National Naval Museum, Panama City, Florida

Just after we got to Styx River we met up with Lavon Greathouse, a fellow Amazonian who we met last year (2012) while working there.  He just so happens to live in Robertsdale, Alabama, about 10 miles south of Styx River, our home base resort for Ocean Canyon Properties.  He drove us to the National Naval Aviation Museum one day where we spent a good part of the day.  What a fascinating place - it has airplanes and helicopters from WWI to the present. 

Vindicator SB2U

This aircraft is the only Vindicator SB2U known to exist anywhere in the world.

Curtiss MF Boat

JN Jenny

Vindicator SB2U

The Squadron Car

Back in the days when the Navy did not provide squadrons on deployment or weapons training detachments with transportation, it was common for members of the wardroom to chip in some money to purchase a well used automobile in which personnel could get around. They inevitably were decorated and often kept and passed down through the years as a symbol of squadron camaraderie. This Lincoln Continental is one of the more elaborate "works of art" around and for many years belonged to members of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 134. The addition of a refueling probe mock-up on the top of the car, it resembles the EA-6B Prowler aircraft flown by the squadron. This squadron car was donated to the museum in 2003 after being driven to Pensacola from VAQ-134's home base at Naval Air Station, Whidbey Island, Washington.

Lavon in front of the USS Saratoga

Lavon is a Veteran who was commissioned on the USS Saratoga, a Navy Super Carrier. Primarily an east coast carrier during her service, deploying to the Atlantic and Mediterranean, the Saratoga made one combat deployment during the Vietnam War, launching strikes in Southeast Asia in 1972-1973.

X-47B UCAS

Unmanned Combat Air System, technology relevant to the future of unmanned carrier aircraft.