Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola

[FL420]

Originally Posted by F4Gary

The T-38 was a sweet bird to fly. Lightweight and simple.

The slatted F4E flew very similar, but being much heavier, you couldn't get slow or the 38 could rudder it's nose on to you for a slicing shot. The Aggressors had them when I was in the F4 and we flew against them a bunch.
It would go to and cruise at FL500. Try that in an F4.

One thing I didn't like about flying cross country at high altitude in the A-4 was both my shoulders would press against the steel sides of the canopy which got very cold. The Mongoose was the most fun to fly but it's tiny cockpit was no fun at altitude. I only flew it cross country a few times to provide dissimilar adversary services to AF units, usually at Luke, George and Nellis for AF FWS or Red Flags.
I was really looking forward to flying the T-38 because it has a nice roomy cockpit for such a small airframe.

[FL420]

Originally Posted by RWDJR.

Great place to visit if your into it. Could not believe it’s free to get into. Blue Angels weren’t bad either. Attachment 241035Attachment 241036

Here are some photos from the museum taken last November when my first fleet squadron held a reunion.

Right to left: unarmed photo F-8 Crusader; Sidewinder and 20mm cannon armed F-8 with wing up for takeoff and landing; F-4N.

Blue Angel A-4s. Very similar to the A-4E Mongoose flown by NFWS aka Top Gun with big engines, slats bolted up and all extraneous weight removed.

F-9J Cougar later converted into a trainer for advanced jet training in my era.

T-28B Trojan used for training Student Naval Aviators destined for the "many motor" pipeline and many other missions. I love round engines especially the Wright 1820 Cyclone with its 1,425HP. I used to fly it as an airborne FAC and spotter for students practicing their 40°, 500 knot dive bombing at the "Inky Barley" and "Kitty Baggage" bombing ranges along the Colorado River north of Yuma, AZ.

[edge68474]

Isn't it the F9 that it's jet blast points downward. I seem to remember it was the only Navy jet that did, at least that's what I heard. I was on the nozzle fueling one and they turned the one in front of me and I felt the heat pretty good. I wrapped my arms and legs around the hose to hang on. Usually the directors were pretty good about NOT turning them on you.
Another thing, for some reason I did not like the colors orange and white on a plane. Maybe because I seen them too much.
And, I could go on and on, LOL, one time and one time only, we had the Black Sheep Squadron Corsair come aboard and spent the night, F4U is it?
Anyway, I love the looks of that plane and the Phantom, and a shiny DC-3. Hmm, maybe I should say which ones I don't like, like the A-4. I seen so many of those, even when I see them on the TV or somewhere, it upsets me. All right Larry, settle down, lol. ok, that's it for now.
Good night.

[RWDJR.]

A couple more.

[FL420]

The museum is packed with a lot more airplanes than any other of the many aircraft museums I have been to. It just dawned on me why that is.
All carrier-capable aircraft have hardpoints on the tops of their wings so they can be hoisted off the dock on to the carrier's flight deck by a crane before leaving port and the non-flyable aircraft can be hoisted off the ship on to the dock upon arrival. Very little has to be done to them to be hoisted to the ceiling of the museum.
The visitor's experience is greatly enhanced by viewing the aircraft as if they were in flight. Makes me wonder if any Air Force aircraft, besides those originally developed for the Navy, had upper hardpoints designed for lifting by a crane.

[V3600]

We visited that wonderful museum a few years back. We especially liked the dioramas that brought us into the scene that made us feel a part of the action. One day wasn't enuf and someday we will return.

What surprised me is they let us on base to visit the museum showing only a driver's license, since I have no military ID.

[FL420]

For those interested in aircraft cockpits and MiGs they have good examples of those also.

[RWDJR.]

About 25 years ago we were antique (junk) hunting here in KY. I come across this in a old house where they were selling stuff and I thought it was the coolest thing. When the mans wife told me I could have it, knowing he just saw 10 bucks go out the door, he about fell out of his chair. I’ve been thinking about donating it for one of the house scenarios they have at one of the museums. Spring and summer edition 1943.

