National Naval Aviation Museum

Coordinates: 30°20′58″N 87°18′13″W / 30.349580°N 87.303582°W / 30.349580; -87.303582

National Museum of Naval Aviation
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Established	1962
Location	Pensacola, Florida
Type	U.S. Navy
Website	www.navalaviationmuseum.org

The Blue Angel Atrium in the National Museum of Naval Aviation

The National Museum of Naval Aviation is a military and aerospace museum located at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. The museum opened in 1962.

As its name suggests, the museum is devoted to the history of naval aviation, including that of the U. S. Navy, the U. S. Marine Corps, and the U. S. Coast Guard. More than 150 aircraft and spacecraft are on display, including four former Blue Angel A-4 Skyhawks (the Blue Angels are based at NAS Pensacola), the Curtis NC-4 (the first aircraft to cross the Atlantic), U. S. Coast Guard helicopters, biplanes, a K-47 Airship control gondola and tail fin, an aircraft that President George H. W. Bush trained in, and the S-3 Viking used to transport President George W. Bush to the USS Abraham Lincoln in 2003 (see Navy One). These historic and one-of-a-kind aircraft are displayed both inside the Museum's 300,000 square feet (30,000 m²) of exhibit space and outside on the Museum's 37-acre (150,000 m²) grounds.

In addition to the displays, the museum operates an IMAX theatre, museum store, and cafe. Also the museum is the home of the National Flight Academy, a 6-day program designed (in partnership with the Escambia and Santa Rosa school districts) to teach 7th through 12th grade students about the importance of science and math in aerospace careers. The Academy is currently planning a 245,000-square-foot (22,800 m²) expansion to the museum which would add classroom and dormitory space for the students during their stay.

The museum is open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm every day except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Parking and admission to the museum are free, though donations are welcome. Some exhibits inside the museum, such as the theatre, charge separate admission.

Practice demonstrations by the Blue Angels may be viewed from the museum most Tuesday and Wednesday mornings between March and November. These practices are weather permitting, and a tentative practice schedule may be viewed on the Blue Angels’ website.

Captain Robert L. Rasmussen, a retired Navy captain and Blue Angel, is the current director of the National Museum of Naval Aviation. He hand-sculpted many of the statues and painted many of the watercolor and oil paintings in the museum as well.

Naval Aviation Hall of Honor

Main article: Naval Aviation Hall of Honor

Collection

F-14A Tomcat in front of the National Museum of Naval Aviation

F-14A Tomcat on display in front of the National Museum of Naval Aviation

Curtiss A-1 Triad Douglas A-1 Skyraider (AD) Douglas A-3 Skywarrior (A3D) Douglas A-4 Skyhawk (A4D) A-4 (A4D) Skyhawk (Former Blue Angels #1, 2, 3, & 4) Grumman AF Guardian Bell AH-1 Sea Cobra Bell HH-1K Iroquois (Former HA(L)-5 Gunship in HA(L)-3 Configuration) North American AJ Savage Martin AM Mauler Mitsubishi A6M Zero Grumman A-6 Intruder Vought A-7 Corsair II McDonnell Douglas AV-8 Harrier Curtiss BFC Goshawk Grumman C-1 Trader McDonnell Douglas C-9 Skytrain II (C-9B) Beechcraft C-45 Navigator Douglass C-47 Skytrain C-117 (R4D-8) Skytrain Douglas C-118 Liftmaster Convair C-131 Samaritan Lockheed C-130 Hercules C-130T Hercules (Fat Albert) Sikorsky CH-37 Mojave Boeing CH-46 Sea Knight Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion Douglas D-558-1 Skystreak Grumman E-1 Tracer Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star Sopwith F.1 Camel Fokker D.VII Boeing F4B Curtiss F6C Hawk Curtiss F7C Seahawk Douglas F3D Skyknight American F4D Skyray Grumman FF Grumman F3F Grumman F4F Wildcat F4F Wildcat (Underwater Display) F4F Wildcat (Suspended) General Motors FM-2 Wildcat (Quarterdeck) General Motors FM-2 Wildcat (Mezzanine) Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat Grumman F7F Tigercat Grumman F8F Bearcat Grumman F9F-2 Panther Grumman F9F-6 Cougar F9F-8 Cougar Grumman F11F Tiger McDonnell FH Phantom McDonnell F2H Banshee F2H-2P Photo Banshee McDonnell F3H Demon McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II (F4H) RF-4B Phantom II North American FJ-2 Fury North American FJ-4 Fury Chance Vought F4U Corsair Goodyear FG Corsair Vought F7U Cutlass Vought F-8 Crusader Grumman F-14 Tomcat F-14 Tomcat (Pedestal in front of museum building) F-14 Tomcat (Last Combat Flight) General Dynamics F-16N Viper McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet Beechcraft GB Traveller Hanriot HD-1 Bell HTL-4 Bell HH-1K Huey Sikorsky HNS Hoverfly Sikorsky HO3S Sikorsky HO4S Sikorsky HO5S

