When we last left the vacation narrative, we’d managed to get to the Tampa area in three days. Technically we weren’t in Tampa, we were a bit east in Lakeland, which is mainly known as the home of Sun ‘n Fun. But that was a couple of months ago, and we were here for a wedding. And to go running past “Beware of Gator Signs.”
But once the wedding was over, we had a full day to do family adventure stuff before starting to make our way up the coast. Our first stop? The Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum in Titusville, Florida. The star of the show at Valiant is Tico Bell, their flying C-47. When we arrived, Tico Bell was out flying, but during our visit, the sweet sound of a pair of Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp radials filled the air as she came back home. That’s a sound which I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of.
The rest of the Valiant collection is an interesting historical mix. They have everything from a replica Fokker DR.I triplane done up in Red Baron colors, to an F-16A which was flying over New York on 9/11. Side note, it kind of hurts my head to see an aircraft from an event that still feels so recent and raw now sitting in a museum.
A highlight for my kids were a pair of cockpit simulators that they could sit in, as well as a T-34 Mentor set up for people to sit in the rear cockpit. These are definitely pictures that will get pulled out again if any of my kids become aviators.
Another unique item at the museum is the SSBD F-5E from NASA. I love the F-5, I’ve said that before. It looks like the jet fighters that jet obsessed kids have been drawing in their notebooks for decades. F-5, T-38, F-20, X-29, there are no ugly F-5 derivatives. Turns out I was wrong about that last bit though. I’m sorry, but NASA found a way to make an ugly F-5. I understand the logic behind the design, but yikes!
Valiant dedicates an entire hanger to Vietnam era aircraft. Most I’d seen before, but it’s a fascinating comparison to see the relatively sleek lines of the F-8 Crusader right next to the A-7 SLUF. Not to mention the bombed up A-6 tucked into the back corner with its wings folded, the F-105 that’s displayed with the gun panel open so people can see the Vulcan cannon rotate, and the OV-10 which looks like it could be buttoned up and flown off tomorrow.
Overall, it’s a great museum. Perhaps a little on the pricey side for admission, but that seems to be true of absolutely everything that’s within the orbit of the giant Orlando tourist trap. Definitely well worth a few hours of your time, and even better if you can fly in.