SANTA ANA, Calif. - A collection of photographs and accessories from the classic Packard automobile will be on display in Terminal A of the Vi Smith Concourse Gallery in the Thomas F. Riley Terminal at John Wayne Airport (JWA) March 1 through June 1, 2010. On loan from Orange County’s Packard International Motor Car Club, featured items on display include photos of the classic luxury car, including a 1932 Twin Six Phaeton owned by actress Jean Harlow (pictured below), along with hood ornaments and other unique Packard ephemera.
A 1932 Twin Six Packard Phaeton, originally owned by actress Jean Harlow |
“We at Packards International are thrilled with the opportunity to tell the Packard story to the millions of visitors to John Wayne Airport,” said Don Hull, President of Packards International Motor Car Club, located in Santa Ana. “We hope Airport visitors will be able to appreciate the Packard story and the part it played in the development of America's industrial base. We also hope Airport visitors viewing the exhibit will respond to the exhibition by examining the entire hobby of classic car clubs and perhaps joining one of them.”
Packard manufactured their cars in the United States from 1899 to 1958. During World War II, Packard also manufactured aircraft engines, including the V1650, which powered the famous
P-51 Mustang fighter.
The Packards International Motor Car Club was founded in Orange County in the early 1960s. It was thought the new club would be only a Southern California organization, but the club soon grew rapidly, with chapters scattered widely. Today, the club has members in all 50 states and 12 foreign countries.
Ticketed passengers who have passed through security will be able to view the display, which will be shown across from Gates 11 – 14 in the Thomas F. Riley Terminal. For more information on Packards International Motor Car Club, please visit http://www.packardsinternational.com and for more information about JWA’s art program, visit www.ocair.com.
John Wayne Airport (SNA) is a self-supporting enterprise, owned and operated by the County of Orange, serves nearly nine million passengers annually and is governed by the five-member Orange County Board of Supervisors.
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You can access JWA news releases at http://www.ocair.com/newsandfacts/newsreleases.htm
