Billionaire Kirk Kerkorian seems to be coming home for Thanksgiving. Short final for Rwy 16R.

Photographer: Michael Grove

Struck off register in 2012

Damaged in a forced landing at Elsinore, California, May 28, 1991

Former Mongolian airline, now parked at Victorville.

Previously registered PH-RLY.

Two-seat glider built for USAAF training program in 1941.

This beautiful three-holer operated its last revenue flight for KLM 30th July 2012, before being ferried to VCV for parting out and it has since been scrapped.

Damaged in a force landing in 1989. By 1998 being used for spares. Dismantled by 2000.

Turning short final in true fighter pilot style this Neptune is seen returning from one of its many flights this day to fight the deadly Esparanza fire.

Built by Curtiss with the older type canopy. Ex USAAF 42-25254. The code '28487' is spurious. Maintained airworthy.

The Fokker C-2 is a variant of the successful Fokker F.VIIa-3m, with a larger fuselage and upgraded engines. Three C-2s were delivered to the United States Army Air Corps in 1927, serialed 26-202 to 26-204. The first of them, 26-202 as shown here, was modified to a long-range version and fitted with a larger wing (21.7m instead of 19.2m). It was reportedly named "Bird of Paradise" (but apparently not carried) and used to make the first transpacific flight, 3860 km (2,400 miles) from Oakland to Honululu, on 1 June 1927. Photographer unknown. [Editor's note: The aircraft was at Crissy between 25 and 27 June 1927. The big take-off was from Oakland. It stayed with an army air unit in Hawaii and never returned to the mainland.]

Kingsford Smith's Southern Cross photographed in a hangar at an unconfirmed location, most likely at Oakland. In three epic flights spread over two years, Southern Cross and Kingsford Smith circumnavigated the globe over Australia. His trans-Pacific flight took off from Oakland in May 1928 and he returned there via London and New York in July 1930. Photographer unknown.

Starting its engines while parked near Oakland's Hangar No.1 and Hangar No.2. Registration is uncertain. Must be either NC333N or NC334N, and the former reg appears to show on the fin. Photographer unknown.

Southern Cross at an unknown location, presumably in California, shortly before starting its record flight from Oakland, CA to Australia. Later became G-AUSU, then VH-USU. Currently displayed at the Sir Charles Kingsford Smith Memorial in Brisbane, painted in its original markings as seen here. Photographer unknown.