Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum will host the New Jersey Air National Guard’s 177th Fighter Wing Crash Recovery Unit on May 14 for a specialized training exercise involving the museum’s F-16 Fighting Falcon.
The museum’s unique two-seat F-16 was acquired in 2012 with the assistance and continued support of the 177th Fighter Wing. As part of that partnership, the aircraft remains available for future training opportunities such as this exercise. The F-16 arrived at the museum from Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas, where it previously served as a training aircraft.
Guests visiting the museum that day will have the rare opportunity to observe the 177th in action. Members of the Recovery Unit will participate in the exercise. Following a safety briefing, the F-16 will be lifted by crane as the team conducts a simulated disabled aircraft recovery operation using an inflatable transport system. Members of the 177th are expected to be on-site throughout much of the day, with the primary drill scheduled to begin around 10:00 a.m.
Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum is incredibly fortunate to continue its strong partnership with the 177th Fighter Wing, whose support has helped preserve and showcase this important piece of aviation history while also allowing the museum to serve as a unique training resource.
Located inside Historic Hangar #1, a 92,000-square-foot WWII-era hangar, the museum features more than 26 aircraft displays along with military memorabilia, vehicles, engines, photographs, and interactive exhibits that explore the science and history of aviation. Guests can even climb into the cockpit of select aircraft — and pets are welcome too.
Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum is located inside historic Hangar #1 at the Cape May Airport. The site was formerly Naval Air Station Wildwood, which served as a World War II dive-bomber training center. The museum is dedicated to the 42 airmen who perished while training at Naval Air Station Wildwood between 1943 and 1945. Current museum hours are 10am-4pm daily. For more information about NASW, visit www.usnasw.org or call (609) 886-8787.
