planes of fame air museum

I haven't visited the other air museum at the Chino Airport because every time I am in the area, I am drawn to this museum. I love the rare war birds they have here. They have 1 out of 6 flying Zeros in the world, and the only one still flying with a Japanese engine. (When I visited this last weekend, the Zero was not on display as it just returned from Japan and is getting an overhaul.) They also have one of the few flying P-38s in the world. I love that plane. If you can come in May, they have an airshow where you can see these planes flying which is an amazing sight (and sound!).

We noticed an odd smell right when we walked into the building so we weren't sure where it was coming from. However, the gift store is full of items and we were able to get a t-shirt and hat for my dad, which also earned us a 'complimentary' blu-ray. (He enjoyed all of it!) As others have said, there is greater access to view the planes here than at some other museums. It's neat to be able to get up close and see planes as well as other military vehicles. It looks like staff (or volunteers) painstakingly set up and labeled the displays, but many of them now need to be cleaned as there is dust and debris building up in them. They have tons of cool items to see here, but just need to do some cleaning and organizing so it's easier to see it all.

This place is wonderful for anyone who has an interest in aviation. I spent a few hours walking around there and enjoyed every moment. Most aircraft actually fly yet you are able to walk right up to them. In addition to the aircraft the best part is that its not very crowded so you don't feel rushed or pushed around like you do at so many other air museums. Well worth a visit and if you g though Yelp you will generally also get a discount on admission.

Located on the same stretch of road about a mile apart, both museums are worth a visit if you are into planes. Entrance to each is $11 and they both have all the "must have" warbirds of the 20th Century (including 109 and 190 but not the Spitfire, oddly), perfectly preserved and cared-for. PoF is more laid-back, with an old-school simple charm epitomised by the amazingly friendly and helpful staff. Access to the planes is literally hands-on. You can wander the hangers and "bone-yard" at your will. They also have a B17 restoration project which you can climb into and chat with veterans. Yanks is generally better laid-out, more informative, has more jet planes, and doesn't offer quite the same charm, but is more polished and professional. My advice would be to do PoF in the morning, each lunch at Flo's next door, then do Yanks in the afternoon. Then drive home with your head in the clouds, the smell of oil and grease in your nose, and a huge smile on your face...

If you like airplane museums you shouldn't miss this place. The unfettered access is great. Close up viewing touching allowed! Very relaxed atmosphere. Lots of knowledgeable people around. Great WWII stuff.

i enjoy this museum. many of the famous aircraft from both world wars, korea and even the cold war are here. many of the planes here fly, could be flown or are being restored to flight. one can visit the hangar where alot of the restorations are performed, even speak to the technicians, most of which are volunteers, giving their time free. most of them come from the aviation industryand are quite knoledgeable. there are also many planes here that visit here from private individuals or other museums. i recognize many aircraft here from hollywood movies and television. some here actually performing during the visit. it was especially fun to visit a rare B17 bomber and go inside. the guide actually fought in the skies over europe, operating the gun system under the aircraft. the admission price was reasonable. they have a fully stocked gift shop. one thing i would like to point out is that , unlike most museums, the aircraft are very much accessable, even easy to touch, there is usually a volunteer docent/guide to answer questions and point out special facts. plan on spending a good portion of your day, at least four-5 hours, but the campus is not large, so walking and acess for youngsters and oldsters is easy. comfortable shoes are a must, so enjoy yourself. this visit is well worth the time and the cost of admission.

The breath of aviation history for planes that have been in movies and those that are static display is amazing. War planes in restored and unrestored condition unmatched as far as I am concerned and I have seen many. As a pilot, I loved the detailed information on placards about the planes and its history. Highly recommended.

Having seen these planes was a joy to me since I was in the Australian Air Force at one time. There were aircraft from many Countries of WWII and in flying condition. There was also a B52 being fully restored which I would love to see once finished. What a beautiful plane.

A place where all the planes from my boyhood dreams are located. The planes are in good condition (as a majority fly or are in process of restoration) a must see for anyone interested in some classic warbirds.

Had fun to see plane's of the pass and present. The private planes are fun to watch fly. The small models behind the glass bring back memories. I bought a couple of T Shirts there The CobraIB. This place needs our support for our Vet's and our USA Aviation. Chino good place to visit.

We were lucky on our visit as it was a Monday and several aircraft were returning from weekend airshows, really good to see the minimum of officialdom and we could watch the movements from close by. As well as the actual museum, we just walked around all the other small hangars close by where lots of restoration work on old aircraft was being undertaken, as long as we were careful, no one seemed to mind. Well worth a visit, I suppose it's possible to combine a trip with the nearby Yanks Museum but then you wouldn't do both justice.

This is a great place to visit. The variety of airplanes is enormous and it was a very educational visit as well. Just when you think you have seen it all there is another hanger to explore. So, make sure you wear good walking shoes when you come. Looking at the kids faces they just love this place!! I came with my husband and he looked just about as thrilled as the kids. Defiantly worth the trip! Tip: check Groupon for discounts!

We only stumbled upon this museum by accident and it was actually a shame there weren't more people to appreciate it. There is something fascinating about seeing various aeroplanes in various states of repair, or contrastingly, deterioration. As Australians, we also enjoyed the balanced approach and neutral tone of the entire museum where the planes did the talking, rather than pro-American nationalism which can sometimes be the case with air museums exhibiting planes of war.If you are travelling out of Los Angeles heading west, allocating 2-3 hours at Chino is well worth it, although there are no lunch facilities on the site and it was hot the day we went, so plan your day accordingly.

Having recently visited the IWM at Duxford, this initial visit to the Planes of Fame museum was a good opportunity to compare two organizations with vastly different resources and budgets.Arrived shortly after opening on a Tuesday morning, with maybe a dozen people milling about in the entrance/gift shop area. Similar in presentation to Duxford, a majority of the aircraft are collected in hangars generally organized by operational service, Army Air Corps in one hangar, Navy aircraft in another, and foreign aircraft in another. I assume the precise lineup is flexible day-to-day as most of these aircraft are flyable. With the aircraft separated from visitors by a nylon rope, you could almost smell the Av gas and engine oil if it wasn’t for the subtle odor of the several thousand dairy cattle that surround the airfield. An improvement over Duxford was the specific aircraft data and history, presented in a data plate format, see attached photo. Comprised of mostly single engine/fighter aircraft, the only thing missing was a few Grumman Cats, other than a worn Tigercat parked in the boneyard. This was somewhat mitigated by a rare combat veteran Dauntless Dive Bomber. As noted it was a very quiet Tuesday at the museum and I was able to make it through in roughly two hours. No flying or engine runs on this day but that is the luck of the draw. Distributed through the museum are collections of artifacts and hardware such as engines, uniforms, flight equipment and aerial cameras. Sometimes you get the feeling you are walking through an exotic junkyard, never knowing what unusual item you will find next.

Even more fun than I expected! Bought a four pack of tickets on Livingsocial and went with my parents and brother. We spent several hours exploring the hangers and even got to check out the inside of one plane. The volunteers and staff are very friendly and knowledgeable, so be sure to ask questions. Most of the planes are still in flying condition so several were taken out for test flights while we were there. It was neat to see the planes fired up and running. The hangers aren't air conditioned and some planes are outside, so keep the weather in mind when planning your visit.