Posted on 2/3/2017

Many of our Ocean Reef Resort visiting guests have spotted them flying along the shimmering bright beaches or seen them soaring above the glistening gulf waters. Sometimes they unexpectedly soar by at such high speeds that can be quite startling. The aircraft you see are usually either helicopters or fighter jet planes and they're here because one of the largest air force bases in the entire nation is located right across the Choctawhatchee Bay. You may have even arrived there if you flew into the Northwest Florida Airport in nearby Valparaiso, since they share their base field with commercial aircraft. Eglin Air Force Base is huge and encompasses over 468,000 acres or nearly 724 square miles. It was established back in 1935 as a Bombing and Gunnery Base before World War II. Today it is used as a Test and Evaluation Center for weapons, navigation and guidance systems. It is also home to Command and Control for Special Operations. Eglin is responsible for the development, acquisition, testing and deployment of all non-nuclear weapons. They often conduct tests and evaluations on such weapons across the bay. You may have heard the occasional loud sound like a sonic boom even way over on this side of the bay, but it is actually an inland bomb or missile test. This area was actually the first place in the nation that tested rockets for the first time ever back in 1944 to 45 during the final years of World War II. This Top Secret Operation used grounds on the gulf side near present day Sandestin and the remnants of the old launch bunkers may still be seen there today. These secret eerie looking early rockets were launched out over the gulf at night, which must have created quite a stir since residents over in Destin didn't even have electricity at that time! Early civil rockets were launched for NASA on nearby Santa Rosa Island up until 1979. In the past few years Eglin expanded with a mega-million construction project to include additional Research and Development facilities and employs over 40,000 people.

Eglin has an Air Force Armament Museum on site that offers free admission to the public. The grounds in front of the museum include an array of aircraft that includes the SR-71 Blackbird, which was the fastest jet ever built along with numerous planes from World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the Gulf War eras. Indoors there are more aircraft, bombs, missiles, rockets and the GBU-28 Bunker Buster, which was used during Operation Desert Storm. Hours of operation are Mondays thru Saturdays from 9:30Am until 4:30 pm. Additional information is available at afarmamentmuseum.com.

A great day trip only a little over an hour west of Destin is "The Cradle of Naval Aviation" in historic Pensacola. This is known as the Naval Air Station Pensacola. This is the national home base to initial primary training for all Navy, Marine and Coast Guard aviators. The oldest lighthouse on the Florida coast is located here. It is also where most Naval Flight Officers receive training and home to the famed Blue Angels.

The Blue Angels were formed in 1946 making them the oldest most venerated flying aerobatic team in the world. The small squadron flies in very tight formation doing awesome aerial displays at speeds up to 400 mph in blue and gold F/A-18 Hornets. They are seen by over 11,000,000 spectators each year in Pensacola and around the nation from March thru November. Typically there are seventy shows in thirty-three locations besides Pensacola each year. Their mission is "to showcase the pride and professionalism of the United States Navy and Marine Corps by inspiring a culture of excellence and service to country through flight demonstrations and community outreach."

Here you will also find the National Naval Aviation Museum, which is the largest in the world encompassing 350,000 square feet of exhibits on its thirty-seven acre grounds. There are over 150 beautifully restored aircraft including rare unique flying machines like the NC-4, which was the first military plane to cross the Atlantic, the SBD Dauntless 2106 that was used in the World War II Battle of Midway and the "Que Sera Sera" which was the first plane to land at The South Pole. There is also a giant screen theater that uses a stunning state of the arts laser illuminated projection system with high resolution with brighter than bright vibrant colors. Although various movies change over time one of the most popular is "The Magic of Flight" that captures the imagery of flying with The Blue Angels at Mach Speed. Now there is also a new Blue Angels 4D Experience with interactive seats and unique special effects in Hanger Bay One.  Many visitors also enjoy the exciting experience of flight simulation. The MaxFlight 360 Simulator provides a one of a kind simulation that puts you into control with a fully interactive 360 degree roll and pitch technology that places you in air to air stunt flying techniques.

Another Motion Based Simulator accommodates up to fifteen people at once. A fully enclosed "capsule" combines a high definition movie like experience with surround sound. The compartment moves in six different directions with exhilarating horizontal rolls, longitudinal pitches and vertical climbs.  Other popular attractions include a Virtual Flight Deck which places you on the deck of an aircraft carrier with all the sights, sounds, sensations and even scents of such an experience. Cockpit Trainer modules are available where you can climb inside, move the control throttle, listen to radio transmissions and pretend you are flying. There is also a Kiddie Hawk Play Area for children five years old or younger. It is modeled to look like a real ship with button activated sounds, an intercom system and mock control panels. They can also enjoy playing with a firemen's pole, rope ladders, periscopes and binoculars on the ship's helm.

Admission to the National Naval Air Museum is free for the exhibits but there is a charge for the movie theater and flight simulators. The museum is open daily from 9am till 5pm except on major holidays for self guided tours. Free guided tours are also available at 9:30, 11:00, 1:00 and 2:30. There is a café on site for sandwiches, salads, soups and beverages along with a Museum Store for souvenirs. More information is available at navalaviationmuseum.org.

Enjoy your next Destin vacation with us at Ocean Reef Resorts and enjoy checking out one of these wonderful military museums for a unique experience. Also know that your stay with us will be happy and safe!