Planes of Fame Air Museum

Planes of Fame Air Museum Where Warbirds Fly and Aviation History Lives! World-famous aviation museum based in Chino, Californ Come see us!
(3086)

While the journey from 10 original aircraft to over 150 has been a long one, our mission has never changed. It is the Mission of Planes of Fame Air Museum to preserve aviation history, inspire interest in aviation, educate the public, and honor aviation pioneers and veterans. And although the Museum spans the history of manned flight from the Wright Flyer replica to the Space Age of Apollo, many m

ore chapters remain to be written and many more stories told before the vision of a young Ed Maloney is finally fulfilled.

✈️RIDE OF A LIFETIME: The legendary B-17 Flying Fortress “Sentimental Journey” is coming to Chino Airport in two weeks!⭐...
09/19/2025

✈️RIDE OF A LIFETIME: The legendary B-17 Flying Fortress “Sentimental Journey” is coming to Chino Airport in two weeks!
⭐ Flights available October 3–5, 2025 – don’t miss your once-in-a-lifetime chance to ride in one of WWII’s most iconic bombers. Seating is limited and will sell out fast, so book your spot now and experience the sights, sounds, and history of the Flying Fortress in the skies over Chino!
👉 Reserve your seat today before they’re gone: https://www.azcaf.org/location/chino-ca-tour-stop/ -flights-section

Happy Birthday to the United States Air Force! 🎉✈️On September 18, 1947, the U.S. Air Force officially became its own in...
09/18/2025

Happy Birthday to the United States Air Force! 🎉✈️
On September 18, 1947, the U.S. Air Force officially became its own independent branch of the Armed Forces, marking the beginning of a new era in military aviation. From the early jet age to today’s cutting-edge aircraft, the Air Force has led the way in innovation, power, and service for 77 years.

At Planes of Fame Air Museum, we’re proud to preserve many of the historic aircraft that helped build the USAF’s legacy, including our F-86 Sabre and other icons of its past. Come celebrate history with us, we’re open today through Sunday, 10am–4pm at Chino Airport.

Trivia Tuesday! Did you know the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress earned its famous nickname during a 1935 press demonstratio...
09/16/2025

Trivia Tuesday! Did you know the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress earned its famous nickname during a 1935 press demonstration, when reporters were struck by its multiple machine gun positions and called it a “flying fortress”? Designed for long-range strategic bombing, the B-17 became one of the most iconic aircraft of WWII, flying missions over Europe and the Pacific. With rugged construction and heavy defensive armament, it gained a reputation for bringing crews home despite staggering battle damage—stories of B-17s landing with missing tails, engines, or huge sections of wing became legendary.

Here at Planes of Fame Air Museum, we’re proud to have our own B-17G, one of the very last Fortresses built, preserved as part of our collection. And this fall, history doubles—CAF Airbase Arizona’s B-17G Sentimental Journey will visit us October 3–5, meaning you’ll have the rare chance to see two B-17s together at Chino Airport. A perfect opportunity to connect with the history and legacy of the Flying Fortress.

PERFORMER HIGHLIGHT: P-47 THUNDERBOLT – TRIPLE THREAT!Three P-47 Thunderbolts, one Airshow: Get ready for an incredibly ...
09/15/2025

PERFORMER HIGHLIGHT: P-47 THUNDERBOLT – TRIPLE THREAT!
Three P-47 Thunderbolts, one Airshow: Get ready for an incredibly rare sight as three of these legendary WWII beasts thunder over Santa Maria! Known as the “Jug,” the P-47 Thunderbolt was one of the heaviest, toughest, and most powerful fighters of the war—famed for its ability to take damage and keep flying.
🔥 Don’t miss this historic gathering October 18–19, 2025 at Santa Maria Airport, CA! 🎟️ Get your tickets now at https://centralcoastairfest.com

Time flies! We're already only three weeks away from the return of the B-17 Flying Fortress 'Sentimental Journey' from t...
09/13/2025

Time flies! We're already only three weeks away from the return of the B-17 Flying Fortress 'Sentimental Journey' from the CAF Airbase Arizona! Want to take a RIDE in this incredible piece of history? You can! The CAf group will be offering rides October 3-5 here at Chino Airport! For more information on how you can secure your seat before they sell out, check out their website: https://www.azcaf.org/location/chino-ca-tour-stop/

Did you know? 🛩️ The R-4 Firecracker began life in 1936 as a racer built by Keith Rider, competing at the National Air R...
09/10/2025

Did you know? 🛩️ The R-4 Firecracker began life in 1936 as a racer built by Keith Rider, competing at the National Air Races with a top speed of 225 mph. Later sold and modified with a more powerful Menasco Super Buccaneer engine, it became the Schoenfeldt Firecracker. With famed pilot Tony LeVier at the controls, the aircraft reached speeds over 260 mph and claimed multiple victories at races in Oakland and Cleveland before its career ended in 1939.

