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Top US cities for military aviation enthusiasts

Top US cities for military aviation enthusiasts
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James Pearson Route Development Journalist | Simple Flying

The National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, FL offers free admission and features over 150 restored aircraft, including planes from the Navy Blue Angels. Seattle's Museum of Flight houses historic and modern aircraft, while Boeing Future of Flight in Everett provides factory tours. The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC, and Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, AZ showcase extensive collections of aircraft.

Simple Flying has compiled a list of cities in the United States that feature some of the world's best aviation museums and sites.

Pensacola, Florida

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The National Naval Aviation Museum attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. With free public admission, this museum features over 150 aircraft, including those famously used by the Navy’s Blue Angels demonstration team.

According to the National Aviation Museum, "Located aboard historic Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, and offering free admission, the National Naval Aviation Museum is one of the largest aviation museums in the world. With the mission to 'select, collect, preserve and display historic artifacts related to the history of Naval Aviation,' you will enjoy an inspiring journey through history and much more."

Seattle, Washington

Home to North America's largest aircraft manufacturer, Seattle offers attractions such as The Museum of Flight and Boeing Future of Flight. The annual Boeing Seafair Air Show is also a notable event for aviation enthusiasts.

Seattle’s Museum of Flight has an impressive collection including a Concorde, Boeing 707 Air Force One (used by presidents Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon), the first-built Boeing 747, Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, and B-17 Flying Fortress.

Washington DC

The national capital hosts significant museums like the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum located downtown and at Dulles International Airport in Chantilly. These institutions are renowned for their extensive collections.

Shea Oakley stated that "From the original Wright Flyer to the Concorde to the Space Shuttle," these facilities house "perhaps the most famous and significant air and spacecraft collection on the planet."

Tucson, Arizona

Pima Air & Space Museum spans across 400 acres with more than 400 aircraft on display. It includes tram tours that cover approximately 150 outdoor aircraft exhibits.

Riverside (Dayton), Ohio

Riverside is home to the National Museum of the United States Air Force which covers over 20 acres indoors with more than 350 aircraft on display alongside a wide range of missiles.

According to the Air Force Museum: “The museum is home to countless one-of-a-kind objects. Our once small engine collection now includes more than 350 aerospace vehicles and missiles.”

These cities offer rich experiences for aviation enthusiasts with their diverse collections spanning historical milestones to modern advancements in aviation technology.

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