US National Naval Aviation Museum

[dtango]

I took my family to DisneyWorld back in late April.  Since we drove we came up with a few stops along the way between Texas and Florida as mini-excursions.  One of the places my wife thought I would enjoy visiting was the US National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida.

I didn't do any reading about the museum and so had no idea what a treat I was in for!  Located on the Pensacola Naval Air Station itself (home of the Blue Angels) the Museum boasts something like approximately 140 aircraft related to US Naval Aviation.  There was a lot to do and I could probably have spent like at least 1/2 a day there if we would have had the time.

Some highlights for me:

• The guided tour: I was really impressed with the staff (I think of volunteers really - former Navy fellas) who gave the tour.  They were really knowlegeable and had a lot of interesting bits and pieces of technical as well as historical information to offer!  Tour about 1.5 hours.
• The last surviving SBD Dauntless present at the Battle of Midway.  Pretty amazing piece of history on static display.
• An actual N1K2-J Shinden.

I would recommend anyone with an interest in aviation a stop at the museum.  They had a library as well but I didn't get a chance to check to see what technical documents they had in helping them restore the aircraft.

Some other features of the museum are an IMAX theater, pretty good sized gift-shop, a decent cafe, and other aircraft on static display outside on the tarmac.

Attached are some pics I took of aircraft that we have in AH.

Last Surviving SBD from the Battle of Midway


N1K2-J Shinden


F4U-1D


F4U-4


F6F-5


FM2


Tango, XO
412th FS Braunco Mustangs

[Furball]

nice pics!

just out of pure interest, not having a dig or anything, why do most american museums and airshows seem to have virtually all american stuff? was just wondering if it is actually like that?

Over here we have a mix of everything in museums and airshows.

[dtango]

Well, that's a good question.  Can't say that I've noticed that at other aviation museums in the US myself.  The NASM in DC has a variety of aircraft and aerospace vehicles from different countries.  Airshows I've been at have typically a good mix of aircraft though probably 70% are US planes (modern and historical).  Maybe it's a matter of access and availability to aircraft and parts from other countries?

In this particular case it was the US Naval Aviation Museum so the focus was primarily on aircraft related to the US Navy is my guess.

Tango, XO
412th FS Braunco Mustangs

[brady]

It depends on the Museum you go to.

  The AirForce Museum in Dayton Ohio, has lots of forgin stuff in it, Me 262, D9, Me 163, MC 200, Great gun coloection, JU 88, JU 52, and much micu more.

 The Pauel E Garber Facality, has an amasing colection of Planes: Shinden, Il-2,Mossie, Francis,Grace, Jill,Me 410. He 177Engine (only:( ), and Much Much more.

 It real depends on whear ya go, some of the local air museum are heavy in US stuff because the rare enemy planes are in the National museum's which are spread aroiund the country.

[Mathman]

Looking forward to visiting this museum in about a month.  I am going to Florida for a cousin's wedding, found out it is only 30 minutes from Pensacola.  So, guess where I am going...

[rshubert]

Originally posted by Furball
nice pics!

just out of pure interest, not having a dig or anything, why do most american museums and airshows seem to have virtually all american stuff? was just wondering if it is actually like that?

Over here we have a mix of everything in museums and airshows.

The truth is that it's a lot easier to get american aircraft than it is to get foreign ones.  Not many evaluation aircraft got to the US during and after the war, and those were not preserved as they should have been.  Compare those few captured examples to the thousands of american aircraft made, then stored in the desert after the war.  Add to that the fact that these planes are getting increasingly rare, and you guys on the other side of the pond want to keep the ones you have.

The Air Force Museum in Dayton has a lot of foreign aircraft on display.  I sincerely wish they had more.  They do have an excellent collection of experimental and prototype aircraft, though.  The smithsonian in Washington has very few foreign aircraft on display, but several in storage that need restoration, including a bachem natter, that gotha flying wing, and others.  That museum's focus has gone away from warplanes to a focus on pioneering aircraft, commercial stuff, and research aircraft.

[rshubert]

Originally posted by brady
It depends on the Museum you go to.

  The AirForce Museum in Dayton Ohio, has lots of forgin stuff in it, Me 262, D9, Me 163, MC 200, Great gun coloection, JU 88, JU 52, and much micu more.

