National Naval Aviation Museum | Pensacola, Florida

My family and I knew before we went to Pensacola that one thing we would definitely do is spend a day at the National Naval Aviation Museum. This incredible museum has been in existence for over 50 years with several expansion phases...each time we go, it's bigger and better!

Both my dad and his dad were in aviation in the Navy, so we consider ourselves aviation nuts...and we're history buffs, too...so this museum is one of our favorite places. Since the weather wasn't good most of the week we were in Pensacola, we ended up spending one full day and part of another day there!

I don't have any pictures of Sarah and me sitting there during the IMAX movie with ridiculously big grins on our faces...we loved it so much...but if you ever go, check out the Magic of Flight movie. It's the best.

These pictures are a peek at only part of the museum. In order to really get an idea of how big it is, you'll have to go there yourself! But for now, enjoy this little tour of the National Naval Aviation Museum!

The beautiful sight that greets you as you walk in the door!


The Blue Angels flew A-4 Skyhawks from 1974 to 1986, and they are suspended above the light-filled atrium in the central part of the museum.


Also in the atrium is this N2S Stearman biplane. It's very special to us because my grandfather flew Stearmans when he was in the Navy in WWII!
Years ago when my grandparents were visiting us, we drove over to the museum for the day. When Deedee walked around the corner and saw the Stearman, his eyes filled and he whispered, "That's the plane I used to fly!"


The newest part of the museum is Hangar Bay One, with a runway painted on the sidewalk!




The first aircraft you come to when you walk in the door is Marine One!


This particular helicopter flew Presidents Nixon and Ford.


It was fun to see one of the Blue Angels' F/A-18 Hornets up close!


This helmet was signed by many former Blue Angel pilots.






President George W. Bush landed on the USS Abraham Lincoln (as a passenger) in 2003 in this S-3 Viking!

A few years ago we watched a documentary on PBS about the USS Oriskany aircraft carrier, which was sunk in the Gulf 22 miles out from Pensacola for use as an artificial reef. It was fun to look up and see that name!










One of our favorite parts of the museum (okay, probably Sarah's and my favorite - ever) is this WWII street on the second floor.




There's a little pipe somewhere that has different scents coming out of it in this (adorable!) kitchen.

Every time we go there it smells like ginger snaps. :)












This room would be inside an old Navy ship.


The darkroom!


"If all else fails, look out the window!"




This optical landing system would be on an aircraft carrier to help guide the pilots down onto the deck.

These aircraft were recovered from Lake Michigan! They're in the "Sunken Treasures" exhibit.




Just off the atrium. Planes and planes and more planes!




Another shot of that dear little Stearman. :)


My dad flew in a T-6 Texan like this one for his first flight in the Navy!


Before we left NAS Pensacola, we drove over to the Blue Angels' area of the airfield.


Identical #7 jets - two-seaters so they can take media people up for rides (if they think they can handle it..."think" is the key word here... :)).
They're also kept ready so that the other 6 pilots can use them if they have a problem with their jet.
In Brian Shul's book Blue Angels: A Portrait of Gold, he shared this story...
One day at an airshow, the #3 jet was having problems, so that pilot landed, jumped in the #7 jet, and quickly took off to rejoin the others.

The narrator is technically the #7 pilot (he takes the place of one of the solos the following year after being a narrator).
A concerned little boy hollered across the fence, "Hey Number Seven! I think somebody is stealing your jet!"
The narrator never deviated from his script, but just this once, he felt like he needed to.

So, off-mic, he yelled back,
"It's okay, I said he could borrow it!"
:)


The Blues' supply plane is a C-130, and it's flown by an all-Marine crew. (Oorah.)

The Blue Angels' hangar.

If you're interested....check out the Virtual Tour of the museum!

FLY NAVY!

- Rebekah