In This California Museum, B-17 Bombers That Flew Over Nazi Germany Sit Beside Hitler’s Mercedes

The Lyon Air Museum in California

The Lyon Air Museum sits at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California, showcasing Major General William Lyon’s love for military aviation. This 30,000-square-foot building, which opened in 2009, holds an impressive set of World War II planes, military vehicles, and classic cars.

There’s also some pretty crazy stuff in there, from a car owned by Hitler to planes that helped fight the war against Nazi Germany.

The Museum’s Prized B-17 Flying Fortress

A restored B-17 Flying Fortress named “Fuddy Duddy” is the museum’s most treasured aircraft. Built in 1945, this plane first served in World War II and later became a transport for important officials.

A team of experts spent three years carefully bringing the plane back to how it looked and worked in its early days. You can walk all around this rare aircraft – there are only eight like it still flying today.

Historic Military Vehicles from World War II

The museum has a remarkable group of real military vehicles from World War II, including a 1942 Dodge WC-53 Carryall that helped during the D-Day invasion. You’ll see perfectly kept trucks, motorcycles, and staff cars, including a rare Ford GPW jeep that still has its original war markings.

Each vehicle comes with papers that tell its story – where it served and how it was restored. These aren’t just for show – the museum keeps them running and brings them out for demonstrations, complete with equipment from that time period.

The C-47 Dakota’s Role in D-Day

The museum’s Douglas C-47 Dakota dropped soldiers over Normandy during D-Day. After that, this same plane helped deliver supplies during Operation Market Garden.

Step inside, and you’ll find the original radio gear and cargo equipment still in place. The museum’s mechanics keep this historic plane ready to fly while making sure it stays true to its wartime appearance. Inside the cargo area, you can stand where brave paratroopers once prepared for their jumps.

World War II Era Cars and Their Stories

Among the museum’s cars, a 1939 Mercedes-Benz Model G4 Offener Touring Wagon stands out and it’s one of just three left in the world. Adolf Hitler used this car during WWII. You can still see the original interior, plus the handcrafted, bullet-resistant body.

Inside the Museum’s Workshop

At the Lyon Air Museum in California, visitors get an exclusive look into the world of aviation repair and education. In addition to offering workshops on aviation safety and STEM, the museum provides hands-on learning opportunities for both adults and children.

Visitors can see different repair jobs up close, from fixing fabric on plane wings to adjusting engine timing. The shop regularly works on the museum’s flying aircraft, taking special care to keep the original metal parts while making sure each plane is safe to fly.

Hands-on Learning with Flight Training Tools

The museum helps people learn about flying using special simulators that work just like World War II planes. When you try these simulators, you’ll feel like you’re flying a real P-51 Mustang or B-17 Flying Fortress, complete with authentic controls and instruments.

Students can join special programs to learn about how planes work and their role in World War II. The museum offers workshops where you can learn about basic plane maintenance and how pilots found their way during wartime missions.

The Museum’s Collection of War Photos

The walls hold many World War II photos, with some rare shots from both Europe and the Pacific. These pictures show actual missions flown by the planes now sitting in the museum, helping connect the aircraft to their history.

Military photographers who flew in combat took many of these photos. Each picture comes with detailed notes telling when and where it was taken, along with stories from the crew members who were there.

Research Materials for Aviation History

The museum keeps a large collection of old plane manuals, pilot guides, and wartime documents. You’ll find complete instruction books for the B-17 Flying Fortress and Douglas C-47, plus rare records from World War II flying squadrons.

People studying aviation history can look through original plane drawings, mission reports, and letters from veteran pilots. The library also has full sets of wartime flying magazines and military papers that help explain the stories behind the museum’s planes.

Equipment That Changed Air Combat

The museum shows off special tools that aircrews used, like Norden bombsights for aiming bombs and radio equipment for finding their way. Each piece comes with information about how it was made and used during missions.

You can even see the real plane instruments that were used during the war. The museum explains how these tools worked with hands-on displays that show the clever ways crews used them during flights.