National Naval Air Museum

Yesterday we headed to Pensacola Naval Air Station to visit the National Naval Air Museum. Pensacola is also home base for the Navy Blue Angels so lots to see and do there.

As you walk to the entrance you are greeted by this F-14 Tomcat. It's just a taste of what it to come inside.

The museum has over 55,000 sq ft of floor space with aircraft filling every nook. Here the retired Blue Angel A-4 aircraft hang in formation. These are real aircraft used by the blue Angels for several years.

This is typical of what is there. I think it's better than the Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian mostly because of the many interactive displays. We experienced carrier flight line operations in a surround movie, and flew with the Blue Angels in a simulation. I climbed into the cockpit of a F-4 Phantom from the Vietnam era and was fascinated by the POW exhibit we found there.



Just outside, this F-18 Hornet aircraft sits on the ramp. It's the current Blue Angel ride and it was a treat to  just "kick the tires" on the aircraft. My love of aircraft made the day special and my bride didn't complain so all in all it was a great day.