Tracks of the StoneBear Odyssey ROF = Ring of Fire: Pensacola NAS BLUE Angels 1

PNS 1

ROF= Ring of fire journey

PNS= Pensacola Journey

Wednesday April 13, 2016

Pensacola NAS Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida

It's The Blue Angels Baby!

Been to Pensacola a couple times but never got to the Naval Aviation Museum. Finally.

There are 3 things that make a good movie; 1. Marines, 2. Shooting, 3. Airplanes.

If you wanted to make an even better movie it would have; 1. more Marines, 2. more Shooting, 3. more Airplanes.

There are variations to those themes. Marine pilots flying Airplanes and Shooting.

Or Marines Shooting down enemy Airplanes.

The Navy/ Marine Corps team can't be beat. So it was a thrill to just be walking around the museum among ALL the history and restored Navy, Marine Corps aircraft.

It was a rainy overcast day, light rain/ drizzle, perfect to be inside a flight museum.

From the earliest WWI biplanes and trainers through the successive generations of flight. WWII Grumman "Avenger" torpedo bombers, F4U Corsairs,

PBY seaplanes, Viet Nam Hellcats. Then jets, F4, F8, the last combat mission F-14... the "Top Gun" F-14, Ch- 53s, CH-14s, Hueys, Blackhawks,... A-6 Intruder...

and then you heard it...

Sssssscccchhhqqqqqqqeeeeuuuuuwwwwwwwwwww. A Navy jet taking off with a cadet in training.

...couple more munutes. again, SSSsssscccchhhhqqqqeeeeeeeewwwwww. another jet flying by.

I'm at the back door of the museum. There's a courtyard opening to go over to see more planes in "Hangar 1", an additional museum building. There's a fantastic EC-2 "Hawkeye" - that's the AWACS model version that I remember onboard the USS Coral Sea- ... this was a newer modern version. Walking around the Hawkeye I could hear the jets...

I'm at the back door of the museum. There's a courtyard opening to go over to see more planes in "Hangar 1", an additional museum building. There's a fantastic EC-2 "Hawkeye" - that's the AWACS model version that I saw on the USS Coral Sea- ... this was a newer modern version. Walking around the Hawkeye I could hear the jets...

and then they came by again.... Hot Damn, It's the Blue Angels Baby! The Angels are doing some final practice runs for their show in Tennessee this weekend.

None of this was planned... and we stumble into the Blue Angels practicing; ?Is this a great country or what?

So for about 30 minutes in light rain we see a few passes of the Angels. Fantastic!

Inside one of the museum workers told us they almost cancelled this morning because of the rain. ... And.,.. because of the low ceiling ~~ less than 2,500'~~ their flight maneuvers were closer than normal. We got a closer view.

What we didn't know is that every Tuesday and Wednesday - during season- you can see the Blue Angels practice here... at no charge. AND... if you walk down the walkway on the left of the hangars (on the right)... there are stands/ seating for about 1,000 people. They didn't open the stands today 'cause they didn't think they would even practice in the rain; but it let up enough.

also see Blue Angels 2 blog post http://sbtrof.blogspot.com/2016/04/pensacola-blue-angels-2.html

You never drink twice from the same stream. 

Friday, April 15, 2016

Pensacola NAS BLUE Angels 1