaps its greatest assets are not merely the hardware, but the stories that the aircraft have brought with them into a new century. Furthermore, by keeping these aircraft flying it allows the sounds, smells and sense of speed of a bygone era to still be with us today. It was a time before wide-bodies and fuel efficiency; it was about pulling ‘G’ and unadulterated ‘grunt’. Somehow static displays don’t quite capture that.
Next time you’re perched in the cruise and a trip to Chino is bandied about amongst the crew, give the idea some genuine consideration. It is a step back into history and the origins of our chosen field of endeavour. Whilst somewhat removed from modern civil aviation, Chino is a place filled with interest; of fascinating aircraft and the tales of the people who crewed them. If after taking in the sights and sounds you’re still feeling a little unfulfilled, don’t forget, there’s always coffee and flapjacks at Flo’s.
