One a stretch of tarmac hidden in the Maryland woods is collection of naval aircraft embellished with orange details. They once pushed the limits of naval aviation and made it that much safer for those out in the proverbial danger zone. They are the heart of the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum, whose 25 naval aircraft tell unique stories that color the story of naval aviation flight test orange.
It’s also nostalgic for me as I come from a naval aviation background and my father was stationed at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in the late 1980s. This base is where the US Navy has done flight testing since 1943. One of my few fuzzy memories of that time was visiting that little museum just outside the base and seeing the then far fewer aircraft standing vigil outside. It was exciting for a kid with a dad who works on jets and had books of airplanes. One thing I remember, because I have a photo of it, is little me in a flight jacket, sitting in the cutout cockpit of an F-4 Phantom II.
Like me since that first visit during the first Bush administration, the museum and its collection have grown and matured. Before getting to the tarmac, visitors are now welcomed by a full-sized replica of the Navy’s first aircraft, the Curtiss A-1 Triad from 1911, facing the experimental aircraft of a century on: a Lockheed-Martin X-35C Lightning II, the naval variant prototype, which was tested here before the type became operational. It’s a grand welcome, though my main reason for visiting will always be the rows of retired test aircraft out back; as I write this I have a small 30 year old photo of a lone F-4 Phantom II on the museum tarmac. Speaking of that, the old F-4 cockpit is still there, but now a dummy sits in it and its roped off with a warning, “DO NOT TOUCH!” …but I wanna sit in it, again.
Curtiss A-1 Triad replica
Lockheed Martin X-35C Lightning II
I can’t get in anymore?!
Now that same tarmac is full from end to end, with new aircraft joining the ranks every other year it seems. More than being representative of their type, each aircraft has a personal story about where they came from and how they were used. Almost all were test aircraft, more than a few were early production models or modified for specific purposes. I spent a fair amount of time just reading these stories while also admiring the aircraft themselves. The standout oddity being a Sabreliner executive jet with an F/A-18 nose strapped to the front that was used for radar development and flight testing. Another less attractive weirdo is the fat-mouth, pot-bellied X-32 prototype that Boeing submitted to the Joint Strike Fighter competition.
North American T-39D Sabreliner
Originally a 1950s business jet, these were used to train naval flight officers. This unique T-39D was originally accepted into naval service in 1964 but equipped with an F/A-18 Hornet nose, radar and engineering station in 1977. It served at NAS Patuxent River and was retired in 1989.
Though, I’m old-fashioned and just took joy in getting close to an F-14 Tomcat, A-6 Intruder and F-4 Phantom II again, amongst all the other classics I’ve learned to love. I grew up watching them fly overhead, other kids had super heroes and I had NavAir, and in 2004 I was on the final F-14 Western Pacific deployment. Nothing shakes the flight deck like an F-14 and whenever I see them in museums I’m reminded that I will never see them fly again or feel that rush as they blast past. Their time has passed and after over 20 years in the Navy, so will mine though I do look forward to it.
Grumman NF-14D Tomcat
Like all Tomcats, this one began as an F-14A until upgraded to an F-14D. It gained the “D” designation when permanently assigned to test activities and in 1988 became the last of four F-14D development/test aircraft to fly.
Grumman A-6E Intruder
Built as an A-6A in 1969, it served operationally until being transferred to Pax River in 1984 where it was used to test system upgrades until its 1993 retirement. When I was a kid my Dad let me get inside one of these.
McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II
This F-4 first flew in 1966 and was transferred to the Naval Air Test Center in 1967 where it was used primarily to test the Aircraft Carrier Landing System until retiring in 1986. This was the same F-4 I saw as a kid!
To drive the fact home, the test bench I worked on early in my career as an aviation electronics technician, is now on display in this museum’s old building. It brought out feeling in me, most of which cannot be repeated in front of children or those with delicate sensibilities. But a definite benefit of age is that the museum now has a pair of real F-14 Tomcat flight simulators that have been modified / simplified to let any novice get in the cockpit feel like he’s flying one of the greats while guided by a retired pilot or even astronaut! I may not have been able to sit in the cockpit of that F-4 in my leather jacket again, but the F-14 is a step up!
This is my nightmare fuel- the Consolidated Automated Support System (CASS). I am a qualified operator, a fact I wish I could forget.
Dreams do come true! Also, the guy who coached me through this may have been an astronaut. Maybe.
Beside my aircraft zealotry, there’s more to see such as a moon rock collected on the Apollo 16 mission, drones, big ship models and more.
Pax River is rather out of the way, over an hour from Baltimore or DC, through Maryland’s forested interior but compliments a trip to see the robust but more generalized Smithsonian air and space museums. The surrounding area is also full of history from the reconstructed colonial Old St. Mary’s City to the Calvert Marine Museum, both of which give a lot of local flavor worth savoring. After flying a Tomcat, of course.
Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for military and seniors, $4 for children 5-12.
I’ve included more flight line photos after the contact info for those who may never reach Pax River or need further reason to come visit.
CONTACT
https://paxmuseum.com/
22156 Three Notch Rd.
Lexington Park, Md. 20653
301-863-1900
Raytheon T-6 Texan II
Never actually in naval service, this is a practically hand-built prototype used for development and testing by Raytheon, the FAA and the US Navy. It was turned over to the museum upon its retirement in 2000.
