Palm Springs Air Museum

12/02/2023

As you can see we are getting in the spirit.🎄Happy Holidays!🎅🏼

12/01/2023

Join us at the Palm Springs Air Museum for Snowtopia! A Winter Wonderland that will enchant the whole family! December 19-23 🎅❄️ Meet Santa Claus and his pals as they make a grand entrance at the Air Museum, ready to spread some holiday cheer. Plus, get ready for tons of real snow to play in, craft making, and lots of yummy treats like hot chocolate and s'mores! Don't miss out on Snowtopia, open from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Kids 3 and under GET IN FOR FREE. Visit the link to purchase tickets https://palmspringsairmuseum.org/snowtopia/ ✨🎄

11/30/2023

WE ARE 2 WEEKS AWAY from the deadline for the Young Science Professionals Scholarship Fund! This was created to provide technical career-minded individuals the opportunity to develop professionally, civically, and socially.

For more info visit https://bit.ly/47Ac01d or email [email protected]

The future demands more from all of us and the Palm Springs Air Museum is expanding educational programs to meet those needs!📚

11/29/2023

Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today, we are looking at the Blohm & Voss BV 222, a German flying boat designed in 1938, with a 150-foot wingspan, making it the largest German flying boat of World War II. Despite being a military aircraft, the BV 222 initially flew under civilian registration and livery. It first flew in 1940 with radial engines but later switched to diesel engines for extended sea refueling capabilities. The aircraft could carry 92 passengers or 72 stretcher-borne patients, distinguishing it from American flying boats like the Clipper. Only 13 BV 222s were built, and at the end of the war, most were destroyed. An intact example lies in deep water, deemed too challenging to salvage.

11/28/2023

Donate today on and help inspire future generations of aviation pilots, engineers, and innovators! Visit https://bit.ly/3sTe7Pe and as a thank you, choose one of our limited edition tote bags. Together let's build a brighter future! ☀️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWHHSSywnhQ

If you enjoy our videos, please subscribe to be notified about new video releases. We add new videos weekly!Make a donation today at http://psairmuseum.org//...

11/28/2023

Take flight with us this and join our mission to honor aviation history and inspire future generations. Together, we can soar to new heights of generosity and make a difference in our community and beyond. Click the link to contribute to our noble cause. https://palmspringsairmuseum.org/product/donation/ Together, we're writing the next chapter of aviation history!

11/26/2023

Join us this Saturday, December 2nd for Pearl Harbor – The Sinking of the U.S.S. Oklahoma Presented by Michael Carra

The USS Oklahoma capsized at 8:08 A.M., approximately 12 minutes after the first torpedo hit. Hundreds of men were trapped below her decks. They found themselves in a bizarre world turned upside down, in pitch-black darkness, as compartments filled with water. Death came to 429 officers, sailors, and Marines, marking the second-greatest loss of life at Pearl Harbor. Come learn more about this tragic story and stop to remember all those who gave their lives on the “date which will live in infamy”.

11/25/2023

P-40 Warhawk Open Cockpit today from 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM.

Museum guests are treated to the extra special experience of being allowed to sit at the controls and pose for pictures. From 10:30-12:30 each Saturday, a selected aircraft will be opened up and made accessible to the public.

Museum Volunteers will also be on hand to answer questions and provide the historical back drop for the aircraft you are sitting in.

Guests are strongly cautioned to dress appropriately for climbing into the planes and also reminded not to leave their cameras at home. This is a rare experience that you’ll want to remember forever.

11/24/2023

We are open today from 10 AM to 5 PM! Take advantage of school vacation and come check out our F-117 Nighthawk and Brand New B-29 Flight Deck exhibit!

11/22/2023

In observance of the Thanksgiving 🦃 holiday, Palm Springs Air Museum will be closed on Thursday, November 23rd. 🍁

The Museum will be open on Friday, November 24th, Saturday, November 25th and Sunday, November 26th during regular business hours from 10 AM to 5 PM.

11/22/2023

Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Since this is the episode before Thanksgiving we wanted to give a special thanks to all our viewers and all our supporters who have helped us grow our following by leaps and bounds. Thank you to Greg and Kevin for making sure the technical stuff is always tightened up and we hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving and enjoy it with your family.

