In 1957, Edward T. Maloney founded what eventually became the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, California, having the foresight to purchase surplus aircraft after World War II which were planned for scrap. His mission was to save at least one of each aircraft type important to the war effort, and to keep as many flying as possible. He opened his first aviation museum in Claremont, with ten aircraft, the first aviation museum on the west coast. The museum moved to Ontario, and, in 1973, to its current location in Chino. Maloney eventually acquired over 200 aircraft, of which over 150 are on display at Chino, with over 50 of those in flyable status. Under his inspiring leadership, many volunteers joined him in his mission, including his sons Jim and John, daughter Karen, and Steve Hinton, who would become Karen’s husband. After their restoration of a Corsair for the Baa Baa Black Sheep television series, they became Hollywood’s ‘go-to’ aircraft restoration team. Their next aviation phase, air racing, was a natural expansion of their aviation activities. Steve Hinton joined the Red Baron air racing team in 1975, winning four consecutive races in 1978 and 1979, was twice national unlimited air racing champion, also setting the world’s speed record for piston powered propeller aircraft. Steve Hinton has appeared in over 60 films, and has now flown over 150 different aircraft types. His son, Steven Hinton Jr., is now also a record-setting pilot. In 2009, at 22, he became the youngest pilot to win Unlimited Gold in Reno, and is now a seven-time unlimited air racing champion. Ed, Jim and John Maloney and Steve, Karen and Steven Hinton, Jr. are certainly America’s Aviation Family of Excellence. Planes of Fame lost founder Ed Maloney in 2016, but his goal lives on.
Inducted in 2016.
Portrait Location: Near R-44 and B-5 Brougham

Induction Video