| FEATURED EXHIBITS |
| Welcome to Part 2 of our program! This section will cover a few Featured Exhibits the museum maintains. Among other exhibits, we'll take you from "Home Front" Pensacola in World War II to a carrier's decks, to the muggy Pacific base of the Cactus Air Force...and then dive to the bottom of Lake Michigan. You can have a drink at the Cubi Point Officer's Club in the Philippines, spend time learning about the Navy's second-most decorated ship, and then take a quick peak at the cool goings-on in the Restoration Hangar! Let's roll! |
| WORLD WAR II |
Upstairs on the atrium's 2nd floor is a three-part World War II exhibit that takes you from the Home Front to a U.S. carrier
hangar bay and finally a jungle Marine base on Guadalcanal. My first job after leaving Florida State University with a B.A.
in History was as a Curator's Assistant at the Museum of Florida History, located in Tallahassee. As such I have a critical
eye on museum displays, and this three-part exhibit is simply outstanding. I've only depicted two of the three parts here.
(Above) is a pretty dern accurate recreation of 1943 Pensacola. (Below), this could easily be an old photo from the high
Pacific in 1943. Actually it is a recreated hangar bay space with mannequins eternally fixing a Dauntless dive bomber.
Both photos were shot in 2002.
hangar bay and finally a jungle Marine base on Guadalcanal. My first job after leaving Florida State University with a B.A.
in History was as a Curator's Assistant at the Museum of Florida History, located in Tallahassee. As such I have a critical
eye on museum displays, and this three-part exhibit is simply outstanding. I've only depicted two of the three parts here.
(Above) is a pretty dern accurate recreation of 1943 Pensacola. (Below), this could easily be an old photo from the high
Pacific in 1943. Actually it is a recreated hangar bay space with mannequins eternally fixing a Dauntless dive bomber.
Both photos were shot in 2002.
Inside the recreated carrier's spaces (above), you can get a
glimpse of life at sea during World War II. Various shops
are displayed, such as the Photo Lab (Left). Enlisted
Sailors slept in "racks" with no privacy, their pin-up girls
providing the only color in the berthing compartment
(below left). The Ready Room remains the aircrew's main
haunt when not flying (below). June 2006.
glimpse of life at sea during World War II. Various shops
are displayed, such as the Photo Lab (Left). Enlisted
Sailors slept in "racks" with no privacy, their pin-up girls
providing the only color in the berthing compartment
(below left). The Ready Room remains the aircrew's main
haunt when not flying (below). June 2006.
U.S. Marines manned forward airbases as the war front moved towards Japan.
These jungle bases were sparse, uncomfortable affairs. The most famous of
these were Guadalcanal's Henderson Field and Fighter Two. Home of the
legendary "Cactus Air Force", the Marines here endured hard conditions, and still
flew to victory. June 2006.
These jungle bases were sparse, uncomfortable affairs. The most famous of
these were Guadalcanal's Henderson Field and Fighter Two. Home of the
legendary "Cactus Air Force", the Marines here endured hard conditions, and still
flew to victory. June 2006.
| SUNKEN TREASURES |
A Wildcat (left) and a Dauntless (above) are displayed as they
laid on the bottom of Lake Michigan. May 2006.
laid on the bottom of Lake Michigan. May 2006.
Many of the museum's aircraft were recovered from the bottom of Lake Michigan where they crashed during training off
the carriers USS Wolverine and USS Sable during World War II. These two side-wheel flattops provided a safe platform
for fledgling aviators to begin earning their wings. The two aircraft shown here in "Sunken Treasures" are pretty much
shown as they were found after a half-century sojourn on the cold lake bed. The artifacts shown in the cases were found
on board the aircraft. Canteens still had drinkable water; fire extinguishers still worked. Since Lake Michigan is fresh
water, the electrics had not corroded and could still be energized!
the carriers USS Wolverine and USS Sable during World War II. These two side-wheel flattops provided a safe platform
for fledgling aviators to begin earning their wings. The two aircraft shown here in "Sunken Treasures" are pretty much
shown as they were found after a half-century sojourn on the cold lake bed. The artifacts shown in the cases were found
on board the aircraft. Canteens still had drinkable water; fire extinguishers still worked. Since Lake Michigan is fresh
water, the electrics had not corroded and could still be energized!