Today, we are looking at the Douglas RD-2 Dolphin continuing down sea-plane way. Its first flight was in 1931 and had a small built rate at 58 units. Douglas initially thought this was going to be a "flying yacht" but with the great depression, they quickly realized this aircraft needed to be more versatile in order to market it. So many sub-changes were made that there are too many variants to name. The Dolphin eventually made it into military service when the Coast Guard bought 12 units.

11/21/2023

We are just about a month away from Snowtopia! Join us December 19th-23rd for 60 tons of snow at the Palm Springs Air Museum!

Experience a Winter Wonderland for the entire family! Each evening Santa Claus and his friends will arrive at the Air Museum to greet all the good little girls and boys who have come to see him. In addition, there will be a playground of 60 tons of real snow, a real Polar Express train for the kids, craft making, hot chocolate, smore’s, and more! Snowtopia is open from 6:00 PM through 9:00 PM December 19-23. Kids 3 and under get in free.

11/20/2023

Today is World Children's Day! As always, kids 12 and under enter free with an adult-paid admission!

We celebrate the joy, curiosity, and wonder that every child brings to our world. Let's inspire their imaginations to reach new heights! As Fred Bell says, "One of these kids will step on Mars" Happy World Children's Day!

📸 Tobias Aldrete

11/19/2023

Join us this Saturday, November 25th for Mission 91: The Bomber Raid on Stuttgart Germany presented by Ken Tuvman. This is a true story about Staff Sergeant Bernard M. Tuvman, of Jewish descent, who enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps on August 31, 1941, shortly before the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. He became a B-17 waist gunner and on September 6, 1943, departed on Mission 91 to bomb the Robert Bosch facilities that produced ball bearings and magnetos. This would turn out to be the most disastrous mission in the history of the Eighth Air Force.

11/18/2023

F4U Corsair Open Cockpit today from 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM.

Museum guests are treated to the extra special experience of being allowed to sit at the controls and pose for pictures. From 10:30-12:30 each Saturday, a selected aircraft will be opened up and made accessible to the public.

Museum Volunteers will also be on hand to answer questions and provide the historical back drop for the aircraft you are sitting in.

Guests are strongly cautioned to dress appropriately for climbing into the planes and also reminded not to leave their cameras at home. This is a rare experience that you’ll want to remember forever.

11/17/2023

Joint Chief of Staff Chairman USAF General CQ Brown signing our P-51 “Bunny” tail today at the Command change event with Gen Allvin. Bob would have been so happy. Also here is a snap of Bob’s Mural in the Pentagon.🇺🇸

11/16/2023

"A message from PSAM Vice Chairman Fred Bell

"Bunny" our P-51D has traveled 2,200 miles across the U.S. to be part of the swearing in of USAF General Brown as the new head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of all U.S. Armed Forces tomorrow at 10AM at Joint Base Andrews. The General requested the aircraft.

He will change command of the USAF to General David W. Allvin.

Our aircraft is a flying tribute to Lt. Colonel Robert Friend USAF Ret.
Bob was a Tuskegee Airman who flew over 140 combat missions in WWII. He was directly involved in the restoration of our P-51. Bob is also recognized with a plaque highlighting his military career in the Pentagon.

Please stop and say a prayer for our dear Colonel and his family today. We will always work to keep his memory and the memory of the Tuskegee’s alive. It is imperative that we never forget their service all those that have served our Country.
Our gratitude to Patrick Nightingale the pilot of this mission and mechanic Daniel Gomez who made the trip. An effort like this is also not possible without the tremendous support of Dave Ryan, our Airmotive Staff/volunteers, and of those folks that support our efforts at the Museum. To our donors, thank you for being the wind beneath our wings.

General Charles "Q" Brown, Jr. is the 21st Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the nation’s highest-ranking military officer, and the principal military advisor to the President, Secretary of Defense, and National Security Council.

Prior to becoming Chairman on October 1, 2023, General Brown served as the 22nd Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force.

A native of San Antonio, Texas, General Brown earned his commissioned in 1984 as a distinguished graduate of the Air Force ROTC program at Texas Tech University.
General Brown has served in a variety of positions at the squadron and wing levels, including an assignment to the U.S. Air Force Weapons School as an F-16 Fighting Falcon Instructor. His notable staff tours include Aide-de-Camp to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force and Director of the Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff Executive Action Group. His joint assignments include three assignments to U.S. Central Command as Air Operations Officer, Current Operations Division; Deputy Director, Operations Directorate; and Deputy Commander.