Bell TH-1L ‘Huey’ Iroquois
This aircraft flew from 1970 until 1983 when it was transferred to the Naval Air Test Center for ground testing. Using special instruments it measured the unique vibration signatures of intentionally induced gearbox faults.
Beech T-34C Turbo Mentor
This trainer served from 1956 until 1993 when it was turned over to the Patuxent River Flying Club where it spent an additional decade airborne.
North American T-2C Buckeye
The T-2 was used to train naval and Marine aviators for decades; this one served in that role from 1971 until 2008. It was then used as a chase plane for high-risk development tests of the E-2C, C-2, E-2D, and P-8 until retiring in 2015.
North American T-39D Sabreliner
Originally a 1950s business jet, these were used to train naval flight officers. This unique T-39D was originally accepted into naval service in 1964 but equipped with an F/A-18 Hornet nose, radar and engineering station in 1977. It served at NAS Patuxent River and was retired in 1989.
McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18A Hornet
This fighter-attack aircraft served in a training squadron from 1981 until 1990 when it became a Blue Angel for a year. It retired in 1993.
Grumman NF-14D Tomcat
Like all Tomcats, this one began as an F-14A until upgraded to an F-14D. It gained the “D” designation when permanently assigned to test activities and in 1988 became the last of four F-14D development/test aircraft to fly.
Grumman NF-14D Tomcat
Like all Tomcats, this one began as an F-14A until upgraded to an F-14D. It gained the “D” designation when permanently assigned to test activities and in 1988 became the last of four F-14D development/test aircraft to fly.
This is what peak fighter perfection looks like.
McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II
This F-4 first flew in 1966 and was transferred to the Naval Air Test Center in 1967 where it was used primarily to test the Aircraft Carrier Landing System until retiring in 1986. This was the same F-4 I saw as a kid!
Grumman QF-9J Cougar
This 1950s fighter served as a target drone until retiring in 1966.
Douglas F-6A (F4D) Skyray
This Skyray was built in 1957 and spent half its short career as a test aircraft used to demonstrate characteristics unique to delta wing aircraft before retiring in 1966.
Grumman S-2D Tracker
Built in 1962, this Tracker flew for NAS Patuxent River’s Naval Research Laboratory until retiring in 1981.
Lockheed S-3B Viking
Built in 1976, this Viking was used for carrier suitability testing, upgrades, and evaluating missile integration. It retired in 2005.
Kaman SH-2G Super Sea Sprite
This Sea Sprite flew from 1983, serving as a test aircraft for its first year and then from 1993 until retiring in 1997.
Boeing X-32B JSF Demonstrator
This fat guppy is the only X-32B built by Boeing and used as a demonstrator in 2001. It was put on display here in 2005
Attack aviation in its purest form. None of this fighter/attack nonsense.
Douglas NA-4M Skyhawk
Originally an A-4J when built in 1970, it was the prototype A-4M and spent its entire career as a test aircraft at Pax River until retiring in 1990.
Grumman A-6E Intruder
Built as an A-6A in 1969, it served operationally until being transferred to Pax River in 1984 where it was used to test system upgrades until its 1993 retirement.
Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV) NA-7A Corsair II
This aircraft performed test duties for its entire career from 1966 until 1978. A highpoint would be being used to for A-7 aircraft carrier suitability trials.
She’s a maneater!
North American RA-5C Vigilante
In 1970, this was the last production RA-5C accepted by the Navy. Though flown by operational squadrons, it was often used to support periodic automatic carrier landing system certifications until its 1979 retirement.
Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler
In 1978, this was the third ‘improved capability’ Prowler built. It participated in the 1986 bombing of Libya, 1995 Bosnia campaign and in 2004 it became a test aircraft. It was retired in 2017.
Grumman E-2B Hawkeye This E-2 served operationally from 1966 until 1971 when it was converted into an E-2B and was used for testing until its 1985 retirement.
Northrop Grumman C-2A Greyhound
This is the third production aircraft from the 1985 run and came to Pax River in 1992. It was retired in 2020.
Sikorsky CH-52A Sea Stallion
This was the third production Sea Stallion (!) and was built in 1968. It was transferred for testing in 1971 and was used for testing FLIR and night vision systems. It retired in 1991.
McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier
This was the fourth production Harrier and spent its entire career as a test aircraft from 1985 until its 1999 retirement. Only added to the flight line in 2019, its still quite shiny looking.
Bell-Boeing MV-22B Osprey Test Aircraft No. 8 (“Eight Ball”)
Built in 1997, this was one of the four engineering and manufacturing development test aircraft and the eight Osprey built. It spent the next 20 years as a test aircraft until its 2018 retirement.
Boeing Vertol CH-46E Sea Knight
This “Battle Phrog” was used for testing until its 2012 retirement. As a kid, these were my favorite helicopters- they had TWO big rotors!
I’ve said it before: of all the teen fighters, the Tomcat was the most attractive. I’ll never tire of seeing them. I was wondering where the funny looking x-32 ended up. If I am ever that way again, I’ll be sure to take a visit. Thanks for posting this.
Really interesting article. Thanks.