Oct 1
Pensacola is home to several military bases, with
installations including Naval Air Station Pensacola (home of the Navy's Blue
Angels demonstration team and the initial training site for all naval
aviators), Hurlburt Field, Eglin Air Force Base (one of the largest military
bases in America), Tyndall Air Force Base (home to the Air Force's F-22 Raptor
fighter jets), Coastal Systems Station-Naval Surface Warfare Center (home to
the Navy Experimental Diving Unit and Naval Diving & Salvage Training
Center), and Corry Station Naval Technical Training Center.
Greg had his flight physical for the Navy at Naval Air Station Pensacola. (the museum is also located there) He did his Morse Code training at Corry Station Naval Technical Training Center after he finished Russian Language school in Monterrey, Ca.
Today we planned to spend the day at the Navy Aviation Museum. It's the world’s largest
Naval Aviation museum. There are more
than 150 restored aircraft representing Navy, Marine Corps, and
Coast Guard Aviation. These historic and one-of-a-kind aircraft are displayed
both inside the Museum’s nearly 350,000 square feet of exhibit space and outside
on its 37-acre grounds.
The Blue Angels practice airshows are also done here and people come to watch, but they were not here today. We
have seen them many times in the past though.
entering the base
we didn't climb it or take in the museum - just stopped for a photo op
We decided to self-tour and I won't even attempt to label all the aircraft. It was one of the most "hands on" museums of this type that we have visited. You were allowed to sit in almost everything there. Popular with kids and adults alike.
Greg taking off....
We went outside to warm up and visited Hangar Bay One.
CH-53D Sea Stallion
VH-3 Sea King - "Marine One" used during the presidencies of Nixon and Ford
Nixon
Apollo Space Exhibit
Coast Guard Aviation Exhibit
EA-6B Prowler
Battle Streamers
A-7E Corsair II on the left & Hawkeye Eye in the Sky on the right
We took a break for lunch at Cubi Bar Café and 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.
For nearly 40 years, the NAS Cubi Point Officers’ Club, in
the Republic of the Philippines, was a marvelous mix of American efficiency and
Filipino hospitality. The club was especially famous for its Plaque Bar, where
transiting squadrons retired old plaques and commissioned new ones to
commemorate each WestPac tour. The tradition of placing plaques in the O’ Club
bar was started during the Vietnam Conflict and endured until the closing of
the base in 1992.
When the original officers’ club was closed in 1992, the
thousands of plaques that adorned the walls of the club as tokens of thanks
were packed up and sent to the Museum to be placed as they were when the Cubi
Club was closed. The legacy of this Cubi Bar brings back many memories to aviators
whose squadron plaques decorate the walls.
We both had paninis and they were quite good!
We took in one movie and bought tickets for a second one in the afternoon.
WWl
Stratolab V - a world record in manned-balloon flight
A-4 Skyhawks (Blue Angels Atrium)
We finished touring the museum and all of a sudden the power went out.
We had a movie ticket for 3:00, so we
waited to see if the power would come back on. Out of the blue, we were
surprised by our friends Carol & Dave. They live on the west coast of
Florida. What are the odds? We got caught up on what each of us has been doing.
Both of us have been traveling our butts off and hadn’t emailed in ages. What a
treat to see them. We hope we can see them again before we leave on Jan 3 for the World Cruise. We
met them on an Alaskan cruise years ago and have kept in touch.
The staff came and told everyone that was waiting that they had been informed that the power wasn't coming on anytime soon and they were closing. So, we had to leave. So, we said goodbye to Dave and Carol and we headed home. They were staying at a place an hour and 45 minutes away and just decided to drive there to visit the museum that day. Again, what are the odds. Carol remarked she was surprised we didn't run into each other earlier in the museum, but it was quite huge so not surprising we didn't.
Tomorrow we are checking out some coastal birding areas and the beautiful beaches.
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