Lyon Activities for Teens: Making Friends & Things To Do

Visitors to the Lyon Air Museum in Santa Ana, California, had the opportunity to tour the interior of a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, nicknamed “Fuddy Duddy,” on Saturday, February 15, 2025. The event, which ran from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, allowed guests to walk through the iconic aircraft and learn about its history from museum docents.

The B-17, built in 1945, served during World War II and later transitioned to a VIP transport role in the Pacific Theater, reportedly carrying General Dwight D. Eisenhower at some point. Following its military service, “Fuddy Duddy” was repurposed as a fire bomber and even appeared in the 1962 Steve McQueen film, “The War.”

The Lyon Air Museum, which opened in 2009, is the creation of Major General William Lyon and houses a collection of military airplanes, motorcycles, cars, and other vehicles. The museum’s collection includes a Douglas C-47 Dakota that participated in the D-Day invasion and a 1942 Dodge WC-53 Carryall used during the same operation. A Ford military Jeep with original war markings is also on display.

Museum members were granted early access to the B-17’s open cockpit, beginning at 9:00 am, one hour before the general public. Standard museum admission applied for all attendees, with tickets available for purchase online or at the museum. The museum is located at 19300 Ike Jones Rd, Santa Ana, CA 92707, near John Wayne Airport.

The museum also features a car once owned by Adolf Hitler, alongside other World War II-era military vehicles and classic cars. The museum maintains many of these vehicles in working order and occasionally conducts demonstrations with period-accurate equipment.