Category Archives: Press Releases

Lyon Air Museum Hosts Royal Visitor, England’s Prince Edward

Posted on by

HRH Duke of Kent Tours Facility as Guest of Gen. William Lyon

SANTA ANA, Calif., Dec. 9, 2011—Lyon Air Museum, a premier Southern California showcase for vintage military aircraft and automobiles, played host on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011, to Prince Edward, His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent. The English royal family member traveled to the U.S. with key people from the American Air Museum in Britain as part of a fundraising trip.

Prince Edward, 76, who carries out royal duties on behalf of his first cousin Queen Elizabeth II, flew into John Wayne Airport aboard a private charter jet and spent a few hours touring the facility as the guest of Lyon Air Museum’s founder, Maj. Gen. William Lyon, USAF (Ret), who serves as the U.S. chairman of the board of trustees of the American Air Museum in Britain.

Continue reading →

Lyon Air Museum 2nd Anniversary Celebration Sat., Dec. 10, 2011

Posted on by

Includes Santa, Toys for Tots, C-47 in ‘History Takes Flight’ Program
‘Willa Dean’ To Fly (Weather Permitting)

SANTA ANA, Calif., Nov. 8, 2011—Lyon Air Museum, a premier Southern California showcase for vintage military aircraft and automobiles, will celebrate its second anniversary on Sat., Dec. 10, 2011.

Santa Claus will be onsite, as visitors are invited to tour the authentic interior of the Douglas C-47 military transport aircraft “Willa Dean” and watch as it takes flight for a crowd-pleasing flyover.

Continue reading →

Lyon Air Museum to Host Mustangs & Cobras ‘Cars & Cockpits’ Event Sunday, Nov. 6, 2011

Posted on by

Everyone Is Invited to Bring their New & Rare Classic Cobras and Mustangs

SANTA ANA, Calif., Nov. 1, 2011—Lyon Air Museum, a premier Southern California showcase for vintage military aircraft and automobiles, will host an open forum inviting owners of classic and late-model Cobras and Mustangs to bring their cars to the Museum as part of a “Cars & Cockpits” event scheduled for Sun., Nov. 6, 2011, from 10-11:30 a.m. at the facility, located on the west side of the runway at John Wayne Airport in Orange County. (NOTE: Weather permitting).

Viewing the automobiles in the Museum parking lot is free of charge. Regular Museum admission prices (see below) will be in effect.

“The Ford Mustang is one of the most successful sports cars ever built by an American automobile manufacturer, and we want to showcase this incredibly popular vehicle,” said Mark Foster, president of Lyon Air Museum. “This is the first time we’ve ever used this ‘Open Forum’ mode of inviting all comers to bring their cars for display. We think it will open this event to newer audiences.”

Continue reading →

GEORGE EMERSON – TAIL GUNNER, POW & LYON AIR MUSEUM DOCENT

Posted on by

George Emerson, born near Boise, Idaho, on April 1, 1925, is currently a docent at Lyon Air Museum.  This World War II veteran experienced near-death encounters as a tail gunner and prisoner of war (POW) in Germany late in the war.

In 1944, Emerson volunteered to join the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC), the forerunner of the U.S. Air Force. He trained in Amarillo, Texas, and received his gunnery training in Kingman, Ariz.  He then reported to Avon Park, Florida., to join the rest of his crew in the 303rd Bomb Group, an Eighth Air Force B-17 Bomber Group.  Following phase training in the southeast U.S., and having achieved the rank of sergeant, he shipped out for Europe as a B-17 tail gunner.

Continue reading →

“Lady Alice” P-51 Mustang – September 22-24

Posted on by

 

Sept. 22-24 at John Wayne Airport in OC

 

 

SANTA ANA, Calif., Sept. 15, 2011— Lyon Air Museum, a premier Southern California showcase for vintage military aircraft and automobiles, will play host to the “Lady Alice” P-51 Mustang long range fighter aircraft from Thursday, Sept. 22 through Saturday, Sept. 24, 2011, at the Museum’s facility located at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, Calif.

Continue reading →