A Very Special Day at Planes of Fame This Saturday 

This Saturday, February 1, 2025, is an event Saturday you won’t want to miss.  We’ve got an exciting “Hangar Talk” scheduled and we’re flying one of the rarest and most spectacular aircraft from the Second World War era.  

Doors to the Museum will open at 9:00am.  Regular admission prices are in effect and Museum Members always get in free!

Hangar Talk Begins at 10:30am

The 2024 Student Art Contest Awards

We’ll kick-off “Hangar Talk” by saluting the winning entries of our annual Student Art Contest.  The 2024 contest drew several hundred entries and we’re proudly presenting awards to 10 winners this year.  Always a fun and entertaining event, we’ll showcase their amazing artwork as we recognize each winning artist.  

Special Edition – Looking Back 80 Years Ago this month – “The Battle of Iwo Jima”

We’re turning our attention to one of the most pivotal and important battles of World War II – the Battle of Iwo Jima.  Eighty years ago this month, forces of the United States Marine Corps and the US Navy clashed on a tiny island in the central Pacific with Army and Navy forces of the Empire of Japan in a battle to the death.

The island of Iwo Jima was an important strategic foothold for both the Empire of Japan and the United States.  Various members of the Museum’s Education team will be joined by members of the Historical Unit of Southern California (HUSC) to examine this battle in detail.

We’ll look at how the Japanese turned the eight square mile island into a fortress against attack.  We’ll examine the battle in detail, from D-Day on February 19, 1945 to the end of the conflict 37 days later.

The HUSC will perform a moving tribute to the second flag raising, and we’ll discuss how a photograph of that event unified the country once again to the war effort.  

We’ll examine what Admiral Chester Nimitz described as “uncommon valor was a common virtue” as we look at several of the 27 Medal of Honor recipients and their heroic actions.

We’ll close with a look back at the significance of what the Battle of Iwo Jima ultimately meant to the Second World War.

Flying Demo of the de Havilland DH98 “Mosquito”

At 12:15pm, we present a wonderful “Flying Demo” of the very rare de Havilland DH98 “Mosquito” – the “wooden wonder of World War II.”  

This aircraft, one of only a handful remaining in the world, was a new concept in bomber strategy – a fast and nimble bomber versus the more traditional large and heavy bombers of the era.  To keep it light and fast, the aircraft was primarily built from wood!

We’ll conduct a brief presentation outside on our hot ramp about the history of the “Mosquito.”  Then we’ll fire up its two 1,700 Merlin engines directly in front of the crowd.  The “Mosquito” will then put on an aerial display over the Museum for twenty minutes.  Upon its return, guests can meet and ask questions of pilot Steve Hinton.

In addition to all of the above, we’ll have food trucks on hand, our Museum Guides will tell you the stories of the Museum and its world-renowned collection, they’ll be fun for the kids, and our B-17 will be open for visitors to tour the inside.  A great way to spend the day at Planes of Fame!