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.
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.
F-15 Eagle – Warbird Wednesday Episode 54
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today we are moving up to the top-level fighters starting with the big dog; the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. This aircraft is likely one of the most effective fighters built by any nation in modern times with 100 victories and no losses.
OH-58 KIOWA – Warbird Wednesday Episode 53
Welcome to a very special episode of Warbird Wednesday where we honor Steve Maloney, a visionary artist and good friend who will be deeply missed by the entire PSAM family. The OH-58 Kiowa Ride-em-copter, also known as the “Sparkle-copter” is a Steve Maloney original and we were proud to display it as the centerpiece of […]
DHC-1 Chipmunk – Warbird Wednesday Episode 52
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday Episode 52! Yes, we have completed a full year of weekly Warbird Wednesday videos without a single break. Thank you to all of our viewers and followers who have enthusiastically supported us on our Warbird journey! Stay tuned, there is more to come! Today we are heading North to the De […]
AH-1 Cobra – Warbird Wednesday Episode 50
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Continuing with the helicopters in our collection, we are moving on to the AH-1 Cobra which deployed in 1967. A single-engine attack helicopter manufactured by Bell, this was a purpose-built gunship with a slender fuselage and two-place tandem seating. Enjoy the video, and as always, thanks for watching!
The UH-1 Huey – Warbird Wednesday Episode 49
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today, Fred walks us through the history of the Huey helicopter, famous for its use during the Vietnam War. This multi-purpose helicopter was a big step into the “air mobile” concept and was used primarily to transport troops, for medical evacuations, cargo transport, and aerial attack. Enjoy the video, and as […]
Sikorsky H-34 – Warbird Wednesday Episode 48
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! We are continuing to fly down helicopter lane, moving into bigger and more sophisticated helicopters. The H-34 first flew in 1954 and began as an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft for the United States Navy and served as the initial helicopter for the Marines in the Vietnam War. Enjoy the video, and […]
Bell 47 – Warbird Wednesday Episode 47
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! We’re leaving the world of reconnaissance and drone aircraft and moving on the helicopters, starting with the Bell 47. Under the H-13 scout designation, the Bell 47 helicopters were pivotal in the Korean war to transport wounded soldiers to medical aid. Years later, it became familiar to American television audiences when […]
The MQ-1 Predator – Warbird Wednesday Episode 46
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! We’re stepping it up today with the MQ-1 Predator, a long-endurance, medium-altitude unmanned aircraft system for surveillance and reconnaissance missions that set the precedence for the next generations of drones. Enjoy the video, and as always, thanks for watching!
MQM-36 Shelduck – Warbird Wednesday Episode 45
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Fred has wrapped up the tour of our patrol and observation aircraft and is moving on to drones, starting with the MQM-36 Shelduck. The Shelduck was one of the first mass-produced UAV’s that have led to the Predator combat drone and beyond. Enjoy the video, and as always, thanks for watching!
Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon – Warbird Wednesday Episode 44
Welcome to Warbird Wednesday and our continued journey through the observation and patrol airplanes in the museum’s inventory. The Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon was first flown in 1941 and has a number of different variants that Fred will walk through in this episode.
Stinson L-5 Sentinel – Warbird Wednesday Episode 43
Happy New Year and welcome to the first Warbird Wednesday of 2021! We’re kicking off the new year with a hole-in-one and the Stinson L-5 Sentinel. A versatile and lightweight aircraft, the L-5 was an important liaison aircraft used by the U.S. during World War II.