General Brown has commanded a fighter squadron, the U.S. Air Force Weapons School, two fighter wings, and twice served as a Combined/Joint Air Component Commander with command tours at U.S. Air Forces Central Command and Pacific Air Forces.

General Brown is a command pilot with more than 3,000 flight hours primarily in the F-16, including 130 combat hours, and has flown 20 additional fixed and rotary-wing aircraft. Throughout his career, he deployed or directly supported Operation SOUTHERN WATCH, Operation NORTHERN WATCH, Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, Operation ODYSSEY DAWN, Operation UNIFIED PROTECTOR, and Operation INHERENT RESOLVE.

In addition to his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Texas Tech University, General Brown has a master’s degree in aeronautical science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons School, a distinguished graduate from Air Command and Staff College, a graduate of the Air War College, and served as a National Defense Fellow at the Institute for Defense Analyses.

Please join us as we congratulate him in his new, very important role."

11/15/2023

Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today, we are looking at the Felixstowe F5L aircraft, particularly focusing on its historical significance during World War I. The F5L was a sea plane with 227 units built, produced by the Naval Aircraft Factory, Curtis Aircraft, and Canadian Sea Planes Limited. Introduced in 1918, it served as a standard patrol aircraft until its retirement in 1928, showcasing the rapid advancements in aviation during that period. The aircraft was a derivative design of Glenn Curtis's work, designed by John Krill Porte, and played a crucial role in naval operations, especially against capital ships. The technology of sea planes, highlighted by the F5L, evolved but eventually faced a dead end, leading to their discontinuation in military use.

11/15/2023

WE ARE 1 MONTH AWAY from the deadline for the Young Science Professionals Scholarship Fund! This was created to provide technical career-minded individuals the opportunity to develop professionally, civically, and socially.

For more info visit https://bit.ly/47Ac01d or email [email protected]

The future demands more from all of us and the Palm Springs Air Museum is expanding educational programs to meet those needs!📚

11/14/2023

Recap of Veterans Day weekend and the B-29 reveal with Palm Springs Mayor Grace Elena Garner! The aircraft’s right side was dedicated to the City of Palm Springs with its circa 1945 City logo. 🇺🇸

📸 Grace Garner, Palm Springs Councilmember District 1

11/13/2023

Mail day in the Education department! 📬

We love receiving heartfelt letters from young adventurers who have visited the Palm Springs Air Museum. Here's to inspiring the next generation of aviation enthusiasts!🌟

11/12/2023

Join us this Saturday, November 18 for our 11th Annual Props & Hops Craft Beer Festival! The Palm Springs Air Museum will be hosting our annual Props and Hops Craft Beer Festival featuring craft beers from all over the region, local musical acts, food vendors, and flight exhibitions! This event grows in popularity every year as it has become the premier craft beer event in the valley. Visit our website for festival times and admission prices. https://bit.ly/3NDAwpY

11/11/2023

P-47 Thunderbolt Open Cockpit today from 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM.

Museum guests are treated to the extra special experience of being allowed to sit at the controls and pose for pictures. From 10:30-12:30 each Saturday, a selected aircraft will be opened up and made accessible to the public.

Museum Volunteers will also be on hand to answer questions and provide the historical back drop for the aircraft you are sitting in.

Guests are strongly cautioned to dress appropriately for climbing into the planes and also reminded not to leave their cameras at home. This is a rare experience that you’ll want to remember forever.

11/09/2023

The First Flight Experience is a program designed for students aged 12-17 in Coachella Valley who are interested in becoming airline pilots. Participants receive an introduction to flight in a Cessna 182 Skylane at the Palm Springs Air Museum. They undergo pre-flight checks, learn take-off, landing, and maneuvering procedures, and receive a certificate after their flight. Time spent in the air counts towards the total number of hours needed to qualify for a pilot’s license. Students can also take a pilot assessment with SoCal Pilot Center, including a flight simulator session, to assess their strengths and improve their chances of success. The program, offered at no cost to families, runs from October to May, with five participants flown each month. The goal is to inspire future aviators and help them realize their potential.

