If you are ever passing through Pensacola, Florida then a visit to the National Naval Aviation Museum is an absolute must.

We spent an afternoon there yesterday, having visited for the first-time last year and our experience this time was even better, if that’s possible!

Museum visitors can join guided tours hosted by pilots, many of whom served in World War II. They are willing volunteers and talk with incredible knowledge about the planes, the roles these planes played in aviation history and wars, their technical capabilities and how they became to be displayed at the museum.

As part of the museum’s displays, we took part in an “on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier” experience which was simply fantastic. Over a period of 15 minutes you feel what it’s like to be on the deck of an aircraft carrier while planes take off and land. Wow, it was fantastic and our host, a former aircraft carrier pilot, was simply amazing.

Painted with the number 41, George H.W. Bush (41st President) flew this plane. Bush enlisted in the U.S. Navy on his 18th birthday as a Seaman 2nd Class. He was commissioned an ensign and pilot and served aboard the USS San Jacinto.

Soon after the end of World War II, the Chief of Naval Operations created a flight exhibition team to raise the public’s interest in naval aviation and boost Navy morale. Known as the Blue Angels, the display team have been demonstrating their outstanding flying capabilities ever since. We saw the display team practicing on Sunday night as we were touring around the area – fantastic!