 The Pauel E Garber Facality, has an amasing colection of Planes: Shinden, Il-2,Mossie, Francis,Grace, Jill,Me 410. He 177Engine (only:( ), and Much Much more.

 It real depends on whear ya go, some of the local air museum are heavy in US stuff because the rare enemy planes are in the National museum's which are spread aroiund the country.

When's the last time you took the garber tour?  We got there last year, and were disappointed that over half the storage buildings were off limits.

The restoration facility was first class, though, and our docent was great.

[brady]

The Building Me and AG/AHGOD, could not get into was the the one that had the He 162 in it and the He 219, but were able to see all the rest, their collection was awsome and most of the Japanese planes they had were all Beautifuly restored, I was their 2 years ago this past June.

  Their was a CVE at the end of the war that was loaded with a ton of Japanese aircraft on it's way to the US for their evaluation but the planes were lost in a storm, I cant remember if they were pitched over the side or if the ship went down at sea, other wise their would be even more Japanese planes in the US, as it is their are quiet a few at the Garber Facality now, and the 4 N1K2-J's brought to the US are still alive and well in various Museum's.

 I realy want to get down to Arizona outside Phonex their is a great mueseum (name excapes me) that has a FW 190 D-13 and a N1K2-J in it, I think it is the Champlin museum.

 Once they get the new Museum built for the Full time Public display of the Pauel E Garber facalities planes, it will be somthing to see for shure:)

[rshubert]

was in the restoration shops when we went through.  All the skin was off, and the guts were out for all to see.

[Shiva]

Originally posted by dtango
Some highlights for me:
An actual N1K2-J Shinden.

BUZZZZ. Thank you for playing.

The Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-Kai "George 21" is the plane you depict. The Kyushu J7W1 Shinden is a pusher canard interceptor, of which only two prototypes were ever produced:



Of the two prototypes, one was destroyed in the bombing of the factory where it was built, and the other one is still sitting unrestored in the Smithsonian's  Garber Restoration Facility; hopefully it's going to get restored and put on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center out at Dulles.

[Shiva]

Originally posted by rshubert
When's the last time you took the garber tour?  We got there last year, and were disappointed that over half the storage buildings were off limits.

The Garber tours have been halted since March to allow for moving artifacts to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center out at Dulles, which opens in about five months. The NASM website also has a
list of aircraft scheduled tfor display at the new facility.

[brady]

The N1K1, aka the reasion were forced to listen to all these people call the George a NIKI, like it was some losesed liped porn star( the other lips), was also named Shinden, the N1K2-J was the Improved Vershion aka Shinden KAI.

[Shiva]

Originally posted by brady
The N1K1, aka the reasion were forced to listen to all these people call the George a NIKI, like it was some losesed liped porn star( the other lips), was also named Shinden, the N1K2-J was the Improved Vershion aka Shinden KAI.

The Kawanishi N1K1 Kyofu, given the code name 'Rex' by the Allies, is a seaplane:



The Kawanishi N1K1-J Shiden was a land-based aircraft design derived from the N1K1 Kyofu, and given the Allied code name 'George':



As the Shiden was being put into production, it was already being redesigned as the N1K2-J Shiden-Kai, which was given the Allied code name 'George 21'; the most visible changes were the wings being moved to the bottom of the fuselage, which allowed the landing gear to be shortened and strengthened, and the alteration of the shape of the vertical stabilizer:



'Shiden' means 'violet lightning'; 'shinden' means 'magnificent lightning'. Different words, with different meanings, written with different characters, and applied to different planes.

It's curious, though, Brady, how you're insisting that the N1K1-J and N1K2-J were called the 'Shinden' and 'Shinden-Kai', while every single model kit and website for the plane, including the Wright-Patterson AFB museum, as well as my copy of Jane's Fighting Aircraft of WWII, calls them 'Shiden' and 'Shiden-Kai'. The only 'Shinden-Kai' I've been able to find a reference to is the jet-powered version of the J7W1 Shinden interceptor, which never made it off the drawing board.

[Rutilant]

Our SBD looks like a pudgy compared to that..

[brady]

Sory forgot the J on the N1K1, comment above, but you must also remeber I have a get of jail free card hear, I cant spell Jaopanese words either:)