Opened in 1962, the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola, Fla., is devoted to the history of naval aviation There are over 150 aircraft and spacecrafts displayed in the over 300,000 square feet of exhibit space which actually rivals the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

The museum also includes its own restoration hanger with a flight line behind it displaying nearly 40 aircraft. Looking for descriptive words to share regarding not only the depth of displays but the flow of the timeline as well as the accompanying information one can only come up with “awesome!"

During a recent visit by one of my long-time friends from Chattanooga, we made the trip from our home in Destin to the Museum for several reasons. First off as a youngster he constructed models of many of the airplanes in the museum.

Secondly, I had heard for so long about the Museum that I was anxious to see for myself if it deserved all the praise heaped on it by others. It was “better than good."

One of the most exhilarating displays is the seven story glass and steel atrium that features four A-4 Skyhawks in dive formation. If you'd like a closer, eye level look, you can head to the Second Deck. Also the world famous Blue Angels aerial stunt team flies out of the base at Pensacola.

At another display we found the “Willy Fudd” or “Stoof With a Roof,” As noted in the National Naval Aviation Museum on line information, the plane was designated the S2F/S-2 Tracker. It spent its service life rotating between Airborne Early Warning Squadrons (VAW) 11, 12, and 21, deploying on Atlantic and Pacific cruises in the carriers Constellation (CVA 64), Wasp (CVS 18), Saratoga (CVA 60), and Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA 42) before being retired to the museum in 1975.

The flexibility of the design translated into one of the most versatile airplanes of the Cold War era when its services were greatly needed. As the Soviet submarine force burgeoned in numbers and capability, it was the S2F/S-2 Tracker that was at the forefront of the U.S. Navy's defenses.

The plane spent the majority of its extensive service operating from the deck of the carrier Lexington (CVA 16) sustaining the carrier at sea by transporting supplies, personnel, and welcome mail to sailors.

They are biplanes of the Great War, record-setters, experimental platforms and survivors of epic aerial battles. In service they splashed through Pacific swells, slammed down on the pitching decks of aircraft carriers, flew through hails of gunfire and blasted to the stars
As you enter the exhibit area the first display is of vintage uniforms and historic documents displayed in cases in the entrance gallery. It is a fascinating display of uniforms many with names of the men and women who wore them as well.

Another favorite display was of Main Street U.S.A. in 1943. The lifelike store fronts even included a movie theater with appropriate posters of movies from the era. There was a barber shop complete with its candy cane pole and a restaurant displaying a menu with prices so astoundingly cheap that it made you wince and wish for the “really good old days.”

An interesting exhibit was of the “Flying Diaries of Naval Aviation.” The lined pages list the length and type of each and every flight made by a naval aviator, flight officer, or air crewman. Officially, this was done to chart flight hours for the purpose of flight pay and other reasons, but often for the individual a log book become much more personal, particularly during times of crisis, its pages forming a virtual diary of momentous flights.

The museum's exhibit devoted to naval aviation space includes a replica of a Mercury space capsule of the type in which naval aviator Alan B. Shepard became the first American in space on 5 May 1961.

According to the information supplied by the museum, the Navy was also a leading developer of pressure suits beginning in the 1950s, the work ultimately leading to the space suits worn by the earliest astronauts.

One these early models was the Model H Full Pressure Suit shown as part of the space exhibit. In August 1954, this particular suit was worn for 11 hours in a low-pressure chamber that simulated altitudes of 60,000 to 80,000 feet.

The time we allotted to the museum in retrospect was not enough but the museum itself is so overwhelming that if at all possible breaking up your visit into several days would be recommended.

Whatever the length of your stay on the Emerald Coast set aside at least one day to visit the museum, it will be well worth your time.

National Naval Aviation Museum
The National Naval Aviation Museum is located at Naval Air Station Pensacola, approximately seven miles west of downtown Pensacola. Parking and admission to the Museum are free.

Open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., seven days a week year-round, with the exception of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's days.

IMAX Naval Aviation Memorial Theatre
Open daily with movies beginning at the top of each hour starting at 10 a.m., with the last movie showing at 4 p.m. Check the IMAX Movie schedule for exact movie start times.