7th of June, 2025
They hold a special place in aviation history, these biplanes of the Golden Age of flight. Hearing the soft rumble of their radial engine and watching as they slowly glide overhead harkens back to a simpler time. This Saturday, we turn back the clock to the late 1930s and into the war years as we present the “Flight of the Boeing/Stearman PT-17 Kaydet.” We’re not just flying one Stearman for this flight, but thanks to our neighbors at the Cal AeroFab Academy, we’re flying two of these magnificent trainers.
Doors to the Museum open at 9:00am and regular admission prices are in effect (Members always get in free).
At 10:30am we present “Hangar Talk” in the Maloney Hangar.
This month, we’re taking a look at some of the history surrounding the Boeing/Stearman Model 75 biplane. Over 10,000 examples of this aircraft were built from 1934 until 1944. Today, there are still as many as 1,000 actively flying.
The Museum’s Ted Mount will present a look at the man behind the aircraft’s development with his presentation on Lloyd Stearman, the man Ted refers to as the “Johnny Appleseed of Aviation.” You’ll see why.
Brian Finnegan of the Museum will discuss aviation’s impact on our local communities with the “Story of the Cal Aero Academy.” From 1940 until 1944 this civilian-run flight school, located at what is today the Chino Airport, was under contract to the United States Army Air Forces. This school taught over 11,000 young flight cadets the fundamentals of flying. Many of the men who earned their wings and graduated from Cal Aero went on to fly with distinction during World War II and into the 1950s and 60s.
Two Aircraft to Fly!
At 12:15pm on our hot ramp, we present the flight of the Boeing/Stearman PT-17 “Kaydet”. At one time, over 150 of these “Primary Trainers” called the Chino Airport home when they flew at Cal Aero. Imagine the rumble of dozens of these military trainers flying over the skies of Chino and Ontario!
Today, we’re fortunate to feature two PT-17s “Kaydets” for our flight – the Museum’s PT-17 and a visiting aircraft from the local Cal AeroFab Academy. The Museum’s Jim Llano will present a brief talk on the history of these aircraft and the important role they played training pilots for our military services during the Second World War. Then Museum pilot Rob Patterson will start the Museum’s aircraft while Matt Nightingale fires up the Cal AeroFab aircraft. You’ll delight as these two 170-horsepower radial engines start directly in front of the crowd and then the aircraft taxi away. Jim will then conduct our Member’s Raffle Drawing for a flight in one of the Museum’s trainer aircraft and then Rob and Matt will put on a graceful and beautiful twenty-minute flight overhead of the two biplane trainers. Upon their return, guests have the opportunity to ask questions of both these pilots.
We've got several "hands-on" activities for kids and adults alike plus our selection of Food Trucks will be with us. Our Gift Shop is stocked with new items and the B-17 will be open for guests to explore. Walk through the seven hangars of the Museum, visit the Korean War Memorial, or learn more about the 100+ aircraft at the Museum from one of our Museum Guides.
Hope to See You at the Museum this Saturday - June 7, 2025!
BECOME A MEMBER
