long read ahead btw Hello, and welcome to our first ever “Museum Monthly” for May 2026! For the past several months, we’ve been posting monthly updates on our aircraft restorations, but we want to expand that to the museum as a whole. So in these posts, we’re going to discuss museum updates, future additions, aircraft updates, and more! To start it off, here are some newly acquired aircraft that are arriving at the museum very soon! Ontario: A-10C 76-0521 - Davis-Monthan AFB - Restoration to Static Display F-16C 83-1162 - Davis Monthan AFB - Restoration to Static Display EA-6B 158804 - Restoration to Static Display Chino: SNJ-4 10238 - Private Collection - Airworthy (will be used as trainer aircraft for future pilots) Aircraft Updates We’re returning the DC-3 to WGA colors. Before we do so, we are applying the markings of C-47 “Buzz Buggy” for LSAS26. Our DC-10F is still grounded, but we are aiming to begin maintenance and inspections next month. Upon completion and certification to fly, it will be sent to our maintenance facility at LAX for further inspections before returning to the museum. We’re changing our B-25’s markings. The Doolittle Raider livery has already been done by other museums, so we’re going to make ours more unique. We want to keep it in the US Olive Drab colors we currently have on it, since we recently redid the neutral grey underside. Any ideas? Grumman Hangar Update The construction on the hangar itself is complete! All that’s left to do is to decorate it. We’re currently laying out the unique floors for each area, before moving onto decorating the walls. New Displays, Activities, and Exhibits The Devastator’s left wing is going to be put on display as-is at our Ontario Location, as the frame is damaged beyond repair. Specific sections of its original skin are also going on display with it. Our other Me 262’s original engines are going on display next to the static display in Ontario. We’re replacing them, so we’re going to add to the displays there. We’re adding a P-39 ground strike flight simulator in the gift shop, along with two F-18 flight simulators in the jet area. They will be $5 per person. We recently acquired an inertial starter! We already have one for the P-40, so we’re going to make this into an interactive inertial starter display! We’re adding something new to our flight demo days! After the demo, we’re offering flights in our P-51D, DC-3, and L-1049! We’re also offering flights in an additional aircraft, which could be our SBD-5, TBF-1C, or B-25! Restorations Devastator Restoration and Preservation The restoration of TBD BuNo 0273, currently the world’s only surviving TBD Devastator, is underway, and we are finally ready to do a structural analysis on the airframe. We are also about to begin construction of a new tail section. As mentioned before, we are going to completely reskin the aircraft and preserve the original skin with its paint. We also intend to give some of the skin to PlaneTags, who will turn it into keychains and luggage tags to be sold exclusively at the LSAM. Replica Production The construction of our XF5F and XB-19 replicas are well underway, and we hope to get the XF5F done by the airshow. The XB-19’s right wing is under construction, along with the tail. We hope to get the XB-19 flying by 2028. Other restorations Ontario The rudder and elevators of our 747SP are done, but work on the 747SP has obviously been paused for now to make room for the B-52 in the restoration hangar. We are also shifting focus from the P-40E to our P-36. We plan to have it done between August and late December. Once more room in the restoration hangar opens up, we intend to do a cosmetic restoration on the L-749. We recently acquired a nose for it, and we’re slowly acquiring old TWA Connie seats for the interior. We’re still deciding if we want to give it the bare metal livery or the white one. Chino As many of you know, we recently acquired our 6th Corsair, BuNo 92421, an in-progress restoration about 20% complete. 92421 will be painted in the colors of what 88214 is currently painted in, as 88214 will be given a tricolor RNZAF livery after LSAS26. The wings are on their way here, and we’ve already set up jigs for them. We recently acquired CJ610 engines for the Me 262! Yes, we are not going to use the Jumo 004 engines, which we discussed before, for reasons regarding reliability and longevity. Once the KC-97 restoration concludes, we plan to finally begin restoration on the aircraft. We hope that we can see it flying with the He 111 by LSAS 2027 or 2028! Speaking of the He 111, we are almost done with wiring and hydraulics, and we’re expecting to do a gear swing test in June, once the cockpit is finished. We are using Hamilton Standard props on it, since there aren’t really any original 111H props, and is also a decision made for longevity reasons once again. Its first flight is expected to occur between late 2026 and early 2027.
