Pensacola Naval Air Museum

[Grandpaw]

I took my two sons and four grand-kids to the Pensacola Naval Air Museum this week and they had a blast. This is a very nice facility and admission is free. They have a very big selection of planes to look at in two different air conditioned buildings and is a great place to visit. Due to the fact there are so many planes, some pictures have a busy background while others have individual planes in them. If you like old planes I have placed a new gallery on my site just for this museum. If you would like to see the gallery just click on the link below and it will take you straight to the gallery of planes. I might add that in just one of the displays there are four Blue Angel jets suspended from the ceiling in flying formation. This is the biggest Naval Museum in the United States and covers approximately 300,000 sq. ft. and has over 150 fully restored planes to see. Jeff

To see my gallery of the planes go here.

If you would like more information about the Museum go here. National Naval Aviation Museum - Home

[Frog]

Jeff, when I click the link to your gallery, SmugMug, says it can't find them and typing in your name doesn't help.

Ah! Found them by clicking your link at bottom of post though

[wfooshee]

An awesome facility, I go there at least once a year. I've compared it to the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. The Smithsonian may have more important items, like the Wright Flyer, the Bell X-1, the Spirit of St. Louis, the Apollo 11 command module, but the Museum of Naval Aviation just has more stuff, at least accessible on display.

The mechanic in me enjoys the fact that with many aircraft on display, the engine used is also on display next to the aircraft.

On a personal note, they also have the only surviving example of the plane my dad worked on (electronics) when he was in the Navy in the early '50s, the AJ Savage, the world's first carrier-based bomber capable of delivering atomic weapons. You have to take the bus tour of the back grounds to see it, though. Well worth it, there are a lot of aircraft back there!

The Navy might not exist as it does today without the Savage. The Air Force had Congress convinced that conventional warfare was obsolete, all future wars would be nuclear, and the Navy was not capable of such warfare. Not until the Savage came along, that is.

I'm actually working right now, but I'm going to go hit your gallery when I get a chance!

[Grandpaw]

Jeff, when I click the link to your gallery, SmugMug, says it can't find them and typing in your name doesn't help.

Ah! Found them by clicking your link at bottom of post though

John, I fixed it! Thanks for letting me know. Jeff

[Frog]

Going through slowly and want to say that I think, even though the surroundings may be busy, you have managed to isolate the subjects very nicely and since it is obviously a museum, the backgrounds only add interest.
I always am interested in the old ones, especially.
There's a good flight museum in Seattle but I haven't been there.

[dl4449]

That is a nice set I really enjoyed looking at them.

[wfooshee]

Just went through your pics, and looks like I'm due for another trip. They've really been filling up that new building! Marine One was on the outside ramp last time I was there, and there it sits indoors all painted up and shiny!

[Greg McCary]

That is a beautiful plane. Very nice Jeff.

[Old Timer]

Just went through your website site and loved the pics. I've got a couple of grandsons that would love to go there. Thanks for sharing with us.

[Grandpaw]

I just want to thank everyone for the nice comments on this picture and the ones on my site, they are very much appreciated. This is the first time since my vacation that I have been able to really take any pictures. Between being hot and spending time visiting my 90 year mother I haven't had much opportunity.

This museum is well worth a visit and my grand kids, two four year old, one eleven and one twelve year old kids just loved it. There are Blue Angel planes that they can sit in so you can take their picture. There are also several, just cockpit sections that they can sit in also, for no charge. They do have a simulator ride that is free also along with three or four that there is a charge for.

We ate lunch in the cafe inside the museum and the three adults and four kids ate and with drinks and tax came to $43.00 which I thought was reasonable.

You can easily spend all day looking at planes and exhibits so try and allot as much time as possible when you go.

If you go, when you come out of the front door of the museum and look to the right, you can see the top of a lighthouse that you can visit. This lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse on the Gulf Coast and has been featured on the TV show Ghost Hunters due to being haunted.

I would highly recommend a visit to the museum of there is any way that you can make it, it is well worth the trip. Jeff

[MotorToad]

Don't forget to take them to Fort Barrancas while you're there.