The Patuxent River Naval Air Museum is a museum at

Lexington Park, Maryland Lexington Park is a census-designated place (CDP) in St. Mary's County, Maryland, United States, and the principal community of the Lexington Park, Maryland Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 11,626 at th2010 census History Nativ ...

, first opened in 1978, which preserves and interprets the

Naval Air Station Patuxent River Naval Air Station Patuxent River , also known as NAS Pax River, is a United States naval air station located in St. Mary’s County, Maryland, on the Chesapeake Bay near the mouth of the Patuxent River. It is home to Headquarters, Naval Air Sys ...

history and heritage of advancing US naval aviation technology with artifacts, photographs and film, documents, and related heritage memorabilia from Patuxent River and other naval stations. The museum is dedicated to those who have employed their talents in advancing naval aviation research, development, testing, and evaluation.

History

In late 1974, a steering group was formed, which prepared the necessary incorporating papers and bylaws, and introduced legislation to the

Maryland General Assembly The Maryland General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland that convenes within the State House in Annapolis. It is a bicameral body: the upper chamber, the Maryland Senate, has 47 representatives and the lower cham ...

. On 14 March 1975, the Naval Air Test and Evaluation Museum (NATEM) Association was approved and established as a non-profit, tax exempt organization in the State of Maryland. In 1976, the Navy provided the current building and grounds in

, and the museum opened its doors to the public in July 1978. In 1978, the Museum was recognized by the

Secretary of the Navy The secretary of the Navy (or SECNAV) is a statutory officer () and the head (chief executive officer) of the Department of the Navy, a military department (component organization) within the United States Department of Defense. By law, the se ...

as one of the ten official Navy museums. On May 28, 2016, the museum opened a new building. In 2018, a new collections management facility was added.

Aircraft on display

AAI RQ-2 Pioneer The AAI RQ-2 Pioneer is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that had been used by the United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Army, and deployed at sea and on land from 1986 until 2007. Initially tested aboard USS ''Iowa'', the RQ-2 Pioneer was placed ...

* Beechcraft PD-373 Texan II ''N8284M'' * Beechcraft T-34B Mentor ''140921'' * Bell TR911X *

Bell-Boeing MV-22B Osprey The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey is an American multi-mission, tiltrotor military aircraft with both vertical takeoff and landing ( VTOL) and short takeoff and landing (STOL) capabilities. It is designed to combine the functionality of a convent ...

''164940'' * Bell TH-1L Iroquois ''157842'' * Boeing X-32B * Douglas NF-6A Skyray ''134764'' *

Grumman E-2B Hawkeye The Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is an American all-weather, carrier-capable tactical airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft. This twin-turboprop aircraft was designed and developed during the late 1950s and early 1960s by the Grumman Aircraft ...

''152476'' * Grumman EA-6B Prowler ''158033'' * Grumman F9F-8B Cougar ''144275'' * Grumman NF-14D Tomcat ''161623'' * Grumman NA-6E Intruder ''156997'' * Grumman S-2D Tracker ''149240'' * Gyrodyne QH-50D DASH ''DS-1679'' * Kaman SH-2G Seasprite ''161642'' * Lockheed S-3B Viking ''159770'' * Lockheed Martin X-35C * LTV NA-7A Corsair II ''152658'' *

McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bow ...

''153071'' * McDonnell Douglas F/A-18B Hornet ''162885'' * McDonnell Douglas NA-4M Skyhawk ''155049'' * McDonnell Douglas NF/A-18A Hornet ''161353'' *

North American RA-5C Vigilante The North American A-5 Vigilante was an American carrier-based supersonic bomber designed and built by North American Aviation (NAA) for the United States Navy. Prior to 1962 unification of Navy and Air Force designations, it was designated t ...

''156643'' * North American T-39D Sabreliner ''150987'' * Northrop T-38A Talon ''623625'' * Northrop Grumman RQ-8A Fire Scout ''166414'' * Sikorsky SH-3A Sea King ''148038'' * Sikorsky NCH-53A Sea Stallion ''151686''

References

External links

* {{authority control United States naval aviation Naval museums in the United States Military and war museums in Maryland Aerospace museums in Maryland Museums in St. Mary's County, Maryland Chesapeake Bay

History

Aircraft on display

See also

References

External links