G4M Betty – Warbird Wednesday Episode #83
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today, we’re visiting a rare Japanese aircraft, the G4M Betty. This medium land-based bomber was fast and maneuverable with a stinger in the tail. Betty was the name given to this aircraft by the Allies during WWII, but they also nicknamed it “Zippo”, meaning the flying lighter, because it was so […]
Nakajima B5N Kate – Warbird Wednesday Episode #82
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today, we’re visiting carrier-based torpedo bomber, the Nakajima B5N “Kate”. The Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft was a weapon system that carried the Type 91 torpedo which was one of the most effective arial torpedo in the world during WWII. The “Kate” fought in the battles of Pearl Harbor and Midway.
Aichi D3A Val – Warbird Wednesday Episode #81
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today, we’re visiting another Japanese Navy aircraft used during WWII, the Aichi D3A Val. This dive bomber was the most dangerous weapon against capital ships and was unstoppable once they went into attack mode. This high G bomber sank more Allied warships than another axis aircraft in WWII.
A6M Zero – Warbird Wednesday Episode #80
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today, we’re visiting a Japanese Navy fighter used during WWII, the A6M Zero. Nicknamed “Zeke” the Zero was designed to be highly maneuverable making it a lethal weapon for its time. This aircraft instilled the design philosophy that fighters didn’t have to be the fastest planes in the air, but maneuverability […]
ME-109 – Warbird Wednesday Episode #79
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today, we’re visiting one of the most recognizable and most produced fighters in the world, the Me-109. This aircraft has been nicknamed the “skinny one” by the Soviets and the Messer by the Germans. It was the backbone of the German fighter forces and out-classed every fighter in the air during […]
JU-87 Stuka – Warbird Wednesday Episode #78
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today, we’re visiting a German dive-bomber, the JU-87 Stuka. This ground-attack aircraft was notorious for its wailing sirens attached to the gull wings that would become known as “sirens of death”. The Germans used the Stuka as a terror weapon during the Spanish Civil War and the early parts of WWII […]
FW 190 – Warbird Wednesday Episode #77
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today, we’re visiting another aircraft that flew during WWII known as the “Butcher Bird” by its German pilots. This prolific “interceptor” the FW 190 had many unique engining innovations, offered different variations, and was used widely over the skies of Europe.
ME-262 – Warbird Wednesday Episode #76
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today, we’re visiting the world’s first combat operational jet-powered aircraft, the ME-262. This is one of the most famous German fighters from WWII. The ME-262 initially encountered many technical hurdles that directly impacted its design. Despite these challenges, the ME-262 was a superior plane for its time. The ME-262 holds tremendous […]
Junkers JU 388 – Warbird Wednesday Episode #75
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today, we’re visiting a highly engineered German aircraft used during WWII; the Junkers JU 388. This aircraft was based on the JU 88 design which had twin engines and fit a crew of three. The JU 88 was the backbone of the German Airforce used for lightning war and was a […]
AT-6D Texan – Warbird Wednesday Episode #74
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today, we’re visiting the AT-6D Texan with a historic and authentic WWII paint job. Heave Ho was the nose art for a T-6 that operated in the European Theater of Operations during WWII. This vintage airplane was built in Dallas, TX in 1944 and was later transitioned into a training plane. […]
P-38 Lightning – Warbird Wednesday Episode #73
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today, we’re visiting the P-38 Lightning – an airplane that had an impressive list of firsts. It was the first twinned engine interceptor to serve with the U.S. Army Air Corps, the first modern fighter equipped with a tricycle landing gear, and the first to make extensive use of stainless steel. […]
P-26 Peashooter – Warbird Wednesday Episode #72
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today, we’re visiting a 1930s airplane that was completely obsolete by World War II; the P-26 Peashooter. This plane first flew in the 1930s and was the first American all-metal fighter that was built. It was also the first pursuit aircraft at a squadron level in the Army Air Corps, flying […]
Steen Skybolt – Warbird Wednesday Episode #71
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today, we’re visiting a newer airplane; the Steen Skybolt. This American stunt biplane first flew in 1970 but its design concepts are over 100 years old and dates back to the early innovation in fighter technology from World War I.
