The Aircraft – Marvelous Air Museums

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”

Grumman F-14 Tomcat

The variable-geometry F-14 Tomcat first left the ground in December of 1970, and served all the way through to September of 2006. The big fighter took it’s first tour aboard the USS Enterprise in 1974, replacing the wing of aging F-4 Phantoms. The twin-engine, supersonic, two seat carrier fighter was a natural match for theContinue reading “Grumman F-14 Tomcat”

Saab S-35 Draken

Imagine a dogfight where a Soviet MIG 17 pilot has the six of a Swedish Saab S35 Draken, his jet fighter directly behind the Swedish plane, looking right down the tailpipe, ready to launch a missile. There’s nothing the Draken pilot can do – no matter which way he turns, the MIG is right behindContinue reading “Saab S-35 Draken”

North American PBJ Maritime Patrol Bomber

The PBJ-1J “Mitchell” flew into Camarillo from Midland, Texas in April, 1993. After inspection, the aircraft was put into our long restoration process, and at the conclusion this “Mitchell” is as brand-new as it was when it came off the assembly line. The B-25 Mitchell is painted in the colors of a Marine Corps PBJ-1J, named “Semper Fi”Continue reading “North American PBJ Maritime Patrol Bomber”

McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II

The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II first took to the skies in 1959. Right off the runway, it set 15 world records, including absolute speed and absolute altitude. The big, twin-engine fighter’s history is inextricably linked with the Vietnam War, in which it played a critical role for the United States Air Force, Marine Corps,Continue reading “McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II”

Curtiss C-46-Commando

The history of the C-46F “China Doll” is typical of post-WWII surplus transport aircraft. “China Doll” was one of 234 C-46Fs built at the Curtiss plant in Buffalo NY. She rolled off the assembly line and was accepted in July 1945, with Curtiss Construction No 22486 and AAF serial No 44-78663. Records indicate that earlyContinue reading “Curtiss C-46-Commando”