| The National Naval Aviation Museum is a | | | | "It's a wonderful moment when the guy |
| place that brings together different | | | | who actually flew the plane comes and |
| people who have one thing in common: a | | | | checks it out," said Eckhouse. "We try |
| love of aviation. | | | | to restore them as close to the factory |
| Located at Pensacola Naval Air Station | | | | specs as we can." |
| in Florida, the museum has a flight | | | | Volunteer Jeff Peyronnin, 62, who served |
| simulator that depicts a jet fighter | | | | in the Coast Guard, has spent the last |
| swooping into battle during the first | | | | two years working on the Coronado's tail |
| Iraq war, a seven-story atrium that | | | | section. |
| features a collection of Blue Angels | | | | "Every time you mess with it you feel |
| jets hanging from the ceiling, an IMAX | | | | like you are touching history," he said. |
| theater that shows a film about the | | | | "I like to picture this old lady at |
| acrobatic fliers, and a café that is a | | | | Tokyo Bay." |
| recreation of the Cubi Point officer's | | | | World War II veteran Les Schnyder, 82, |
| club in the Philippines. | | | | has logged more than 18,000 hours as a |
| However, the main attractions of the | | | | volunteer. His specialty is restoring |
| National Naval Aviation Museum, which | | | | the blimplike airships that escorted |
| opened in 1963 and has been expanded | | | | convoys in WWII, and many of his |
| three times, are its restored aircraft. | | | | restoration projects are already on |
| Among them is the Navy's S-3B Viking | | | | display inside the museum. |
| that President Bush flew when he landed | | | | Some of the planes were brought back to |
| on the carrier Abraham Lincoln and made | | | | life after being pulled from the water |
| his "Mission Accomplished" speech about | | | | years later, including an early World |
| the Iraq war. | | | | War II era Brewster Buccaneer that was |
| The PB2Y Coronado, the first US plane | | | | at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese |
| that landed in Tokyo after World War II, | | | | attacked. It later flew in the Battle of |
| is the latest restoration project of the | | | | Midway before becoming a training |
| museum. Restorations are undertaken by | | | | aircraft for pilots practicing carrier |
| mostly volunteers composing of hundreds | | | | landings in Lake Michigan, where it sank |
| of military retirees. | | | | after a crash. It was only salvaged from |
| The volunteers often draw on their own | | | | the lake six decades later. |
| military experience to make the | | | | Wally Farrand, after 22 years in the |
| restorations authentic. Thousands of | | | | Navy, now restores the museum's vintage |
| hours in labor are contributed each year | | | | aircraft engines, including the |
| to the museum, making the volunteer | | | | Brewster's. He joked that his best work |
| program a model for other museums. | | | | is never seen by visitors because it is |
| Former Navy pilot Mort Eckhouse, 79, has | | | | inside the aircraft. |
| logged thousands of volunteer hours over | | | | "But everything I do here, I just love |
| almost 20 years of working in the | | | | it," he said. |
| restoration area's machine shop. He | | | | And it is that kind of tireless |
| meticulously recreates rusted and broken | | | | dedication from the volunteers that |
| aircraft parts on donated 1950s era | | | | keeps the museum running smoothly. |
| milling machines. His work is then | | | | For operation hours, activities and |
| tested whenever a pilot or crew member | | | | other information about the National |
| of a restored aircraft sees the finished | | | | Naval Aviation Museum, visit |
| product in the museum. | | | | Source: community.warplanes. |