Palm Springs Air Museum

Aviation museum in Palm Springs, California

Pete Madison
Bob Pond

DirectorFred BellChairpersonDan GilbertsonWebsitewww.palmspringsairmuseum.org

Palm Springs Air Museum is an aviation museum in Palm Springs, California. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit leases from the city 17 acres abutting Palm Springs International Airport.

The museum encompasses five themed hangars, outdoor displays, and a visitor center that includes a resource center with flight simulators. It operates warbird rides, air demonstrations, and talks by experts on specific topics. Many of the museum’s planes have been used in movies and fly in air shows.

History

The museum was incorporated in 1994 by Harold Madison, Charles Mayer, and Bill Byrne. Madison contacted his friend Robert Pond, a World War II veteran who collected and rebuilt warbirds and classic cars. Pond's aircraft were displayed at the Planes of Fame East Museum in Eden Prairie, Minnesota and he agreed to loan some of them to the museum. The aircraft originally split their time between both museums, but when Planes of Fame East closed, the aircraft were permanently moved to Palm Springs. With planes and cars from Pond’s collection, Palm Springs Air Museum opened on 11 November 1996.^[1]^[2]^[3]

The museum opened a new hangar, named for Major General Ken Miles, in May 2017.^[4]

The museum broke ground on a new entrance and large classroom in 2024.^[5]

Restorations

The museum hires certified mechanics to restore planes that will fly, while volunteers with restoration expertise work on exhibition-only planes. Among such projects was a Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless dive bomber recovered from the bottom of Lake Michigan 50 years after a Navy ensign, in carrier-landing training in 1944, had to ditch the plane when its engine failed.^[6]

In November of 2021, the museum began restoring a Boeing B-17 to make it airworthy after it had been on display since 2016 at the National Warplane Museum in Geneseo, N.Y. The first engine-run test occurred in April of 2024.^[7]

During an exhibit launch for Walt Disney’s Grumman Gulfstream I on December 5, 2022, The Walt Disney Company announced that Palm Springs Air Museum was embarking on a two-year project to restore the interior of the plane that Disney used when he surveyed Florida for a theme-park location.^[8]

Collection

Aero S-106 1112^[9]^[10]
Bell AH-1G Cobra 67-15574^[9]^[11]
Bell H-13 Sioux – on loan^[12]
Bell P-63A Kingcobra 42-68864^[9]^[13]
Bell UH-1B Iroquois 63-8610^[9]^[14]
Boeing-Stearman PT-17 Kaydet 38393^[15]
Boeing VB-17G Flying Fortress 44-85778^[9]^[16]
CAC Sabre F-8612/F-8607 – on loan^[9]^[17]
Cessna O-2 Skymaster^[12]
Consolidated PBY Catalina 48426^[9]^[18]
Convair F-102A Delta Dagger 56-1432 – on loan^[19]^[20]^[21]
Convair F-106B Delta Dart 57-2509^[12]^[22]
Curtiss TP-40N Warhawk 44-7084^[9]^[23]
Douglas B-26C Invader 44-35721^[9]^[24]
Douglas RC-47 Dakota 035^[9]^[25]
Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless 36176 – on loan^[9]^[26]
Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk 154649 – on loan^[9]^[27]
Erco 415D Ercoupe 4019^[9]^[28]
Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar 53-8154 – fuselage only^[9]^[29]
General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon 163277 – on loan^[9]^[30]
Grumman A-6E Intruder 154162 – on loan^[9]^[31]
Grumman C-1A Trader 146048^[32]
Grumman F6F-5K Hellcat 94473^[9]^[33]
Grumman F7F-3 Tigercat 80412^[9]^[34]
Grumman F-14A Tomcat 160898 – on loan^[9]^[35]
Grumman FM-2 Wildcat 55627^[9]^[36]
Grumman G-58B Gulfhawk D-1262^[9]^[37]
Grumman Gulfstream I – owned by Walt Disney, on loan from the Disney Archives^[38]
General Motors TBM-3 Avenger 53785^[9]^[39]
Lockheed F-104G Starfighter D-8244^[9]^[40]^[41]
Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk^[42]
Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon 37211^[9]^[43]
Lockheed TV-2 126591^[9]^[44]
McDonnell Douglas F-4S Phantom II 153851 – on loan^[9]^[45]
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A Hornet 162403 – on loan^[9]^[46]
North American TB-25N Mitchell 44-86747^[9]^[47]
North American F-100D Super Sabre 3-888^[9]^[48]
North American P-51D Mustang 9273^[9]^[49]
North American T-6G Texan 49-3402^[9]^[50]
North American T-28B Trojan 138203^[9]^[51]
Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler 163030 – on loan^[9]^[52]
Piper J-3 Cub 4594^[9]^[53]
Republic F-84F Thunderstreak 51-9531 – on loan^[9]^[54]^[21]
Republic F-105D Thunderchief 61‐0108 – on loan^[9]^[21]
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt 122^[9]^[55]
Sikorsky UH-34D Seahorse 154895^[9]^[56]
Supermarine Spitfire XIV SG108/RM694^[9]^[57]
Vought FG-1D Corsair 92629^[9]^[58]

Events

The museum holds an annual flower drop from its B-25 on Memorial Day.^[59]