Hiller HTE Bell HTL Sioux (TH-13) Piasecki HUP Retriever (UH-25) Grumman HU-16 Albatross Kaman H-2 Seasprite Sikorsky H-3 Sea King VH-3 Sea King (Marine One) Sikorsky H-34 (HSS/HUS) Seabat/Seahorse Sikorsky HH-52 Sea Guard Douglas JD Invader Curtiss JN-4D Jenny Grumman J2F Duck Grumman J4F Widgeon Cessna JRC Bobcat Grumman JRF Goose K-47 Airship Control Car Schweizer LNS-1 L-8 Airship Control Car Curtiss Model F Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 Fagot Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden Kai "GEORGE" Curtiss NC-4 Curtiss N2C Fledgling Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3 Canary (Wheels) N3N-3 Canary (Floats) Ryan NR-1 Recruit Stearman N2S Kaydet New Standard NT-1 Timm N2T Tutor Consolidated N2Y Nieuport 28 Vought OS2U Kingfisher Cessna O-1 Bird Dog North American PBJ Mitchell Consolidated PBY Catalina (Suspended) PBY Catalina (Cutaway) PBY Catalina (Flight Line) Consolidated PB2Y Coronado Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer (P4Y-2G) Martin P5M-2 Marlin (SP-5B) Franklin PS-2 glider Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon Lockheed P2V-1 Neptune (Truculent Turtle) P2V-7 Neptune (SP-2H) Lockheed P-3 Orion Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk North American RA-5C Vigilante Curtiss-Wright R5C Commando Douglas RD Dolphin Ford RR-5 Trimotor Brewster SB2A Buccaneer Douglas SBD Dauntless (Underwater Display) SBD Dauntless (Mezzanine) SBD Dauntless (Battle of Midway Veteran) Vought SB2U Vindicator Curtiss-Wright SNC Falcon SNJ Texan (Indoor Display) Vultee SNV Valiant Grumman S-2 Tracker (S2F) Lockheed S-3 Viking (the only former Navy One) Thomas-Morse S-4C Scout Skylab Command Module General Motors TBM Avenger TC-4 Academe Interstate TDR Bell TH-57 Sea Ranger Lockheed TV-2 North American T-2 Buckeye North American T-28 Trojan Beechcraft T-34 Mentor North American T-39 Sabreliner de Havilland Canada U-1 Otter (NU-1B) ZPG-2 Control Car (Snow Bird)

Other Navy museums

See: U.S. Navy Museum and U.S. Navy Museum#Other Navy museums

See also

• Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum
• United States Marine Corps Aviation
• List of maritime museums in the United States
• National Museum of the United States Air Force
• R.G. Smith Award

External links

• National Naval Aviation Museum official website
• National Flight Academy