The very same original Firecracker is proudly preserved here at Planes of Fame Air Museum. Flown by Tony LeVier—who later became a legendary Lockheed test pilot on the P-38 Lightning and P-80 Shooting Star—this racer represents a golden era of air racing and innovation. Come see it in person this week—we’re open today through Sunday, 10am–4pm at Chino Airport!

Trivia Tuesday – On This Day in 1940 ✈️At the North American Aviation factory at Mines Field in Inglewood, CA, the first...
09/09/2025

Trivia Tuesday – On This Day in 1940 ✈️
At the North American Aviation factory at Mines Field in Inglewood, CA, the first prototype Mustang fighter, the NA-73X, was completed. This aircraft would go on to become the legendary P-51 Mustang, one of WWII’s most iconic fighters.

Here at Planes of Fame Air Museum, you can see that history carried forward with our rare P-51A and several P-51Ds, keeping the Mustang’s legacy alive in the skies over Chino. And, we will have 10 Mustangs in attendance at our Central Coast Air Fest at Santa Maria Airport October 18-19, 2025!

COMING SOON! We’re excited to announce a very special guest for our Hangar Talk Flying Event on Saturday, October 4th—CA...
09/08/2025

COMING SOON! We’re excited to announce a very special guest for our Hangar Talk Flying Event on Saturday, October 4th—CAF Airbase Arizona’s Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress “Sentimental Journey”! Joining it will be one of our very own P-51D Mustangs for an unforgettable day of aviation history in action. Doors open at 9:00 AM, with presentations at 10:30 AM, and around 12:15 PM both aircraft will fire up in front of the crowd. The P-51 will thrill with a flight demo over Chino Airport, while the B-17 continues on for a ride.

Even better—Sentimental Journey will be offering rides October 3, 4, and 5, giving you a once-in-a-lifetime chance to fly aboard one of WWII’s most iconic bombers. Seats are limited, so don’t miss this opportunity—book your flight here: https://www.azcaf.org/location/chino-ca-tour-stop/

09/06/2025

Live for the startup of FOUR T-6 Texans here at the Planes of Fame Air Museum for our September Hangar Talk Flying Event!

It's a warm day here at Chino Airport, but we have a good turnout for today's Texan extravaganza! We will have four Texa...
09/06/2025

It's a warm day here at Chino Airport, but we have a good turnout for today's Texan extravaganza! We will have four Texans taking to the sky in about half hour. Will be live for the startup and taxi of the aircraft.
Next month on October 3rd, we're going to have special guests for our Hangar Talk, the CAF AirBase Arizona's Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress 'Sentimental Journey'!

Address

14998 Cal Aero Drive
Chino, CA
91710

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+19095973722

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Planes of Fame Air Museum posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Planes of Fame Air Museum:

Shortcuts

Share

Our Story

Visit Planes of Fame Air Museum at Historic Cal Aero Field in Chino, California. The Planes of Fame Air Museum was founded in 1957 by Edward Maloney. It is the oldest independently operated aviation museum in the United States.

The museum collection spans the history of manned flight from the Wright Flyer of 1903 to the space age Apollo Capsule. We house over 150 Aircraft and displays. Many of the Aircraft are flyable, including the P-51 Mustang, F4U Corsair, P-47 Thunderbolt, P-40 Warhawk, B-25 Mitchell, P-38 Lightning, F-86 Sabre & Russian Mig 15.

Our Mission is to preserve aviation history, inspire interest in aviation, educate the public, and honor aviation pioneers and veterans.

We are a non profit 501 (c)(3) organization that has grown since 1957 through donations and dedicated volunteers. For more info please visit: www.planesoffame.org