Air Force Armament Museum Is a Blast!
By Butch Blasingame
If you’re an airplane, military or history buff, a sure stop that you’ll want to make on any visit to the Emerald Coast is the Air Force Armament Museum. The only museum of its kind, this collection is dedicated to all things associated with the weapons the Air Force uses and the delivery systems that put those weapons on target.
Located just outside Eglin Air Force Base’s West Gate, you’ll find the facility just off State Road 85 near State Road 189. The AFAM is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with free admission. The museum is closed on federal holidays.
Strolling into the building you’ll be greeted by several displays about various aspects of air power as well as various eras of time and the events connected with them. There are four aircraft in the building: a P-51 Mustang and P-47 Thunderbolt that represents World Two, an F-80 Shooting Star from the Korean War, and the impressive F-105 Vietnam Era Thunderchief. Volunteers have lovingly restored all these planes. Surrounding them are the munitions the planes use as well as displays of other weapons, from old-style gravity bombs to today’s cruise missiles and smart bombs. There is also a separate room housing a gun vault with a small arms display, although it was under maintenance at the time of this article. The Movie “Arming the Air Force” shows in the small theater in continuous run.
Outside is an aircraft enthusiast’s delight with planes on display surrounding the building. These were all restored by the volunteers at the museum and include: the SR-71 Blackbird Spy Plane, A-10 Warthog, AC-130 Gunship, B-17 WWII bomber, C-47 “Spooky” Gunship, B-25 Mitchell (famous for the Dolittle Raid on Tokyo), T-33 Trainer, F-4 Phantom, F-15 Eagle, F-16 Falcon, F-84 Thunderstreak, F-86 Sabre, F-89 Scorpion, F-100 Super Sabre, F-101 Voodoo, F-104 Starfighter, F-111 Aardvark, RB-47 Stratojet, RF-4 Recon Aircraft, O-2 Skymaster, C-131 Samaritan, B-52 Heavy Bomber, UH-1M Helicopter, and Soviet MIG-21. Also outside on 
display by the building is a Massive Ordinance Air Blast, known as the Mother of All Bombs – the world’s largest conventional weapon. By the way, in case you were wondering, all these guns, bombs and rockets are completely safe.
The museum staff is an augmented group of faithful volunteers, many of them veterans. They serve in all areas of museum operation. You can also donate to help the continuing work of the AFAM by contacting the museum at (850) 651-5253 or via e-mail at afamf@sprintmail.com.
Figure about a half-day to see all that’s here and soak it in – less if you’re more in a hurry. Kids like the museum and it’s very educational. If you get here and you’d like a patriotic beach break, try the Armament Museum. It is just a short drive… bombs away!
Click here for an exclusive Air Force Armament Museum Photo Gallery.