June 10, 2021

Birth of the Blues

"It's always about the money" goes the old saying and that was certainly true 75 years ago when Chief of Naval Operations Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz ordered the establishment of an exhibition flight team, the birth of today's famed Blue Angels. Having led the Navy to victory in the Pacific during World War II, Nimitz ascended to the sea

June 10, 2021

Blue Angels Scrapbook

Most people define the Blue Angels by graceful formations soaring in the sky overhead, but life in the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron is much more than the time spent in the cockpit or on the flight line.  Enjoy the scrapbook of images taken through the years that provides a portrait of the Blue Angels experience.The 1953 team pictured in front

Dec. 18, 2020

On the 50th Anniversary of First Flight, 14 Important Moments in the Life of the Tomcat

An air-to-air right side view of two Fighter Squadron 124 (VF-124) F-14 Tomcat aircraft. Advancements during the Cold War in Soviet long-range patrol and bomber aircraft dictated a requirement for a fleet defense fighter that could engage high-altitude bombers from well beyond visual range. The iconic F-14 was Grumman's answer. Continuing the

Oct. 24, 2019

Crossing the Streams: Popular Culture and Naval Aviation

Staff from the National Naval Aviation Museum (NNAM) have presented at Pensacon for the last four years, showcasing historical stories and artifacts from our collections.

May 8, 2019

100th Anniversary of the World's First Transatlantic Flight

Editor's note: on May 8, 2019, Rear Adm. John B. Mustin, Deputy Commander of U.S. Second Fleet and Naval Surface Force Atlantic, spoke at an event hosted by New York City Council Member Eric Ulrich. The event commemorated the 100th anniversary of the first transatlantic flight and renamed a street in New York City, "US Navy Seaplane Division One

Dec. 5, 2016

Pearl Harbor Toughness Takes Flight - Ensign Theodore W. Marshall

What does "toughness" mean to a U.S. Navy Sailor? Navy toughness means you take a hit and keep going, tapping all sources of strength and resilience. This is one such story; how, a young ensign embodied the fighting spirit of our U.S. Navy, put his toughness into action, and refused to stop - even as the bombs rained down.The first Japanese bombs

Jan. 28, 2015

Capt. Michael Smith's Journey to the Final Frontier and Beyond

Children wonder at the marvel of airplanes in flight, many dream of becoming pilots and soaring the wide expanses of sky.One young North Carolina farm boy, though, saw beyond the wild, blue yonder and sought the stars themselves. Michael Smith was among those who dared to cut ties with Planet Earth. He grew up in bucolic Beaufort, N.C., during the