Naval Aviation Museum
December 17, 1903 Changed the World !
The Wright Brothers built and flew the worlds first airplane.
Only seven years later on November 14, 1910, Eugene Ely made the first successful take-off in a Curtiss bi-plane from a platform built on the USS Birmingham off Virginia. Two months later, on January 18, 1911, he landed and took off from a platform built on the back of the battleship USS Pennsylvania in San Francisco Bay proving the feasibility of carrier aviation." Shortly after this demonstration the first real aircraft carrier was built. Today the US Navy has 11 nuclear aircraft carriers.
All most all Navy and Marine pilots are trained at the Naval Air Station at Pensacola, Florida. They have been training pilots since October 1913. Pilots and the aircrews that service and repair the aircraft are trained here. Here is a link to the history of this air base.
https://www.cnic.navy.mil/pensacola/About/History/index.htm
Do you know where Pensacola, FL is?
Check out our map and you will see where we are.
View Fall 2011 Great Adventure Part II in a larger map
Grandpa has seen a lot of airplanes and museums but I have never seen such a beautiful museum. I was amazed at how many aircraft and how beautifully the aircraft had been restored.
They filled up the floor and then hung airplanes from the roof everywhere they could find enough space to put one.
This is a Harrier jet that can take off straight up like a helicopter with out a runway.
This is the first airplane to cross the Atlantic ocean. It landed a few times in the water to refuel. Who was the first person to fly across the Atlantic Ocean without stopping? Hint: his aircraft was named the "Spirit of St Louis" Google this question and find the answer.
These dark blue aircraft would be common on the deck of an aircraft carrier during WW II. In fact the wood on the floor was off the flight deck of a real aircraft carrier.
If you see 6 dark blue jets flying VERY CLOSE together you are probably looking at on of the best group of pilots in the world. What is the group called? Hint their aircraft are all ways painted blue and they fly like angles.
http://www.blueangels.navy.mil/
This is a very rare and special aircraft. It is a WW II German Jet fighter.
Google "German Jet Fighter" and learn why this is such a historical aircraft
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Me_262
If you get a chance to get to Pensacola be sure and visit this Museum. The best part .....It is FREE. We had so much fun that we are going back to see more tomorrow.
Love Grandpa & Grandma
They filled up the floor and then hung airplanes from the roof everywhere they could find enough space to put one.
This is a Harrier jet that can take off straight up like a helicopter with out a runway.
This is the first airplane to cross the Atlantic ocean. It landed a few times in the water to refuel. Who was the first person to fly across the Atlantic Ocean without stopping? Hint: his aircraft was named the "Spirit of St Louis" Google this question and find the answer.
These dark blue aircraft would be common on the deck of an aircraft carrier during WW II. In fact the wood on the floor was off the flight deck of a real aircraft carrier.
If you see 6 dark blue jets flying VERY CLOSE together you are probably looking at on of the best group of pilots in the world. What is the group called? Hint their aircraft are all ways painted blue and they fly like angles.
http://www.blueangels.navy.mil/
This is a very rare and special aircraft. It is a WW II German Jet fighter.
Google "German Jet Fighter" and learn why this is such a historical aircraft
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Me_262
Love Grandpa & Grandma
