We braved the wind and the waves to visit the Intrepid Museum, an aviation and space museum housed within the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid, a massive World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War veteran.
Commissioned in 1943, Intrepid was the fifth of the 24 Essex class carriers built during World War Two. Her squadrons fought in several critical campaigns, including the Mariannas, Truk, and Leyte Gulf. Her Curtiss SB2C Helldivers scored a hit on the mighty Yamato, the biggest battleship in the world, and were instrumental in sinking the Musashi, Yamato’s deadly sister ship.
As remarkable as that is, the Fighting I also survived not one, not two, but four kamikaze attacks. This US Navy photograph depicts the frightening reality of a kamikaze strike, and the heroism and bravery of the sailors fighting to overcome the damage.
Intrepid is all about heroism and bravery. Her long hanger deck features models and movies and memorabilia from her extensive and memorable career.
The hanger deck is where you encounter the first piece of Intrepid’s aviation history, in the form of this beautifully maintained and restored Chance Vought FG1D Corsair, an F4-U built under license by Goodyear. She bears the markings of ensign Alfred Lerch, an Intrepid pilot who earned the Navy Cross for shooting down seven Imperial Japanese airplanes in one day, making him an instant ace.
Just astern of the Corsair you’ll find the huge Grumman TBM-3 Avenger flown by president George H.W. Bush during World War II. Although the wings are folded for on-deck storage, there’s no mistaking that huge seventeen-hundred horsepower Wright 14-cylinder radial engine. With a wingspan of 54 feet, these guys were the big heroes at the battle of Leyte Gulf.
Astern of the giant Avenger you’ll find a North American FJ-2 – a variant of the Korean-war era F-86 Saber Jet specialized for carrier duty. Land or sea, there’s no escaping the beautiful design of these potent jet fighters.
And neither can you forget the McDonnell/Douglas A-4B Skyhawk, the workhorse of the Vietnam War. This early example flew from the Intrepid between 1966 and 1969.
As the shuttle Enterprise exhibit was closed during our excursion, we made our way up to the gusty flight deck. Up here is where you’ll find the bulk of the Intrepid Museum’s excellent aircraft collection.
There’s a beautifully restored NASA Northrup T-38 Talon trainer parked right next door to a Polish-built MIG-17. There’s a nice collection of helicopters, starting with a rare Sikorsky HH-52 Sea Guard and ending with an Army Bell UH-1 Iroquois. That’s a Bell AH-1J twin-engined Sea Cobra wedged in the middle .
The collection of jets is truly impressive and includes the first production model of the Lockheed A-12, the attack version of the fabled SR-71 Blackbird.
There’s a lot to see aboard Intrepid, from the spaceflight display to a ride-in A-6 cockpit mockup.
Once you’ve seen all that, you’ll find two more surprises waiting right outside.
The first is the USS Growler, a World-War-II era diesel-electric submarine armed with Regulus cruise missiles. A nuclear deterrent vessel, the missiles were stored in those enormous tubes on the after deck.
The other big surprise is the BOAC Concorde sitting on the dock. Of the 20 built, this Concorde logged the most flight time. Compared to a 747, this lithe little ship is positively tiny!
I keep saying there’s a lot to see at the Intrepid Museum, but that’s a huge understatement. If you’re in the New York area, you owe it to yourself to check out this awesome and awe-inspiring seagoing museum.
You can watch the video of our adventure here.
Marvelous Air Museums is part of the John D Reinhart content family. Writer, illustrator, videographer, and accidental filmmaker — find the whole story at JohnDReinhart.com.
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