A heavy rainstorm with lightning and thunder started a few minutes after I got out of church this morning, so there was no use trying to do anything outside today. The lady at the Pensacola Visitor Information Center suggested I go to the National Naval Aviation Museum. It is open every day until 4:00 pm and is located on the Naval Air Station military base. The basic admission is free to the public, but there are add-on activities such as movies and simulator rides that you can add, if desired.
The main building is packed full of military planes from World War I to the present, arranged chronologically. It has n ot only airplanes, but airplane engines, support equipment, cabins from airships (zeppelins and blimps), and even space exploration items such as an Apollo lunar module. In addition, there are scale models of airplanes and aircraft carriers, giant screens showing videos taken from flight decks, and a Hall of Honor for notable heroes of aviation.
An airship cabin from a blimp or zeppelin...
Scale models of airplanes and aircraft carriers...
A Sopwith Camel airplane, like Snoopy pretends to have in the Peanuts comic strip, is one of the many historical airplanes on display. Its twin forward-firing machine guns are mounted behind the propeller and the firing is automatically synchronized so bullets won't hit the propeller blade. "Camel" became part of its name because the machine gun mounts bulge over the top of the engine like camel humps.
An airplane of the same model Amelia Airhart was flying when she went missing...
The Hall of Honor included plaques for Neil Armstrong, George H.W. Bush, and many others.
There are more planes outside, and a separate airplane hangar, but I didn't venture over there in the rain. The rain stopped sometime before I left the museum.
The museum truly is a military or aviation buff's dream!
The airbase is also the site of the first lighthouse on the Gulf Coast. The first lighthouse was built in 1824 and no longer exists. The current lighthouse, which replaced the original, was first lit in 1859 and is still in use.
I got the okay for overnight parking at Sam's Club, so that's where I'll be staying tonight. There is a slight breeze and I'm tired, so it should be a good night.
UPDATE: I was talking with a couple of men the day after I went to the Naval Aviation Museum and they told me there are a lot of planes in the other 2 buildings, as well. Among other things, one building ofthe buildings has a military drone. Soundd like the museum is even bigger than I thought!
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