[CharlesinGA]

I made the mistake of going to the museum on the day of a practice session. I was driving my Class C. I ended up parking a LONG ways from the museum. One of the volunteers who helps with directing parking told me on a typical practice session upwards of 10,000 people will show up. When it is over they all flood into the museum. It was a zoo and I left.

Second time I attended, I made sure it was not a practice session day, and parked my class C about a 100 ft from the front door. I had a full day in both buildings plus the outdoor bus tour, and ate lunch in the cafe, which was good food and not too pricey.

Both times I was staying at Ft Pickens, and the second time, I watched the practice session the day before I went to the museum, by sitting on top of the spotter building at Battery Worth, just west of the campground. The spotter building is steel and has stairs to the roof and railings. You are about treetop level or better. It was a great show from there.

If you are planning on visiting the museum, Big Lagoon State Park is very close to the west entrance and a good place to stay, at least the night before going.

BTY, from the Ft Pickens campground, you can hear the anthem playing in the morning at the base flag raising, so if you are out and about please pause for the flag raising.

If it wasn't mentioned earlier, you must enter thru the west gate from Blue Angels Parkway. You are not allowed to enter on the east side and drive thru the base. If you are going to the cemetery you can enter thru the east gate.

Charles

[reubenray]

I live about 30 minutes from this, but I have never gone to see it. We do our shopping at the Walmart close by and quite often we get a free air show. Recently my nephew-in-law who is a Major in the Air Force invited us out to the base to visit. He was able to drive right up to the Blue Angels jets. He was there for some training before being sent to Hawaii for three years.

[FL420]

Originally Posted by RWDJR.

About 25 years ago we were antique (junk) hunting here in KY. I come across this in a old house where they were selling stuff and I thought it was the coolest thing. When the mans wife told me I could have it, knowing he just saw 10 bucks go out the door, he about fell out of his chair. I’ve been thinking about donating it for one of the house scenarios they have at one of the museums. Spring and summer edition 1943. Attachment 242017Attachment 242018Attachment 242018Attachment 242021Attachment 242022Attachment 242023

If toilet paper was rationed too that catalog probably came in real handy, even for city folk.[emoji6]

[BuzzWolfAR]

Love that museum. A Korean war fighter pilot's helmet is on display. He was shot in the head and safely landed. He passed away last year.

I was a Vietnam grunt and loved when the F4's came for support. They could shake the ground considerably.

[Charming]

We have visited the museum twice. The first time was great and we ran out of time, climbing in and out of various air craft. That day the out door displays were closed. Last fall we happened to be in Pensacola on the Blue Angels Homecoming weekend. We had no clue, the woman at Big Lagoon said something about homecoming but all I took from it was, no room for us. The folks at the park where we landed were much more informative. It was the weekend for the last performance of the year for the Blue Angels and they had a huge air show on the base. The museum that weekend was not a good place to be. The air show made up for it We will just have to visit a third time.

[FL420]

Originally Posted by Charming

We have visited the museum twice. The first time was great and we ran out of time, climbing in and out of various air craft. That day the out door displays were closed. Last fall we happened to be in Pensacola on the Blue Angels Homecoming weekend. We had no clue, the woman at Big Lagoon said something about homecoming but all I took from it was, no room for us. The folks at the park where we landed were much more informative. It was the weekend for the last performance of the year for the Blue Angels and they had a huge air show on the base. The museum that weekend was not a good place to be. The air show made up for it We will just have to visit a third time.

Hey. We might have seen you there.[emoji2]
My first fleet fighter squadron held a reunion in Pensacola that weekend. We got the low level VIP treatment(no politicians or journalists in our group) at the airshow with reserved parking and front row seating. No hospitality tent even though we had a retired rear admiral in our group.[emoji25]
That was a very busy weekend as it was the last show of the season and for some of the Blues including the CO who were leaving the team. The museum was packed as you noted. We hung around for a couple of days to revisit the museum after things quieted down.
We weren't sure until the last minute we were going to be able to attend. There wasn't a campsite to be found for many miles. Walmart to the rescue. The WM folks on Navy Blvd. were very nice to accommodate us for several days. We had a nice quiet almost secluded spot to ourselves on the north side of the building.
Thank you Walmart!