In May of 1911, Captain Washington Irving Chambers, United States Navy, officer in charge of aviation, prepared the requisition for the Navy’s first aircraft to be purchased from aviator and inventor Glenn H. Curtiss. From then, until today, Naval aviation has played a significant role in the defense of our country, in peace and war.
Naval aviation today is comprised of more than 100,000 officers and sailors assigned to 11 aircraft carriers, 10 carrier air wings, 25 naval air stations, and 168 fleet, Reserve, and training squadrons.
We fondly remember the years we spent in the United States Navy. We salute all other veterans, both past and present for their service to our country.
For those interested in planes of the past, there are indeed lots of military DVDs, and aviation books. But we find that the best way to understand aviation history is to see it up close and personal ... to see the planes, touch them, sense their size and purpose.
Many fine museums around the country offer a first-hand glance at the history of Navy aviation. The National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida, is a world-class facility, and highly recommended.
Also, the Naval Station Wildwood Aviation Museum at the Cape May Airport in New Jersey is well repsected, and their collection of aircraft, other aviation exhibits, special events and educational opportunities are recommended.
Other Navy aircraft collections at Patuxent, Alameda, Tillamook and other sites offer excellent glimpses into past Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard operations.
Shown below is but a brief sampling of the aircraft on display around the country, enabling us to remember and appreciate the planes and sailors of the past. We'll be adding more Navy and Marine aircraft photos soon.
Boeing F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet
Centennial of Naval Aviation: 1911 - 2011 |
North American Aviation T-2 Buckeye Bureau Number 157034 |
North American Aviation T-2C Buckeye B/N 157050 in Tucson, Arizona |
North American Aviation T-2 Buckeye B/N 157034 at HAMM in Tyler |
Consolidated OA-10 Catalina 433879 at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio |
U.S. Navy P-3C Orion 294 in flight (US Navy photo) |
C-131A of the United States Coast Guard, restored by the staff of the Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum |
T-28C Trojan, Pueblo Weisbrod |
U.S. Navy Lockheed P2V-7 Nepture, BuNo 148360, Tillamook |
U.S. Navy F-14A Tomcat at Tillamook |
U.S. Navy Poseidon P-8s on the flight line (Boeing Photo) |
U.S. Navy E-2D Hawkeye during carrier landing on the USS Abraham Lincoln (US Navy photo) |
F/A-18E Super Hornet landing on carrier (US Navy Photo) |
Grumman F11F of the Blue Angels, BuNo 141796, Aviators Memorial Park, Grand Junction Regional Airport (Walker Field) in Colorado |
U.S. Navy C-2 Greyhound 40 during replenishment operations (US Navy Photo) |
F-35B Lightning landing on carrier (US Navy Photo) |
Whidbey Island - City of Oak Harbor Naval Air Station aircraft display, A-6 Intruder and EA-6B Prowler |
F4U Corsair, 5/N 124724, Registration F-AZEG flying over Melun, France (Photo by DELEHELLE Eric) |
AD-4N Skyraider, Registration F-AZDP, 24143, of the USS Saratoa, seen here in Luxeui, France (Photo by DELEHELLE Eric) |
F8F Grumman Bearcat, G-RUMM, flying over Melun, France (Photo by DELEHELLE Eric) |
TBM 3R Avenger, HB-RDG, 53319, over Roanne, France (Photo by DELEHELLE Eric) |
United States Marines Corps AD-5 Skyraider in Tyler, Texas |
FG-1D Corsair, 530, of the Dixie Wing of the Commemorative Air Force, at the Cedar Creek Air Show in Tyler, Texas |
North American PBJ-1J "Devil Dog" patrol bomber, a B-25 variant for the Marine Corps Part of the Devil Dog Squadron of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF), located in Georgetown, TX |
North American PBJ-1J "Devil Dog" before a performance at the Thunder Over Cedar Creek Lake Air Show |
North American PBJ-1J "Devil Dog" patrol bomber, showing Commemorative Air Force logo |
U.S. Marine Corps. PBJ-1J "Devil Dog" patrol bomber - front gun armament |
U.S. Navy F-4 Phantom from the USS Coral Sea, 152986 at the Wedell-Williams Aviation Museum, Patterson, Louisiana (photo by the author) |
U.S. Navy McDonnell-Douglas YF-4J Phantom, 151497,
at Pima Air in Tucson, AZ |
Grumman F-11A Tiger, 141824, in markings of the Blue Angels, at the Pima Air Museum |
Blue Angels logo on the Grumman F-11A Tiger, 141824 |
U.S. Navy Martin PBM-5A Mariner, 122071,
in Tucson, AZ |
Grumman F7F-3 Tigercat, 80410, VMF-312,
of the U.S. Marines Corps, at the Pima Air Museum |
Nose view, Grumman F7F-3 Tigercat, 80410, VMF-312,
of the U.S. Marines Corps |
Sikorsky S-43 Baby Clipper, 1059, 2-M J-4,
in Tucson, AZ |
Grumman S2F-1 Tracker, 136468,
of the U.S. Navy, Tucson, AZ |
U.S. Navy Convair T-29B Flying Classroom, 517906,
in Tucson, AZ |
United States Navy C-131F Samaritan, 141017, Guantanamo Bay, in Tucson, AZ |
United States Marine Corps Douglas C-117D Super Gooneybird, 50826, Tucson, AZ
|
U.S. Navy North American T-28C Trojan, 140481,
in Tucson, AZ |
TA-4J Skyhawk, 154291, U.S. Navy, at HAMM, Tyler, TX |
TA-4J Skyhawk, U.S. Navy, 154291
|
SNJ-4 Texan of the US Navy, BU 51360, at the March Field Air Museum in California (Staff Photo) |
North American FJ-4 Fury of the U.S. Marine Corps, 139516, at HAMM in Texas
|
PB4Y-2 Privateer 59-819 at the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona |
A-7 Corsair II of the U.S Navy, at Heritage Park in Albuquerque, NM |
A visit to the museum located at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida, is highly recommended. It features a massive collection of aircraft, a giant screen theater, flight simulators, Blue Angels tributes and many more exhibits. Admission and parking is free.
Since the Museum is located at NAS Pensacola, security measures are in effect. Please contact the museum prior to your visit to learn of current visit information.
Additional information can be obtained at the website of the National Navy Aviation Museum.
Exterior view of the National Navy Aviation Museum in Pensacola |
Interior views of the National Navy Aviation Museum in Pensacola | |
U.S. Navy P-3C Orion BU 158206 arriving at AMARG from Whidbey Island, WA, October 1, 2013 (Photo by 309th AMARG) |
U.S. Navy P-3C Orion BU 161412 at the AMARG facility at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, Arizona (Photo by 309th AMARG) |