What's to see around Destin, Florida?

[astixjr]

I'm headed down to Destin, Florida on Friday and was wondering about the local airport. On my trip down there last August, I saw a pair of SNJs flying down the beach with their smoke on. Sure looked like fun. Anyone know where they are based? I was only able to spend a few minutes walking around the local airport but I noticed an AH-2 and at least one Mi-24. I assume they are opposition force contract planes for the local AFB. I visited the Armaments Museum on the last trip and would like to hit that again as well as the Naval Aviation Museum this time. Anything else? Thanks,

[Owen Miller]

The battleship Alabama, submarine Drum and a number
of warplanes are over in Mobile.

[Rogue]

Hurlbert field has a whole bunch of coin aircraft. :spooky:

[hsperdue]

Check out Eglin AFB... the USAF Armaments Musuem... bombs galore and a few airplanes....

Also, Pnesacola NAS... the Navy Musuem... just about everything Navy...

[John Kerr]

The T-6's are based in Destin along with a couple of others. Three or four MI-24's, a AN-2, a couple MI-8s also at Destin. I am going out of town on friday, trip to Navy Air Museum, but will be back on friday afternoon. If you want to call me and maybe go to Eglin and Hurlburt on Sat or late Fir afternoon give me a call, in the photo book. John Kerr.

[fritzthefox]

I don't know, I've been there four times and I just end up sitting in traffic the entire time I'm there.

Eglin is cool, the museum in Pensacola is nice...otherwise, I hope you like overpriced seafood and golf. (Tip: lunch specials are always a better deal than evening fare...the natives eat lunch, the tourists eat dinner)

[tom d. friedman]

in either destin or fort walton there was a yellow.... b-25 along a major road or tourist area. that was between 8 & 10 years ago. hope somebody rescued it.

[mrhenniger]

I thought I would have trained you guys by now!

No listings for Destin, but as already mentioned Eglin AFB is close by...
http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/Locator.php?City=Eglin

There are a number of sites within 30 miles of Eglin, including...
http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/Locator.php ... ngeCoor=30

To expand the search you can change the range value on the page, or change the RangeCoor value in the link.

All the entries in the lists provided by these links come with map references using Google Maps. You can print those off for directions to the locations.

Regards,

Mike

[fritzthefox]

I don't think it was yellow, but there WAS a B-25 that was stuck on a pole at a local golf/gocart/tourist trap place. It blew away in the last hurricane

Last edited by fritzthefox on Wed Mar 21, 2007 12:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[John Kerr]

The B-25 has departed a few years ago and went to somewhere in TX to be restored for some museum. Now here are a few taken at Destin yesterday afternoon. There was another MI-8 there, but was not parked in a good photo place. Enjoy, John

[astixjr]

Thanks for all the help guys. I'll make a trip back to the airport for sure. Looks like I missed some interesting stuff on my last trip.

[John Kerr]

Sorry I forgot to ID the 6 photos I posted yesterday. Here is the info:
1. MI-8MTV-1 N171RU 95576
2. MIL-24D N114VS 04395
3 AND 4 AT-6D N554Q 41-34110
5 AND 6 SNJ-4 N7061C 27386

[Randy Haskin]

in either destin or fort walton there was a yellow.... b-25 along a major road or tourist area. that was between 8 & 10 years ago. hope somebody rescued it.

I don't think it was yellow, but there WAS a B-25 that was stuck on a pole at a local golf/gocart/tourist trap place. It blew away in the last hurricane

Long since gone...

January 2006
Steve Huckvale noted the following correspondence on one of the Yahoo! newsgroups regarding the Air Kahuan TB-25N, 44-86844 (N3453G) last seen disassembled at the Roanoke, Texas, airport. This fills in a few details about the airplane as it is written by the managers of the Big Kahuna water park:
This just in from the Big Kahunas! Yes, the B25 was retired. I was afraid it would sustain further damage from Hurricanes. It was damaged several times by Hurricanes Opal, Georges & Ivan, losing parts with each storm. The plane was sold to a training facility in Dallas. The firm trains airline mechanics and this was to be a class project for them. They are refurbishing the plane and it will eventually be placed in the Jimmy Dolittle Musuem in China. Thanks for your concern, she is in a much better place now! Best regards, Tom McEvoy VP/GM Big Kahuna’s Water & Adventure Park Destin, FL
As noted in the November update below, the registered owner of the airplane is Training Services of Virginia Beach, Virginia. Here is the first mention, though,that the airplane may be destined for China.

More history on it here:

http://www.aerovintage.com/b25news.htm

[mrhenniger]

When was the B-25 removed from the water park? Circa 2005?

Mike

[John Kerr]

The information below was originally posted on the Aero Vintage Web site based on information that I provided. March 2005 was when it was taken off display and shipped to TX.
This airplane suffered damage to its left vertical stabilizer from the punishing winds of Hurricane Ivan in mid-September 2004. The TB-25N, otherwise known as 44-86844, once flew as N3453G before suffering a multitude of indignities, culminating in its use as a decorative fixture at the water slide. Oh well, the alternative was probably scrapping, so maybe it was a good thing. Nonetheless, the airframe was reportedly severely corroded and practically had no chance for being anything other that a good shell static display airplane. But hold the presses, because John Kerr reports that as of late March 2005 the airplane has been pulled from public view at the park and has gone missing in action. Aside from the possibility that it finally crumbled into a pile of urine & rust colored metalic dust, the airplane has evidently moved on. Back in 2001 it was advertised for sale for the a-bit-optimistic price of $250,000. Perhaps some deal was reached with a someone with a sympathetic heart for old airplanes that deserve a better fate, hopefully someone with deep pockets. Details await... Thanks to John and Mark for the updates.