Pensacola

July 31, 2016

Pensacola

Headed back to north Florida.

Into Alabama

Through Mobile

and the Mobile Bay tunnel

the Battleship Alabama

and Mobile Bay.

Checked in to the Blue Angles Recreational RV Park.

We learned that the Blue Angles are going to be out of town while we are here, but we still have the museum.

Got set up, Cathy and Freddy relaxed, then noticed a RV that looked familiar.

And it was Richard and Faye Heaslip. They are long time friends, we went to Alaska together in 2011 but we have not seen them in a few years.
We spent three days catching up. Ate some good food too.

The Naval Aviation Museum

First thing inside is a scale model of the Aircraft Carrier USS Enterprise

Through out the museum, there are scale models of all the carriers.

Aircraft that were converted from land based to sea planes like the "Tommy"

Famous aircraft like the NC-4

that was the first aircraft to cross the Atlantic Ocean.
It was a great accomplishment for the USN Aviation Department.

But, one of the pilots was the first USCG pilot, Lt. Elmer Stone.

I already knew this but was glad the museum staff gave the USCG recognition for his part in this historic flight.

Ford Tri-Motor plane

Sopwith Camel, I think this is what Snoopy flies when he fights the Red Baron

Lt jg Ingalls USN was the first USN ace flying one of these in WW1

The first aircraft I was qualified on in the USCG was a P5M. It was powered by 2 of these engines.

A cut-away of it.
I spent 3 weeks in school learning all about it

It also powered the AD-5 fighter aircraft. The last great piston powered fighter plane. Used in the early years of Vietnam.

When training on the engine, we used these planes for working on the engines. What fun starting them and running at full power.

FG Corsair built by Goodyear and it's not filled with air.

A great fighter plane.

This one was restored by Wayne Thomas of Plant City FL and donated by his estate to the museum.

It was painted to match the plane of the top Marine fighter ace (28 confirmed kills), Maj. Gregory "Pappy" Boyinton, Commander of the Black Sheep Squadron.
Remember the TV show, Baa Baa Black Sheep starring Robert Conrad. Boyington was actually an advisor for the show.

PB2Y 4 engine sea plane.

When on patrol, they typically took 2 crews because it could stay airborne over 20 hours. There were bunks for the spare crew and a 3 burner electric stove with oven.

This aircraft had no mounted wheels. After landing, they would taxi near the ramp and a crew would bring out temporary wheels to mount. Note the right side one is painted green and the left is red.

A smaller PBY Catalina could land on a runway or water.
Used for sub hunting and scouting mainly in the Pacific and Alaskan coast.

Blimp

The top Japanese fighter, the Zero

light, agile, fast but lightly armored. Could be shot down easily.

The ME262 German jet fighter, nick named "The Swallow" was first flown in 1942

It was about 100 MPH faster than the P51

Due to heavy Allied bombing, it never got into full production.

machine guns mounted in a nose section

One section is a wooden flight deck complete with markings.

The type of flight deck used on the USS Hornet, Commissioned in Oct. 1941 and sunk in Oct. 1942. She had a very storied life including the launching of Doolittle's Raiders.

From this shot, you can see how they have the aircraft stacked in.

I think this is the best aircraft museum I have ever seen.

I did get to see the Blue Angles (hanging around).

They normally practice on Tuesdays and Wednesdays but are out of town most of this month.

On NAS Pensacola, near the museum is the Pensacola Lighthouse first lit Jan. 1, 1859.

The light, at 150 feet and sitting on a 40 foot bluff is the tallest lighthouse on the Gulf of Mexico.

From the side

front

One side is the Keepers quarters and the other side the assistant keepers quarters.

View from front yard.

rear

living room

dining room

Cathy on the stairway. This light is open to climb but both of us had sore knees.

We anted to come here to see The Blue Angles, the museum, the lighthouse AND

Lambert's, Home of the Throwed Rolls" in Foley.

We have been to the original Lambert's several times but never here.

Waiting time on Wed. 2:00 PM 45 minutes. We miss the one in MO, we have a way of bypassing the wait line.

Also in Pensacola is Captain Joe Patti's Restaurant and Seafood sales.
Their fried mullet, caught daily with their boats, is great.
West of here, no one eats mullet but they do eat gar fish.