An easy 90 minute drive took me from Mobile to the
Pensacola NAS Naval Aviation Museum,
putting me at the museum at 10am.
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| Entrrance to Naval Aviation Museum |
The Naval Aviation Museum is the world’s
largest and covers 37 acres. It is also
one of the most-visited museums in the state of Florida. Admission is actually FREE but don’t
let that fool you into thinking this will be a cheap family outing. There are a number of fantastic attractions
inside but they all come with added fees. The
hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and it
is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day. All visitors 16 years and older must have
valid photo identification and all bags are subject to search.
The portion of the museum that you can visit for FREE
contains over 150 beautifully restored aircraft representing Navy, Marine
Corps, and Coast Guard Aviation. There are
some rare one-of-a-kind aircraft on display such as the Curtiss NC-4 that was the first to cross the Atlantic by air.
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| Curtiss NC-4 |
The SBD Dauntless Buno 2106 was a survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor and also saw action in the Battle
of Midway.
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| SBD Dauntless Buno 2106 |
The R4D-5L Skytrain Que Sera Sera representing the first aircraft to land at
the South Pole.
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| R4D-5L Skytrain Que Sera Sera |
The F-14D Tomcat, made famous by the movie “Top Gun” starring Tom Cruise and many, many more.
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| F-14D Tomcat |
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| Inside Aviation Museum |
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| Walking into Aviation Museum |
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| Museum map |
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| I wonder if I should try out for the Blue Angels |
You will have no trouble filling your
day with 83 FREE exhibits. Viewing the aircraft and exhibits was all well and good but I found that I succumbed to the attractions.
First attraction was the giant screen theater. With 325 seats it features the latest in
state-of-the-art projection with a full 4K resolution of nearly 9
million pixels on-screen—the first of its kind installed in an institutional
theater. The theater offers 4 shows
rotating throughout the day. “The Magic of Flight”, “We the Marines”, “Aircraft Carrier” and “Asteroid: Mission Extreme”. I did not have time to see “We the
Marines” but the other three were outstanding.
The cost is $9 per feature or $8 for Seniors. Ticket prices will drop if you purchase 2 or more.
Next was the “Maxflight 360 Simulator”. They offer two state-of-the-art simulators. With you at the control, the simulators are
capable of air-to-air combat and stunt flying, with fully interactive 360
degree pitch and roll technology. There are
flight restrictions so you will want to check that out before planning this
ride. After watching the movement of the simulator it was clear that this wasn't for me. It was very popular the day I was there. Cost
is $20 for 1 or 2 persons.
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| Maxflight 360 Simulators |
On to the HD Motion-Based Simulator. This is a five-minute, multi-sensory experience. It combines a movie-like audiovisual
presentation using a high-definition projection screen, surround-sound and
motion. The fully enclosed simulator
capsule can accommodates up to 15 and it moves in six directions. I tried the “Fly With the Blue Angels” and it
was quite the ride. You soar in a Navy F/A-18 Hornet and it includes a series of high-performance turns and maneuvers. I wasn’t able to do the “Desert Storm”
simulator but I suspect that should be equally as thrilling. That simulation has you take off from an aircraft carrier and do
battle in the Iraqi desert.
The rides
start every six to seven minutes and run continuously from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. You can find discounts on combo packages that
include the theater shows and the simulators. Each simulator will be $6.
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| Blue Angel 4D Experience in Hanger Bay One |
Should you be visiting during the Blue Angel practice time you can watch them for FREE. Practice lasts for about an hour. The outside viewing area for their practice is located on the Museum Flight Line north of the Museum. Signs are posted to help direct you to the viewing and parking locations. You can use the open bleacher seating or rent a chair for a fee of $3. Bottled water, sport drinks, light food and treats, along with some merchandise are also available. All proceeds from the chair rentals, concessions and merchandise go to support the Museum and Foundation programs. Note of caution – be sure to bring your hearing protection as they are extremely loud. Here is their 2018 practice schedule.
If you plan on eating at the museum, I suggest you try Cubi Bar Café. Opened in 1996, this Cafe is not only a restaurant, but a very popular museum exhibit. The Cafe’s decor and layout duplicates the bar area of the famous Cubi Point Officers’ Club that was a major source of enjoyment for Navy and Marine Corps squadrons, ships and units as they passed into the Western Pacific.
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| Cubi Bar Cafe |
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| Cubi Bar Cafe |
For nearly 40 years the club was famous for its plaque bar, where squadrons retired old plaques and commissioned new ones to commemorate each WestPac tour. The tradition of placing plaques in the bar was started during the Vietnam conflict and continued until the closing in 1992.
Once it closed in 1992, the thousands of plaques that adorned the walls of the club were packed up and sent to the Naval Museum and placed as they were when the Cubi Club was closed.
The Cubi Bar Cafe is open daily 11am-3pm and serves soups, salads, deli sandwiches and dessert. Breads are baked fresh daily. Most menu item names pay tribute to aviation, such as the Aviator Sandwich, Mach 1 and the Chicken Pita Pilot.
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| Menu page from Cubi Bar Cafe |
As if stomping around the museum wasn’t enough exercise for the day, the Pensacola Lighthouse is located just across the street from the museum.
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| Approaching Pensacola Lighthouse |
Built in 1859, the lighthouse offers a great view of the gulf. Unfortunately to see it you have to climb 177 steps up and then 177 steps down. If you plan to do this there are a couple rules you need to be aware of:
1. Climbers must be 44" or 7 years of age to go up tower.
2. Children may not be carried up the tower.
3. Shoes must have secure back - no flip-flops.
4. No spike heels.
5. No smoking, food, drink, pets, or wet clothing permitted.
6. Backpacks, camera bags and other oversized bags must be left in your vehicle as they cannot be taken into the museum or tower and cannot be left in the gift shop.
I was anxious to climb to the top. Not just to take a look at the great view but also to look at the Fresnel Lens.
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| Information on Fresnel Lenses |
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| The Fresnel Lens at the top |
I didn’t notice as I was climbing up but coming down I noticed that each step was numbered. It didn’t really seem to make
the decent easier. My legs hurt for
2 days afterwards.
You should allocate a good hour at the Lighthouse as you
will want to also take a look at the Richard C. Callaway Museum located in the
restored 1869 lighthouse keeper's quarters.
There is also local history exhibits that include Civil War history,
U.S. Coast Guard history, the first Pensacola Lighthouse, maritime history, and
some local archaeology. Admission is $7 for adults and $4 for seniors.
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