Pensacola Naval Air Station Visit

Recently, I took a day trip to visit the U S Navy Aviation Museum. I have been several times and I always enjoy visiting the exhibits. I was an aviation jet mechanic while in the Navy. The vast majority of my time was spent working on the line crew. Mostly I was a plane captain.  I was also able to perform other functions associated with maintaining the planes for flight. Pictured below is a cutout of the J 65 jet engine that I was trained on. Damaged engines were removed from the planes, placed in containers and shipped to O & R stations.

The museum contains planes from all eras of Naval Aviation. There are simulators where a person can experience the feel of carrier take offs and landings. There is also an early space capsule.  A small cafeteria is located within the museum and a very well stocked gift shop. Admission is free. Guided tours are available.

 There are several other attractions located on the base in close proximity to the museum. There is a Civil War era fort (admission) that is quite interesting. Over 6 1/2 million bricks. A military cemetery and the Pensacola Lighthouse pictured below.

The day I was there the lighthouse was open for those willing to climb to the top. The lady in the gift shop told me it was 177 steps. I decided to give it a try. I paid the nominal fee (lower for us seniors) and began the trek. I did rest twice on the way. Once at the top, I was rewarded with views that made the effort well worth it. Below is a view of the Gulf and part of the beach.

The following picture is a view of the museum.

I stayed at the top for awhile chatting with the docent, and more importantly, getting rested for the decent. It was a wonderful exhilarating time at the top. Well worth the effort. I will admit that my legs were sore for a few days.