References

^ Goolsby, Denise. "Dining buddies dreamed up Palm Springs Air Museum". The Desert Sun. Retrieved 2024-06-10.
^ Cohen, Ben (25 June 2008). "Robert Pond, avid aviator collected World War II planes". StarTribune. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
^ Moore, S. Clayton (1 May 2005). "Bob Pond and the Palm Springs Air Museum". Airport Journals. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
^ Descant, Skip (26 May 2017). "New hangar opens at Palm Springs Air Museum, ready for an educational mission". Desert Sun. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
^ Van Dijk, Cara; Greer, Ann (7 June 2024). "PS Air Museum breaks ground for Ronald M. Auen Learning Center". Desert Sun. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
^ Bruno, Tony (August 16, 2021). "Palm Springs Air Museum, Palm Springs, CA". Aviation History Museums.
^ Estes, Adam (April 14, 2024). "The Movie Memphis Belle's Engines Run Again". Vintage Aviation News.
^ "Disney Announces Restoration and Recreation of the Interior of Walt Disney's Plane to Its 1960s Design". The Walt Disney Company. December 5, 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af ^ag ^ah ^ai ^aj ^ak ^al ^am ^an "Aircraft". Palm Springs Air Museum. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Mikoyan Gurevich-Aero S-106 Fishbed-C (NATO), s/n 1112 {1} CVL, c/n 161112". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Bell AH-1G-BF Cobra, s/n 67-15574 US, c/n 20238". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Restorations". Palm Springs Air Museum. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Bell P-63A-1-BE Kingcobra, s/n 42-68864 USAAF, c/n 091263RP, c/r N163BP". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Bell UH-1B-BF Iroquois, s/n 63-8610 US, c/n 832, c/r N5HF". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Stearman-Boeing PT-17 Kaydet, s/n 38393 USN, c/n 75-8014, c/r N63555". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Boeing VB-17G Fortress, s/n 44-85778 USAF, c/n 8687, c/r N3509G". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - North American-Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation Sabre 32, s/n F-8612 TNI-AU, c/n CA27-072". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Consolidated OA-10 Catalina, s/n 48426 USN, c/n 1788, c/r N31235". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ Goolsby, Denise (21 March 2015). "Palm Springs Air Museum lands an F-102 aircraft". Desert Sun. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Convair F-102A-80-CO Delta Dagger, s/n 56-1432 USAF". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ ^a ^b ^c "AIRCRAFT ON LOAN (by Location)" (PDF). National Museum of the United States Air Force. April 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "F-106B 57-2509". F-106 Delta Dart Association. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Curtiss TP-40N Warhawk, s/n 44-7084 USAAF, c/n 32824, c/r N999CD". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Douglas-Lynch Air Tankers STOL 26, s/n 44-35721 USAAF, c/n 29000, c/r N9425Z". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Douglas RC-47, s/n 044 IDF, c/n 16007, c/r N60154". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Northrop-Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless, s/n 36176 USN, c/n 4815". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk, s/n 154649 USN". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Engineering and Research Corporation 415C, c/n 4019, c/r N3394H". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar, s/n 53-8154 USAF, c/n 257, c/r N90267". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon, s/n 163277 USN, c/n 3M-10". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Grumman A-6A Intruder, s/n 154162 USN, c/n I-297". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Grumman C-1A Trader, s/n 146048 USN, c/n G-96-78, c/r N7171M". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Grumman F6F-5K Hellcat, s/n 94473 USN, c/n A-12225, c/r N4964W". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Grumman F7F-3 Tigercat, s/n 80412 USN, c/n C.154, c/r N207F". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Grumman F-14A-105-GR Tomcat, s/n 160898 USN, c/n 327". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Grumman-General Motors Eastern Aircraft Division FM-2 Wildcat, s/n 55627 USN, c/n 3268, c/r N47201". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Grumman G-58B, c/n D-1262, c/r N700A". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
^ "Walt Disney's Airplane Returns to Palm Springs After D23 Expo". D23. 8 September 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Grumman-General Motors TBM-3 Avenger, s/n 53785 USN, c/n 3847, c/r N7075C". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Palm Springs Air Museum's F-104 Starfighter Unveiling". Warbird Digest. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Lockheed-Fokker F-104G Starfighter, s/n D-8244 KLu, c/n 8244". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Stealth fighter F-117 Nighthawk now on display at Palm Springs Air Museum". Desert Sun. 3 April 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon, s/n 37211 USN, c/n 15-1177, c/r N7273C". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Lockheed TV-2 Shooting Star, s/n 126591 USN, c/n 580-5327, c/r N6633D". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - McDonnell F-4S Phantom II, s/n 153851 USN, c/n 2299". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Northrop-McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A-14-MC (Lot 7) Hornet, s/n 162403 USN, c/n 231/A183". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - North American TB-25N Mitchell, s/n 44-86747 USAAF, c/n 108-47501, c/r N8163H". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - North American F-100D-50-NH Super Sabre, s/n 3-888 THK, c/n 224-155, c/r N2011U". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - North American P-51D-30-NA Mustang, s/n 9273 RCAF, c/n 122-41448, c/r N151BP". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - North American T-6G Texan, s/n 85 Racer, c/n 88-11594, c/r N85JR". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - North American T-28B Trojan, s/n 138203 USN, c/n 200-274, c/r N372C". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Grumman EA-6B Prowler, s/n 163030". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Taylorcraft-Piper J-3L-65, c/n 04594, c/r N28118". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Republic-General Motors-Fisher Body F-84F-40-GK Thunderstreak, s/n 51-9531 USAF". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Republic TF-47D Thunderbolt, s/n 122 FAPe, c/n 399-55744, c/r N47RP". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Sikorsky UH-34D Seahorse, s/n 154895 USMC, c/n 58-1805". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Supermarine Spitfire FR.XIVe, s/n SG108 FABe, c/n 6S-648206, c/r N114BP". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
^ "Airframe Dossier - Vought-Goodyear FG-1D Corsair, s/n 215 FAS, c/n 3890, c/r N62290". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
^ Reyes, Jesus (27 May 2024). "Palm Springs Air Museum holds annual Memorial Day flower drop". KESQ. Retrieved 2024-06-10.