INTREPID SEA, AIR & SPACE MUSEUM

Description

Essentials about the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in brief

Big and little guys and all those who are passionate about navy, air and space are definitely in the right place at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. The Intrepid Museum is located on the banks of the Hudson River on the west side of Manhattan (Pier 86 at 46th Street). It is the only museum in New York City that is on the water, as it is located on the namesake former aircraft carrier USS Intrepid.

The history of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museums

Commissioned in 1943, the Essex-class aircraft carrier saw service in the Pacific during World War II and did duty in the South China Sea during the Vietnam War. Decommissioned in 1974, the Intrepid was saved from scrapping in 1978 by an initiative of married couple Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher. In 1982, the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum was opened.

The aircraft carrier Intrepid and the flight deck

Already entering the museum is a breathtaking experience. When do you ever get the chance to walk on the deck of an aircraft carrier?! On the flight deck of the Intrepid there are many historically significant aircraft, including common types such as the Grumman TBF, McDonnell F-4, Grumman F-14, General Dynamics F-16, Douglas A-4, Grumman A-6 and Hawker Siddeley Harrier, but also rare types such as the Lockheed A-12. In addition, some helicopters such as the AH-1 Cobra and Bell UH-1 from the Vietnam War era and a Sikorsky S-62 of the United States Coast Guard are on deck.

The Concorde and the Enterprise

The two highlights among the exhibits are not from the military sector, however, but from civil aviation and space travel. First, on the deck of the Intrepid is a specimen of the Concorde from British Airways, formerly the fastest civilian airliner in the world. And secondly, the Space Shuttle Pavilion features the former Space Shuttle Enterprise, which was used to test the flight capabilities of space shuttles in the atmosphere starting in 1977.

USS Growler

Incidentally, next to the aircraft carrier in the water visitors will find the USS Growler, a Grayback-class cruise missile submarine donated to the museum in 1988.