Author Archives: John D Reinhart

Joe Davies Heritage Airpark

Today we hit the high desert to visit the Joe Davies Heritage Airpark in Palmdale.  Although the open-air museum is free, it’s jam-packed with a priceless collection of beautiful and important airplanes. The park is owned by the City of Palmdale. It’s named after Joe Davies, a local who commanded Building 42 in the mid-60’s,Continue reading “Joe Davies Heritage Airpark”

Blackbird Airpark

Here’s a fun opportunity: brave the winds and heat of the Antelope Valley to spend a few minutes at the Blackbird Airpark. It only takes a few minutes because the museum is tiny – just four airplanes, a fire truck and a gift store. Oh, but the airplanes there are so impressive. You start withContinue reading “Blackbird Airpark”

Never Quote Me the Odds

George J. Marrett is the historian at the Estrella Warbirds Museum in Paso Robles, CA. An amazing individual, he worked for Howard Hughes, has written at least half a dozen books, has test-flown nearly every jet the United States produced since World War II, flew death-defying rescue missions in Vietnam, is building homeless shelters in Paso Robles,Continue reading “Never Quote Me the Odds”

Convair CV990

The Convair 990 was a commercial airliner produced between 1961 and 1963. The narrow body could move up to 121 people across the country at Mach .84, around 585 miles per hour, which seems plenty fast. But it wasn’t quite the Mach .89 Convair, or its parent company General Dynamics, had promised American Airlines whenContinue reading “Convair CV990”

Grumman EA-6B Intruder

The Grumman EA-6B Prowler was a 4-seat electronic countermeasures attack aircraft developed during the Vietnam War. You can quickly differentiate an EA-6 from the A-6 Intruder upon which it was based by the longer airframe, the second cockpit canopies, and that distinctive bulb on the tail. The A-6 Intruder was designed 1957 as a carrier-basedContinue reading “Grumman EA-6B Intruder”

Santa Maria Museum of Flight

The next time you find yourself on the Central Coast, make a little time to visit the Santa Maria Museum of Flight. Sitting at the west end of the Santa Maria City Airport tarmac, the museum occupies a pair of hangers left over from the airport’s days in the US Army Air Force. Back then,Continue reading “Santa Maria Museum of Flight”

Estrella Warbirds Museum

We journeyed out through the vineyards of Paso Robles wine country to visit The Estrella Warbirds Museum, an impressive collection of vintage aircraft adjacent to the Paso Robles Municipal Airport. Estrella packs a huge number of surprises in a relatively small footprint. Their massive collection of mostly Vietnam-era fighter jets and helicopters is augmented byContinue reading “Estrella Warbirds Museum”

One Motor, Many Planes

The Southern California Wing of the Commemorative Air Force features a number of spectacular pieces of World War II flying history.  Their first acquisition was the massive Curtiss C-46 Commando, the largest twin-engine plane built by the allies during the war.  The pride of their fleet is the North American PBJ maritime patrol bomber, theContinue reading “One Motor, Many Planes”

Point Mugu Missile Park Image Gallery

Museum visit review Museum video Home