On September 25, before the Ala Doble Vintage Fly-In organized by Walt Bowe and Carlene Mendieta in Esparto, California, a rare Curtiss JN-4D Jenny, serial number 2975, took to the skies once again. The aircraft, which changed hands earlier this year, was previously part of the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum collection and is now owned by the Ala Doble Flying Collection—the premier gathering of Golden Age aircraft, viewable by appointment or during open house events.
Curtiss JN-4D Jenny 2975 made its first flight since arriving at Ala Doble on September 25, 2025, with veteran pilot Andrew King at the controls. This Jenny was originally restored by renowned craftsman Ken Hyde and famously flown from Virginia to Oshkosh in 1987, where it won the Grand Champion Antique award. It returned to Oshkosh again in 1989 for the “Jennies to Jets” celebration, which featured six airworthy Curtiss Jennies—a sight still unmatched.
Following its restoration, Jenny 2975 was displayed for several years at the Virginia Aviation Museum in Richmond before undergoing another re-covering by Hyde. It was later sold to the Fagen Fighters Museum in Minnesota in 2015, and subsequently purchased by Walt Bowe earlier this year. The original plan was to fly the two Jennies together at the Ala Doble event, but strong winds on Saturday grounded the formation flight—though hopes are high for next year.
The Curtiss JN-4D “Jenny” holds a special place in aviation history, having trained thousands of U.S. Army Air Service pilots during World War I. In the postwar years, surplus Jennies were sold to civilians and became the backbone of America’s barnstorming era, introducing flight to small towns across the nation.
![Bessie Coleman standing on the wheel of a Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny". [Photo Public Domain]](https://vintageaviationnews.com/wp-content/uploads/Bessie-Coleman-1928-Public-Domain.jpg "Curtiss JN-4D Jenny 2975 Flies Again at Ala Doble Vintage Fly-In 17")
The Ala Doble Flying Ranch, located near Esparto, California, was originally established in the 1980s by noted airshow pilot Verne Dallman, who used it to house his collection of aerobatic aircraft. Following Dallman’s passing in 1998 and his wife’s in 2016, the property faced the prospect of being sold and converted into a cannabis farm. Aviation enthusiasts Walt and Carlene Bowe stepped in to preserve its heritage, purchasing and restoring the ranch to its original aviation purpose. Today, it serves as both their home and the base for the Ala Doble Flying Collection—a living tribute to America’s Golden Age of flight. For more information, visit www.aladobleflyingcollection.org.
