Saturday May 18, 2002

The air show began promptly at 11:00 with the Grumman Bi-Plane fighters and the "Duck" doing several fly-bys during the opening ceremony. 

Throughout the day wave after wave of WWII aircraft departed and made the circuit down the intersecting runways until the show was over. The best part of the Chino air show is that even as a spectator you are close enough to the runway that you can actually experience the sounds and smell of those great airplanes as they taxi past on their way to and from the hot ramp. I could write ten pages on the fly-bys and airplanes that flew in the show and still not do them justice. The bottom line is that if you like to see WWII airplanes that do what they were built to do, there is no other place like Chino. You can see most of the airplanes at the museums web site, www.planesoffame.org  

After the show was finished we had been invited to the museums hangar party to meet the air show participant and museum staff and their corps of talented volunteers that keep the museums aircraft fly able and also work on the many ongoing restoration projects. One thing that I would have to say about the Planes Of Fame organization is that everyone from the president of the museum right on down are really nice people who are dedicated to preserving and flying all types of historically significant airplane from around the world.

We sustained only one loss from our group at the party, and I am sure that none of the guests present will forget his most worthy attempt at a table dance in an over gross condition causing an immediate half snap into the crowd of cheering onlookers. There goes our reputation, oh well.

Sunday, May 19, 2002

Our departure from Chino was to be on Sunday morning before the airport was closed for the days show. After a short farewell to our gracious hosts we prepped our aircraft for the first leg of our flight to Chiraco Summit for a truck stop breakfast.

The ground controller did not seem to mind my request for our flight of five to depart with a special VFR clearance, they either get allot of these
requests or they are just happy we won't be at tonight's party. The flight to Chiraco Summit was pretty much uneventful and we even made a low approach down the runway at Banning as we departed the smoggy basin and into the severe clear of the Palm Springs Valley. 

Upon arrival at Chiraco we were treated to an interesting display by our #5 pilot on just how to land a Stearman in a crosswind while suffering from a severe case of table dancing. There were many interesting approach techniques from all directions and altitudes as he finally disappeared behind the hangar only to reappear unscathed and under still under power. Our only excitement during the rest of the trip was at our next fuel stop in Blythe when our #2 pilot passed his flight leader on the landing roll out. His excuse about needing to get to the little boys room at the terminal was greeted some unprintable comments by the pilots.
 

Post Flight Comments.
If you are a WWII aircraft fan, the place to see them fly is at the Chino air show. Many thanks  to our hosts for their generosity and hospitality. Hopefully, they will  invite us again next year. By then, they will have forgotten about the rubber snake.

For more information visit www.planesoffame.org
       

 
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