Applications are accepted year-round! To apply, students should fill out the online form found on the museum’s website. https://palmspringsairmuseum.org/inspiration-one/

11/08/2023

Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today, we are looking at a "flying boat" known as the Boeing 314 Clipper. Introduced in 1939 and retired in 1948, this aircraft left a mark on aviation history. Out of the 12 built, nine served Pan American Airways. Offering opulent amenities such as sleeping berths, the Clipper provided a luxurious travel experience. Its success was owed to the highly skilled PanAm crews, adept at mastering water landings and open ocean operations. During World War II, the military acquired and leased back these flying boats, utilizing their long-range capabilities. Eventually, they made way for newer aircraft like the Lockheed Constellation and DC-4.

11/07/2023

Nicknamed "The Hot Number", This B-29 was built at Boeing in Wichita Kansas and was assigned to the 499th Bombardment Group, 879th Bombardment Squadron, based at Isley Field, Saipan.

Check out the debut of this flight deck on Veterans Day this Saturday at the Palm Springs Air Museum! This is a rare artifact that very few people can view the cockpit of a B-29 – especially one that saw combat in the Pacific during WWII.

Thank you to the esteemed Carl Scholl of Aero Trader for sourcing this artifact and to WWII aviation artist Brian Bateman for the research and helping bring the graphics on the aircraft back to life. Brian is one of the 18 artists whose work is featured in our facility.

Visit our YouTube for a recent episode of Warbird Wednesday that covers this aircraft!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMEB47YZYIo&t=441s

11/06/2023

Last week we were honored to receive the "Visitor Experience Award" at the annual industry awards gala from the Greater Palm Springs CVB. Special thanks to Scott White and everyone at this organization for recognizing our dedication. Our amazing team of docents, staff, board, contractors, and design professionals have truly made PSAM the Gold Standard in our segment over the past 15 years. Thank you all for your hard work and congratulations! 🎉

11/03/2023

Happy National Philanthropy Day in the Desert! Today, we celebrate the incredible spirit of giving and the impact it has on the Palm Springs Air Museum. 🙌🤝

We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our wonderful donors who have been the wind beneath our wings, helping us soar to new heights in the desert. Your generosity has allowed us to preserve history, honor our veterans, and inspire future generations. 🇺🇸🌟

From restoring vintage aircraft to educating young minds about aviation history, your support has been instrumental in making it all possible. 🛫🌄

As we mark this special day in the desert, we want to say THANK YOU! Your contributions fuel our mission, and we are deeply appreciative of your ongoing support. Together, we continue to make history come alive in the heart of the desert. 🙏❤️

Join us in celebrating and the incredible community of donors who make our mission a reality. 🙌👏

https://palmspringsairmuseum.org/product/donation/

11/01/2023

Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today we are discussing the B-29 Super Fortress, a famous World War II aircraft with a unique history. The B-29 had a long career, flying its first mission in June 1944 and being retired in 1960. It was an expensive aircraft, costing $3 billion in the late 1930s and early 1940s, which would be equivalent to $49 billion today. The B-29 played a significant role in high-altitude bombing during World War II and was also used for night bombing with incendiaries, particularly in Japan.

10/27/2023

Class is back in session! 📝

In these pictures, Bob uses a small blow torch to heat the air under a bag to demonstrate how hot air balloons work. The flame heats the air, the air rises and fills the balloon with hot air which is lighter than the colder air around it, and makes the balloon (bag) rise.

The bag has pictures of animals clipped to it because in 1783 Pilatre De Rozier, a scientist, launched the first hot air balloon called 'Aerostat Reveillon'. The passengers were a sheep, a duck and a rooster. 🐑 🦆 🐓

10/26/2023

Join us on November 4th for a FREE event for any middle school or high school students who are interested in learning more about being an Air Traffic Controller!

Students will tour the Air Traffic Control Tower at Palm Springs Airport, then join us here at the Palm Springs Air Museum to hear from members of the Professional Women Controllers Association as well as a tour of the F-117 Nighthawk! Lunch will be provided for all participants!😋

Visit the link to register! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfjvtDxtITWOt6-tedSykpDKr5Cp9YjkKs_At2M34Ogwltqvw/viewform

10/25/2023

Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today we are discussing the B-24 Liberator. With 18,188 units produced, including 8,685 built under license by Ford, the Liberator was the most produced American heavy bomber during World War II. It was manufactured from 1940 to 1945 and featured the Davis Wing design, which was groundbreaking but had some issues, particularly with ice accumulation and handling at lower speeds. This bomber was versatile and heavily armed having a crew of 10 and could carry 8,000 lbs of bombs. The B-24 had numerous variants and played a significant role in various missions, including black programs and spy missions. After the war, many B-24s were scrapped, making the surviving aircraft rare and valuable collectibles.

