MotorCrazy.com Planes

• Museum of Heritage and Aviation (MOHA)
  • Naval Aircraft Factory N3N
  • North American Aviation SNJ (T6 Texan)
  • Lockheed PV-1 Ventura
• Lyon Air Museum

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Museum of Heritage and Aviation (MOHA)

The fledgling Orange County Aviation Museum (Museum of Heritage and Aviation, MOHA) is having some difficulty. They have several aircraft, some flyable, some being restored. But they are currently at the whim of the Irvine City Council that is determining if they will continue to exist, of if they will be terminated. They currently have the three aircraft pictured below, two flying and one under restoration to static display (non-flying).

The collection is coming together (restoration, preservation) in one of the hangars that belonged to Marine Air Group 46. I was assigned to MAG-46 through most of the 80's.

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Naval Aircraft Factory N3N

This is a beautiful Naval Aircraft Factory N3N in flying condition.

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 25 ft 6 in (7.77 m)
• Wingspan: 34 ft 0 in (10.36 m)
• Height: 10 ft 10 in (3.3 m)
• Wing area: 305 ft2 (28.3 m2)
• Empty weight: 2,090 lb (948 kg)
• Gross weight: 2,792 lb (1,266 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Wright R-760-2 Whirlwind radial, 235 hp (175 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 126 mph (203 km/h)
• Range: 470 miles (756 km)
• Service ceiling: 15,200 ft (4,635 m)
• Rate of climb: 900 ft/min ( m/s)

Communications were done by the instructor through a speaking tube to the aft-seated student. Communications back were agreed-upon gestures.

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North American Aviation SNJ (T6 Texan)

The North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engined advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1970s. Designed by North American Aviation, the T-6 is known by a variety of designations depending on the model and operating air force. This being a Navy variation would be called an SNJ.

General characteristics

• Crew: two (student and instructor)
• Length: 29 ft (8.84 m)
• Wingspan: 42 ft (12.81 m)
• Height: 11 ft 8 in (3.57 m)
• Wing area: 253.7 ft² (23.6 m²)
• Empty weight: 4,158 lb (1,886 kg)
• Loaded weight: 5,617 lb (2,548 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1 Wasp radial engine, 600 hp (450 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 208 mph at 5,000 ft (335 km/h at 1,500 m)
• Cruise speed: 145 mph (233 km/h)
• Range: 730 miles (1,175 km)
• Service ceiling: 24,200 ft (7,400 m)
• Rate of climb: 1200ft/min (6.1 m/s)
• Wing loading: 22.2 lb/ft² (108 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: 0.11 hp/lb (kW/kg)

Armament

• Provision for up to 3× 0.30 in (7.62 mm) machine gun

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Lockheed PV-1 Ventura

This is a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura bomber. It started out in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Much later it was damaged by hurricane Katrina. It was eventually acquired by MOHA to be a part of the Great Park's aviation museum.

Her full history is very interesting, including being confiscated by law enforcement officials at one point in time, possibly due to being a drug runner (Ventura's were fast and could carry a huge load. You do the math!)

The picture on the top right is this actual plane while in Canadian service. The center picture is where hurricane Katrina placed it. The bottom right picture is the old girl being restored.

General characteristics

• Crew: 6
• Length: 51 ft 5 in (15.7 m)
• Wingspan: 65 ft 6 in (20 m)
• Height: 11 ft 10 in (3.6 m)
• Wing area: 551 ft² (51.2 m²)
• Empty weight: 20,197 lb (9,160 kg)
• Loaded weight: 31,000 lb (14,000 kg)
• Max. takeoff weight: 34,000 lb (15,000 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engines, 2,000 hp (1,500 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 322 mph (518 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 230 mph (370 km/h)
• Range: 1,660 mi (2,670 km)
• Ferry range: 2,600 mi (4,200 km)
• Service ceiling: 26,300 ft (8,020 m)
• Rate of climb: 2,035 ft/min (15.4 m/s)
• Wing loading: 56.4 lb/ft² (275 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: 0.13 hp/lb (0.21 kW/kg)

Armament

• Guns:
  
  • 4 × .50 BMG (12.7 mm) Browning M2 machine guns
  • 2 × .30 cal. (7.62 mm) M1919 Browning machine guns
• Bombs:
  
  • 3,000 lb (1,400 kg) general ordnance or
  • 6 × 325 lb (147 kg) depth charges or
  • 1 × torpedo

This Ventura, Bureau Number 33327, flew with the RCAF flying with 149 Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron in Alaska, fighting the Japanese in the Aleutians. She was at Annette Island and Terrace BC. She flew in the unit's first mission as a BR squadron; a patrol from Annette Island on September 1st, 1943.

Three civilian registration numbers have been associated with her at various points in time; N234P (what she wears now), N64004, and N208S.

From the wartime picture of her, it’s interesting to note that she has the smaller, more aerodynamic Martin top turret (Martin 250CE-13).

Regarding what hurricane Katrina did to her, she was actually kind of lucky. She was parked near a Lockheed Electra that was left belly up with much worse damage.

Here's a more complete ownership history...

The following pictures are of the restoration from approximately late 2012 or early 2013.

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Lyon Air Museum

This is the Lyon Air Museum that's at John Wayne Airport in Orange County. It's a great little museum with a lot of period correct cars, motorcycles, and equipment displays to give a very period feel. It is bright and airy, and they even have aircraft walkthroughs and actual flights available.