A distinct departure from fences and flowers, this one captured 4/4/09, at the semibeautiful Chino Planes of Fame Museum in the semibeautiful Chino Airport in semibeautiful Chino, California. Did you ever see anything so beautiful? One of my favorites for years. I love the landing gear pants. A ZOOM view is imperative in this case. P-26A c/n 1899 33-123, currently on display by the Planes of Fame Museum located in Chino, California. This aircraft was sold to the Guatemala Air Force in 11 May 1943 and flew as FAG 0672 until it was retired in 1957 when it was recovered by Ed Maloney. Once flown regularly with the registration N3378G, the museum's P-26 was placed on static display in the mid 1980s to protect it. In 2004, the decision was made to again fly the P-26, and a restoration was begun to return the plane to flying condition. This was completed in spring 2006, with the aircraft having made its first appearances at the museum's May 2006 air show. Debbielove mentioned that the P-26 had also seen service with the Chinese Air Force during WWII, so here is the scoop on that and other combat info: The first Boeing P-26 to experience major combat operation was the Chinese Model 281 in what was the world's first air-interception and destruction of raiding monoplane aircraft by monoplane aircraft. On 15 August 1937, eight of the Boeing fighters from the Chinese Air Force 3rd Pursuit Group 17th Squadron based at Chuyung airfield, engaged eight out of 20 Mitsubishi G3M Japanese bombers from the Kisarazu Air Group sent to attack Nanking. The Chinese Boeing fighters helped shoot down two of the four Japanese bombers destroyed that day without suffering any losses. Subsequent engagements between the Chinese "Peashooter" pilots and pilots of the Imperial Japanese Navy flying the Mitsubishi A5M "Claudes" were the first ever aerial dogfights and kills between monoplane fighter aircraft. A single P-26 was in service during the Spanish Civil War of 1936-39, but no aerial kills were recorded with this aircraft. By December 1941, U.S. fighter strength in the Philippines included 28 P-26s, most in the service of the Philippine Army Air Corps. Most of these were destroyed on the ground in the first Japanese attacks following Pearl Harbor, but two flown by Filipino pilots scored victories over Japanese airplanes. In 1942, in a desperate defense of their homeland, the few surviving P-26s which the Filipino 6th Fighter Squadron still had at its disposal were completely overwhelmed by Japanese Zero fighters. Following Pearl Harbor, only nine P-26s remained airworthy in the Panama Canal Zone. In 1942-1943, the Fuerza Aerea de Guatemala acquired seven P-26s ostensibly by the US government smuggling them in as "Boeing PT-26A" trainers to get around restrictions of sales to Latin American countries. The last two P-26s in service were still flying until 1956 with Guatemala's Air Force, when they were replaced with P-51 Mustangs. The P-26's last combat operation was with Guatemala's Air Force during a 1954 coup. Source: Wikipedia encyclopedia For lots more information and stats on this elegant little plane, check out my Boeing P-26A Peashooter fighter #1 on yesterday's posting. Thankx for the look-see, and have a mind-expanding Monday.