10/23/2023

Science of Aviation class is in session! 📚

Docent Bob Douglas teaching students about Bernoulli's principle, which is a key element in aviation. The Bernoulli Box (white box ) blows air up and shows how air flows around balls of different sizes and different weight.

10/22/2023

Join us this Saturday, October 28th for our Halloween-themed Chili Cook-Off & Car Show!

Be a part of the fun at PSAM’s 14th annual Chili Cook-Off and Car Show. Burn rubber on over to see some awesome rides and enjoy a tasting of various chili offerings from the Museum volunteers’ secret recipes. It will be a ghoulish feast for the eyes and the tummy. Sponsored by the Desert Classic Car Association.

To enter a vehicle please contact: 760-774-9936 or email [email protected]

10/21/2023

Supermarine Spitfire Mk XIV Open Cockpit today from 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM.

Museum guests are treated to the extra special experience of being allowed to sit at the controls and pose for pictures. From 10:30-12:30 each Saturday, a selected aircraft will be opened up and made accessible to the public.

Museum Volunteers will also be on hand to answer questions and provide the historical back drop for the aircraft you are sitting in.

Guests are strongly cautioned to dress appropriately for climbing into the planes and also reminded not to leave their cameras at home. This is a rare experience that you’ll want to remember forever.

10/20/2023

Today we salute the unsung heroes of the skies! 🌍✨ Happy International Day of the Air Traffic Controller to the incredible minds guiding planes safely through the clouds! Join us at Palm Springs Air Museum as we honor their dedication and expertise. Let's soar high and celebrate the guardians of the aviation world! 🌟👩‍✈️👨‍✈️

🚨ALSO!🚨 Join us on November 4th for a FREE event for any middle school or high school students who are interested in learning more about being an Air Traffic Controller! Students will tour the Air Traffic Control Tower at Palm Springs Airport, then join us here at the Palm Springs Air Museum to hear from members of the Professional Women Controllers Association as well as a tour of the F-117 Nighthawk! Lunch will be provided for all participants!😋 Visit the link to register! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfjvtDxtITWOt6-tedSykpDKr5Cp9YjkKs_At2M34Ogwltqvw/viewform

📸 PSP Tower

10/20/2023

Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today is part 6, and the final episode of our series at Edwards Air Force Base with the prestigious United States Air Force Test Pilot School.

In this episode student, USAFTPS Test Course Class 23-1, Captain Kelsie “Klept” O’Brien talks about the need for rapid acquisition of new systems for testing and evaluating in the space domain. The conversation highlights the importance of automation, AI, and machine learning in handling complex and fast-evolving systems. “Kelpt” touches on the significance of maintaining dominance in space due to the critical role of space-based assets in modern warfare.

If you enjoy our videos, please subscribe to be notified about new video releases. We add new videos weekly!The Palm Springs Air Museum depends on donations ...

10/19/2023

Meet Manny, our brilliant Education Department Intern! 🌟💼 He's taking the science class portion of a youth tour to a whole new level! 📚🔬 Our partnership with CSUSB's CollegeCorps program brings amazing talents like Manny into our expanding Education Department programs. Internships are part of our expanding Education Department programs.

If you are interested in volunteering to help with youth-guided tours visit https://palmspringsairmuseum.org/tours/

10/18/2023

Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today is part 6, and the final episode of our series at Edwards Air Force Base with the prestigious United States Air Force Test Pilot School.

In this episode student, USAFTPS Test Course Class 23-1, Captain Kelsie “Klept” O’Brien talks about the need for rapid acquisition of new systems for testing and evaluating in the space domain. The conversation highlights the importance of automation, AI, and machine learning in handling complex and fast-evolving systems. “Kelpt” touches on the significance of maintaining dominance in space due to the critical role of space-based assets in modern warfare.

https://youtu.be/jWk_C3AAdbA

10/17/2023

Fred Bell reflects on how he has fostered the museum’s collection of military aircraft, as well as its attendance and support in this amazing write-up in Palm Springs Life!

Visit the link to read more! https://www.palmspringslife.com/how-fred-bell-has-helped-grow-palm-springs-air-museum/