The sheltering effect of the mountains which surround the Coachella Valley gives the region a warm, dry climate, with summer temperatures frequently exceeding 40 C! Palm Springs is the major city of the Coachella Valley, and its climate has made the area popular with holiday makers and senior citizens, and the city has a prosperous, pleasant feel to it. One of the city’s many tourist attractions is the Palm Springs Air Museum, situated on the North East side of the city’s airport. Most of the collection is displayed in a modern hangar complex, with additional aircraft on display outside.
Displayed by the road at the entrance to the museum are a collection of jet aircraft, all of which were once operated by the US Navy. The first of these is the ubiquitous F-14A Tomcat, displayed in the markings of VF-41 Black Aces. Alongside the F-14 is a former adversary Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk. This aircraft was last operated by VC-8 Redtails, based at NAS Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. It had the distinction of operating the last US Navy Skyhawk flight when it arrived at Palm Springs from Davis-Monthan AFB in 2003, so bringing to an end nearly 50 years of US Navy Skyhawk operations.
Further US naval aircraft on display outside are a Grumman A-6E Intruder carrying the markings of VA-36 Roadrunners and a McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A Hornet of VMFA-323. The final aircraft outside the front of the museum is a General Dynamics F-16N. The F-16N was a specialised model delivered to the US Navy to act as an adversary aircraft. In total 26 aircraft were produced, and they served from 1988-98 until fatigue concerns forced their retirement. The aircraft on display retains its adversary colour scheme of wrap-around disruptive grey/green camouflage. All of these aircraft in front of the museum are well lit at night, making a return visit after sundown most rewarding for the photographer.
The museum displays are split in two - a European Hangar and a Pacific Hangar. These contain the older aircraft in the collection, many of which date from WWII and are still airworthy. The aircraft collection is supplemented by a collection of vintage vehicles and memorabilia, including models, uniforms and photographs.
The European hangar tells the story of the battle between the Allied forces and Nazi Germany in Europe, featuring many aircraft associated with that conflict. The centrepiece of the display is the museum’s North American B-25 Mitchell medium bomber. The aircraft on display at the museum was delivered to the USAAF in 1945 and served as a transport with the Military Air Transport Service (MATS) until 1959 when it was retired. The aircraft was restored and modified in 1979, with further restoration in 1986, and now represents an aircraft in bomber configuration, albeit lacking the bomber’s top turret.
Around the B-25 are some of its contemporary fighter aircraft, including a P-51 Mustang, P-47 Thunderbolt and a Supermarine Spitfire. The Spitfire is a late model MkXIV, fitted with the Rolls Royce Griffin engine and painted in the markings of 80 Squadron RAF. The museum also has a Curtiss P-40N Warhawk on display; one of the few real aircraft to appear in the film ‘Pearl Harbor’ with most of the flying sequences completed thanks to CGI. Another rare aircraft in the collection is a Bell P-63A KingCobra, one of only a small number remaining airworthy.
In an adjacent building is the pride of the Palm Springs Air Museum collection - a Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress. The museum’s aircraft was delivered to the USAAF as 44-85778 and served initially as a TB-17H trainer, and later a VB-17G VIP transport. It gained its civilian registration in 1959 and served for many years as an aerial fire-fighter before being retired and placed into storage in 1984. In common with many former fire-fighting B-17s it was later restored to ‘bomber’ configuration and subsequently flown as a warbird. The aircraft is immaculately maintained and named “Miss Angela”.
The Pacific Hangar focuses on the conflict that took place after the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor in 1942. The collection of aircraft are predominately US Navy carrier borne fighters and bombers. These include a fine selection of Grumman “Cats” - a Wildcat, Hellcat, Bearcat and Tigercat. The Wildcat and Hellcat both served with distinction in large numbers with the US Navy, and also the British Fleet Air Arm.
