National Naval Aviation Museum

I had taken a few sunny pictures when I was on the base the day before.

Tuesday was a rainy day so I headed over to the National Naval Aviation Museum and it is one of the best museums I’ve been to.  The amazing part is that it is completely free! You can honestly spend days in there and not take in everything but I did my best.

Silly looking plane

My first activity was jumping on a trolley for a 20 minute tour of the approximately 50 aircraft displayed on the flight line behind the restoration hangar. Tour tickets are free and can be picked up at the Information Desk but they go quickly. I thought it was a nice behind the scenes look at some planes that are not in their finest condition. Perhaps one day I’ll go back and see them on full display inside! 

I spent the rest of the morning wandering around inside and learning all about naval aviation. More than 150 aircraft and spacecraft are on display, including four former Blue Angel A-4 Skyhawks, the Curtiss NC-4 (the first aircraft to cross the Atlantic), U. S. Coast Guard helicopters, biplanes, 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. My favorite exhibits were the portrayals of life in the service and you can tell they had a sense of humor.

"If your parachute fails to open, return same and we will give you a new one"

"If all else fails, look out the window"

You can also sit in the cockpits of some different airplanes as well as partake in a variety of flight simulators. A major focal point of the museum is the Blue Angels because this is where they are based. Later in the spring you can come out and view their practices for free but I was too early in the year to see that.

At 1pm I jumped on a free tour of the place. They basically walk you around to different aircraft and give you a bit more background than is on the display placards. It was way too long though. I was still on the tour at 2:15 and I had to go to the airport to pick up Melissa so I headed out.