The Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, CA, will present its AT-6 Texan Flying Extravaganza on Saturday, September 6, 2025, offering visitors a full day of history, flying displays, and educational programming. Doors open at 9:00 a.m., with free admission for museum members. The highlight of the day will be a rare aerial showcase featuring at least three North American AT-6 Texan aircraft flying in formation over the museum. Once considered the advanced trainer of the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II, the AT-6 also served as a forward-air-control and combat aircraft during the Korean War. At 12:15 p.m., the museum’s guides will introduce the history of the type before engines roar to life in front of the crowd. Visitors will then witness the aircraft taxi out for takeoff and perform a twenty-minute flight demonstration with multiple passes over the airfield.
Complementing the flight activity will be the museum’s monthly “Hangar Talk,” which begins at 10:30 a.m. in the Maloney Hangar. This month’s presentation will reflect on the dramatic final chapter of the Pacific War in 1945, marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s formal surrender aboard the battleship USS Missouri. The discussion will cover the ferocious battles of the war’s final twelve months, the deployment of new U.S. weapon systems, the Soviet Union’s entry into the conflict, and the planned invasions of the Japanese home islands that were narrowly avoided. The talk will also explore the surrender negotiations, the turmoil within the Japanese government, and the Allied occupation that followed, which transformed Japan into a resilient and modern democracy.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to explore the museum’s seven hangars, which house one of the world’s most significant collections of historic aircraft. Guests can observe ongoing maintenance work, participate in demonstrations such as riveting, and engage with museum guides who provide insights into aviation history. Food trucks will be on site throughout the day, offering Mexican cuisine, coffee, smoothies, and frozen treats—perfect accompaniments to a late summer day of history and flight. The AT-6 Texan Flying Extravaganza underscores the museum’s mission to preserve aviation heritage and share it with the public through immersive experiences, educational programming, and unforgettable displays of vintage aircraft in flight. For more information, visit www.planesoffame.org.