The Grumman F8F Bearcat came too late to participate in WWII, with the first aircraft being delivered in autumn 1945, as a replacement for the F6F Hellcat. It went on to serve the US Navy until 1958, although the aircraft on display was never delivered to the military. Two Bearcats were retained for civilian use, with the museum’s example being built for the Director of Service and Product Support of Grumman Aircraft, and used to visit Navy bases to liase with pilots flying the F8F. It is now painted to represent a US Navy example and named “Bob’s Bear”.
Another type too late to serve in WWII is the F7F Tigercat. This large, twin-engined aircraft was designed as a night fighter, and went on to perform that role with the US Navy and Marine Corps during the Korean War. The aircraft on display at Palm Springs served with the US Marine Corps fighter squadrons VMF-312, VMD-254, VMF(N)-531 and VMF(NT)-20 as a night fighter and night fighter trainer.
Continuing the Grumman naval theme, the museum also has an immaculate Grumman Avenger. This aircraft is a former fire-fighting tanker, which has been restored to its torpedo bomber configuration, and painted in smart Fleet Air Arm colours, the grey and green disruptive camouflage providing a pleasant contrast with the predominately dark blue US Navy aircraft.
Further illustrating the dominance of Grumman products in the US Naval inventory during WWII, the museum also has a Grumman JRF-6B Goose on display. The Grumman Goose was originally conceived as a eight seat amphibious commuter plane to fly rich residents of Long Island to New York city. It first flew in 1937, and attracted attention from the military as a light transport aircraft. The US Navy was the largest user, with the Goose being used for transport, reconnaissance and rescue roles.
After the war, many of these aircraft found their way onto the civilian register, with substantial numbers still flying today. In fact, in 2007, Antilles Seaplanes of Gibsonville, NC announced their intention to restart production of the aircraft, albeit with updated systems and PWC PT6 turboprop engines. The museum’s Goose is painted in a US Navy colour scheme from WWII, and remains airworthy.
One of the few non-airworthy aircraft in the WWII collection is also one of the few non-Grumman designs in the Pacific Hangar. The Douglass SBD-5 Dauntless was the primary dive bomber to operate from US Navy carriers during WWII and achieved legendary status during the Battle of Midway when Dauntless dive bombers sank three Japanese carriers in the space of six minutes and fatally damaged a fourth.
The Dauntless on display in the museum was recovered from Lake Michigan. During WWII, US Navy pilots were trained in carrier operations using battle weary aircraft, operating from training carriers in Lake Michigan. Several aircraft that were ditched or otherwise lost in the lake during this period have been recovered and restored for display in museums throughout the US.
Final aircraft on display in the Pacific hangar is another legendary US Navy/Marine Corps fighter from WWII, the Corsair. The aircraft on display is a Goodyear FG-1D Corsair - although the Corsair was designed and initially built by Chance Vought as the F4U, demand for aircraft led to the Goodyear(FG) and Brewster (F3A) companies producing additional examples. The museum’s aircraft is painted in the marking of VF-53, based on the USS Essex.
Leaving the air-conditioned cool of the hangars behind, the naval theme continues into the outdoor display. Dominating the ramp outside the museum is a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina, which was acquired fairly recently after several years languishing at Moses Lake airfield, WA. It was originally built for the US Navy, but never entered service, instead flying for several civilian operators, and spending many years in Alaska. It returned to the “Lower 48” in 1972, operating as a fire-fighter until 1999. The aircraft was repainted last year into a representative US Navy colour scheme.
Naval aircraft from another era make up most of the additional aircraft on display on the ramp. These include a Grumman C-1A Trader and a McDonnell Douglas F-4S Phantom II, formerly operated by VX-30. Awaiting restoration is a Sikorsky UH-34J Seabat helicopter, this being the USMC version of the Sikorsky S-58.
Final item on the rear ramp of the museum is a Douglas C-47B Skytrain. This aircraft retains the desert camouflage colours of its last operator, the Israeli Defence Force Air Force, colours which seem appropriate given the landscape surrounding its current home. The aircraft was built in 1944 for the USAAF, but later served with the RAF, Belgian Air Force and French Air Force, before ending up in Israel. It eventually found its way back to the US, and the Palm Springs Air Museum.
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