Albatros C. I – Warbird Wednesday Episode #70
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! We are continuing our original warbird journey with reconnaissance biplanes and in this week’s episode, Fred will take us through the Albatros C. 1 through the Albatros C. 3 series.
1903 Wright Flyer – Warbird Wednesday Episode #67
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! This week, we are going way back to the very beginning with the 1903 Wright Flyer. This was the first plane to achieve heavier-than-air powered flight by the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, and was not only the breakthrough first flight of an airplane, but it also established the […]
Skyfox – Warbird Wednesday Episode #66
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! This week Fred gives us a look at the one-of-a-kind Skyfox, an American twin-engined jet trainer aircraft. A highly upgraded development of the Lockheed T-33, the Skyfox was designed as a primary trainer and originally envisioned to also be used for ground attack.
GAF Nomad – Warbird Wednesday Episode #65
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! This week Fred gives a shout-out to a Military Cargo airplane from the Commonwealth of Australia, the Government Aircraft Factories (GAF) Nomad.
Boeing 727 – Warbird Wednesday Episode 64
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! This week Fred gives a shout-out to one of the loudest passenger airplanes ever produced, the Boeing 727. This narrow-body plane was America’s first three jet airliner and was one of the longest in production.
Learjet 24 – Warbird Wednesday Episode 63
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today, Fred walks us through the history of the Learjet 24 and its warbird lineage. The museum’s Learjet N464CL spent a lot of time in Palm Springs, and in addition to its many film appearances, it also holds the world record for flight time from Los Angeles to San Francisco. This […]
F-18 Hornet – Warbird Wednesday Episode 62 with Kristen Hansen
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! This week Vice-Chairman Fred Bell is joined by a very special guest to talk about the McDonnell Douglas F-18 Hornet. CDR Kristen “Dragon” Hansen, F-18 Pilot, VFA-25, USN shares some first-hand insight into this incredibly versatile aircraft. This is an episode you don’t want to miss!
EA-6B Prowler – Warbird Wednesday Episode 61
Today’s Warbird Wednesday features the Grumman EA-6B Prowler, a tremendously cool plane that was designed for the United States Marine Corps and the United States Navy and carried out numerous missions for electronic jamming of enemy radar systems. This aircraft is a combat veteran and came directly out of Syria to the Palm Springs Air […]
A-4 Skyhawk – Warbird Wednesday Episode 60
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today we are looking at “the little airplane that could,” the A-4 Skyhawk. This versatile high performance, high-payload military attack bomber was developed for the US Navy and designed by Douglas Aircraft’s Ed Heinemann. Known for its lightweight design and versatility, this aircraft played key roles in the Vietnam War and […]
B-25 Mitchell – Warbird Wednesday Episode 59
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today we are looking at the B-25 Mitchell from North American Aviation. This bomber was introduced in 1941 and impressively remained in service for over four decades until it was retired in 1979. The B-25 was a versatile bomber that served in every theater of World War II.
A-6 Intruder – Warbird Wednesday Episode 58
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today we are looking at the A-6 Intruder, an American all-weather attack aircraft developed and manufactured by American aircraft company Grumman Aerospace operated by the U.S. Navy between 1963-1997. The A-6 is a subsonic airplane but could also carry a lot of payloads, and “fun fact”, its range and bomb load […]
AV-8B Harrier II – Warbird Wednesday Episode 57
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today we are looking at one of the museum’s “movie stars”, The McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II. This jump jet is a single-engine ground-attack aircraft capable of vertical takeoff and quick transitions to horizontal flight. Entering service in 1985, the aircraft is primarily employed on light attack or multi-role missions.
F-14 Tomcat – Warbird Wednesday Episode 56
Looks like we had a little takeoff trouble today, folks. Our previous post showed only a small segment of this week’s Warbird Wednesday. Please enjoy the full video here! Today we are going to “kick the tires and light the fires” on the Grumman F-14 Tomcat. This air superiority fighter and a long-range naval interceptor […]
F-16 Falcon – Warbird Wednesday Episode 55
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today we are showcasing the F-16 Fighting Falcon. This lightweight aircraft was originally developed by General Dynamics as a smaller and more maneuverable fighter and was the first intentionally unstable aircraft designed and flown in the United States Air Force.