Blackwater State Park, Holt, FL; Sept. 2-5, 2013

This is the first time we’ve stayed at this park out in the panhandle of Florida and it was a pleasant surprise – beautiful, nicely shaded sites, good showers, clean restrooms.For some reason, I took no photos of the park, but we'll be staying again in November and I'll get photos then (I hope).

Volunteers fitting a wing to the body

Rich and a big anchor

 We took one day and revisited the US Naval Air Museum in Pensacola and enjoyed it as much as we did the first time we went. It is the largest air museum in the world and I can't imagine a larger one.  It was well done and we enjoyed it immensely.  Unfortunately, due to budget constraints, the Blue Angels practice flights have been cancelled so we were unable to watch them, but we did take the tram tour of the flight line where all the planes waiting to be restored were kept. There was a large hangar where planes were being restored, and we were told many of the planes on the flight line were brought up from the bottom of Lake Michigan and in line for restoration by volunteers.

A few of the planes on the flight line

Corsair

  I saw on a website that there are 151 planes on display, but it seems like more. Unfortunately, as I write this (admittedly way behind on my posts) the government shutdown is upon us and I can't access the museum site to check. Suffice it to say there are lots of planes in the two buildings we were in.

Model of USS Enterprise w/amazing detail

Boeing F4B-4

They have planes on the floor, hanging high from the ceiling, and some hanging in between. Photos are difficult to take because of the sheer number of planes.

 There were some additional displays – one we experienced was called the Flight Deck Experience. It was a small room where video of planes and helicopters landing and taking off from an aircraft carrier, the USS John C. Stennis, was coupled with the sounds, smells, and wind one would experience on a flight deck.

Corrugated aluminum skin & wires for controls

There were two stories that caught my interest at the museum and I’ve added text from the posters below:

“34 Days at sea on a raft

They were alone and lost, flying an extended search miles from their floating home. A compass error had sent them off course and operating under strict radio silence during this second month of war. Aviation Chief Machinist’s Mate (NAP) Harold F. Dixon, Aviation Ordnanceman Third Class Anthony J. Pastula, and Radioman Third Class Gene D. Aldrich could only hope to catch a glimpse f USS Enterprise (CV 6).

“Eventually, the cough of the engine on their TBD-1 Devastator signaled the inevitable, and Dixon guided the fuel-starved aircraft to a water landing in the Pacific Ocean. The day was 14 January 1942, and as the men scrambled into their 8 x 4-foot rubber life raft they could not imagine that it would be their home for the next thirty-four days. During that time ocean swells pounded their tiny craft as the trio baked under the scorching sun. Nourishment consisted of the occasional bird and fish they managed to catch as well as floating coconuts and marine growth on stumps that happened to drift within range of the raft. An occasional rain shower provided the men’s only freshwater. Finally, on 19 February 1942, having drifted a distance covering some 1,200 miles and 450 straight line miles from the spot where their plane went down, the men come ashore in the Danger Islands.”

The second story was about one of the planes in the annex:

Cessna 0-1 Bird Dog in story

“Cessna 0-1 Bird Dog

“The “Bird Dog” displayed here was last flown in the South Vietnamese Air Force. It is the only aircraft displayed in the Museum that was never in the Navy’s inventory. Its significance to Naval Aviation is told in the following story – one of the most unusual carrier landings ever made.

Crew: 2; Length: 25’9”; Wingspan: 36’; Height 7’3 ½”; Empty weight: 1,617 lb;

copy of note that was dropped to Midway

“A South Vietnam Air Force Major with his wife and five children as passengers landed this aircraft aboard the USS Midway on 30 April 1975 during operation “Frequent Wind”, the evacuation of South Vietnam.

“In a daring attempt to save himself, his wife and children, the Major piloted the aircraft from Con

Son Island seaward in search of a safe haven. With only enough gas remaining for one hour of flying, he located the Midway.

“The pilot circled Midway and attempted to drop a note to crewmen on the flight deck. The first two attempts were futile, but on the third try, his note was intercepted. It read: ‘Can you move those helicopters to the other side? I can land on your runway. I can fly one more hour. We have enough time to move. Please rescue me.’

“Midway’s Commanding Officer, Captain I. C. Chambers, assessed the situation and ordered the flight deck cleared. Crewmen worked feverishly to clear the landing area of helicopters which landed earlier with other evacuees. A volunteer Vietnamese interpreter manned a radio to help guide the tiny plane to safety.

“The Major’s approach to the flight deck was low and slow. He touched down once, bounced, and rolled to a stop well short of the end of the carrier’s angle deck. Despite a rain soaked deck and without the benefit of a tail hook or barricade, the Neophyte carrier pilot brought his plane and crew to safety. The

The landing was greeted with enthusiastic applause from the thrilled crewmen who surrounded the small aircraft.

“Of the three thousand refugees who were brought to safety via Midway, the seven who came aboard in the “Bird Dog” will be the best remembered. The dramatic landing so inspired the crew of Midway , that  they decided to adopt the courageous pilot and his family. A fund was established to help them start their new life. Wherever they may choose to settle the Major and his family will always be remembered by the men of Midway.”

I can’t imagine being in either of those situations – in fact, I’ve often asked myself if I would be strong or experienced or smart enough to manage as well as the folks about whom I’m reading. I fear I’m not which has, perhaps, made me a little overboard on research, list making, and what-if scenarios. I suspect I drive my poor husband around the bend…

Annex entrance

The annex is a  much smaller building around back of the main collection, but none-the-less, holds an amazing collection. You are met at the door by the sight of a very long red, white, and blue banner known as the homeward bound pennant hanging from the ceiling of the building. "The display of the homeward bound pennant is limited to ships that have been outside the United States continuously for 270 or more days. It is made up by the crew and flown in place of the normal commission pennant from the time the ship gets under way to proceed to a United States port until sunset on the day of arrival in the United States. The pennant is 200 times longer than its width at the hoist. Like the commission pennant, the homeward bound pennant consists of white stars on a blue field at the hoist, and is divided red over white at the fly. It has one star for the ship's first nine months continuously outside the United States, plus another star for each additional six months. The length of the pennant is one foot for each member of the crew who has been on duty outside the United States for nine months or more, not to exceed the length of the ship itself. Once the ship arrives home, the pennant is divided among the crew, with the captain getting the blue portion and the rest of the crew sharing the red and white portion equally."http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeohzt4/Seaflags/customs/customs.html The photo that went along with the pennant at the museum showed the crew standing on deck in several rows with the pennant winding through the rows with the stars on the left side of the back row then extending right across that row and  passed to the row in front and extending left, and continuing to the front row. It was very impressive in spite of the poor description I've given.

There is an enormous amount to be seen at the museum and when we go back we want to visit the lighthouse museum (and I'll get a photo of the info about the homeward bound pennant).

Now it's off to Tickfaw and a quick trip for boudin and gators, then on to Arkansas!