Gift of Rare Vintage Airplane to Launch Great Park Military Museum

IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the Orange County
Great Park Board Corporation welcomed the gift of a vintage 1943 Lockheed PV-1
Ventura Airplane from The Aviator Underwriters of Dallas, Texas. The Ventura
PV-1 is a rare specially designed night flight spy plane. Beginning with
World War II, this type of plane flew in and out of El Toro regularly. Both
the Marines and Army Air Forces flew the Ventura PV-1. Only 3,000 Ventura
PV-1 planes were sold in the United States and abroad.

The Ventura PV-1 airplane gifted to the Great Park was damaged by Hurricane
Katrina. It became the property of the Aviator Underwriters of Dallas, Texas
after the claim was paid. The Underwriters, knowing the rare significance of
the plane, decided to donate it to the Great Park, instead of scrapping it for
parts. The plane is currently in New Orleans where it will be dismantled
before being transported to a hanger at the Orange County Great Park for
restoration.

"The Aviator Underwriters of Dallas, Texas are to be commended for gifting
this rare plane for historic preservation to the Great Park," said Larry
Agran, Chair, Orange County Great Park Board Corporation. "The gift of the
Ventura PV-1 to the Great Park will mark the beginning of the military
aircraft display for the Great Park. A military airplane display and military
museum are both key elements of the Great Park Master Plan."

The Orange County Great Park, which is almost twice the size of Central Park,
will be a major metropolitan park and the focal point of the redevelopment of
the 4,700-acre former Marine Corps Air Station at El Toro. The Great Park
will include extensive natural areas and open space in addition to
recreational and cultural uses.

For more information, please go to http://www.ocgp.org.

SOURCE Orange County Great Park Corporation

Maryann Maloney, +1-949-375-0856, for the Orange County Great Park
Corporation