SELF-GUIDED WALKING TOUR

SELF-GUIDED WALKING TOUR
First Floor Walking Tour
This guide is designed to assist educators, parents and group leaders in
maximizing the National Naval Aviation Museum’s educational resources.
By reviewing this guide prior to arrival, you will be able to select or suggest
the exhibits that will not only fit into your allotted visit time, but also
correspond with the educational level of your students and their interest.
This guide also serves as a tool for the classroom review once before and
after the students are back at school or home.
This tour is designed for up to 30 children and takes up to 35 mintues.
A reference for your self guided tour.
For your enjoyment, stop and look at the different exhibits!
First Floor Map
Quarterdeck (Entrance &
Quarterdeck)
As aboard an actual warship,
the Quarterdeck of the
Museum is the reception area
for visitors. It houses a
signature sculpture titled the
"Spirit of Naval Aviation,"
which honors five eras in Naval
Aviation history.
Rotating Beacon (South
Patches & Flight Gear (South
Wing)
Display cases contain artifacts
tracing the evolution of flight
gear from the earliest days of
Naval Aviation to modern
combat, while flags, banners
and insignias from a variety of
air stations, carriers, and
squadrons line the walls and
displays.
NC-4 Exhibit (South
Wing)
Complementing the
display of the famous NC4 flying boat is an exhibit
telling its brief, but
eventful, career. The
exhibit, built to look like
the interior of a wooden
hangar from the era in
which the NC-4 operated,
tells the story of its
construction,
transatlantic flight
World War I Exhibit (South
Wing)
The World War I exhibit depicts
life as an aviator during the
Great War.
Wing)
In the early days of
aviation, airfields used a
system of lights and other
visual devices to
communicate with pilots
South Wing
Atrium
The 10,000 square foot Blue
Angels Atrium is the
ceremonial center of the
Museum.
PBY(South Wing)
During World War II,
Catalinas performed a
variety of essential duties,
including long range
scouting and antisubmarine patrols, convoy
escorts, search and rescue
and bombing operations. It
was the latter functions
that the PBY established its
greatest legacy, equipping
so-called Black Cat
squadrons that carried out
effective night attacks
against Japanese shipping
and installations.
40mm Bofors Gun (West Wing)
A primary weapon in fleet air
defense on carriers and other ships
was the 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft
gun, a twin-mount displayed here.
The 40mm Bofors proved highly
effective, particularly with the
advent of Japanese kamikazes in
1944-45.
World War II Exhibit (West Wing)
Naval Aviation and the nation's
greatest test came with the onset
of World War II. After the
Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, 7
December 1941, the United States
was thrust into the global conflict
and the Navy took the fore in the
Pacific War.
West Wing
The West Wing of the Museum
houses examples of the some of
the key Navy and Marine Corps
aircraft of World War II and
highlights the Navy's postwar
transition to the Jet Age.
Sunken Treasures (West Wing)
As could be expected, a
number of aircraft were lost in
training; decades later,
however, several of those
aircraft, some one-of-a-kind
examples or actual combat
veterans, have been recovered
from the bottom of the lake
and restored by this Museum.
An F4F Wildcat and SBD
Dauntless are displayed as
they were recovered from Lake
Michigan.
Kiddie Hawk (play area) (West
Wing)
Families with young children
age 5 and under enjoy the
popular Kiddie Hawk play area.
Modeled to look like the island
of an aircraft carrier, Kiddie
Hawk features many items that
are found on a real ship. Here
young visitors can enjoy playing
with the fireman's pole, rope
ladders, binoculars, periscopes
and the ship's helm. They can
also enjoy interactive devices
such as button-activated ship
sounds, an intercom system,
and other mock control panels.
USS Intrepid (CV-11)
Propeller (Entrance &
Quarterdeck)
On display is one of four
propellers that thrust the
carrier USS Intrepid (CVS-11)
through the ocean on some
of her final cruises.
Weighting 27,100 lb., the
surface of the bronze 'screw'
shows the effects of
cavitation, which occurs
when the propeller's
rotation creates areas of
differing pressure along the
blades and produces
bubbles that implode with
force enough to create dings
in the surface.