« Back to Blog

Open-Cockpit Sunday October 9th At Patriots Point

Waring Hills Sep 28, 2011

Akagi as seen from on high, 04 June 1942. Notice the hinomaru (sun circle) on the forward bow (Photo Naval History and Heritage Command)

At 1026 on Thursday, 04 June 1942, Navy Lieutenant Dick Best locked his pilot’s eyes on the image of a sun circle on a Japanese aircraft carrier’s flight deck, located fifteen thousand feet beneath him in the Pacific Ocean. As he rolled his Dauntless dive bomber into a steep descent, his vision remained focused on the target as he trimmed his aircraft to compensate for wind drift. His body experienced the  familiar acceleration of a rapid, steep dive in a sequence of events that he had practiced over and over. Dick’s focus could not be broken on this morning by the anti-aircraft fire, the incredible plunge towards earth or fear of death. He knew the lives of thousands of American sailors and the fate of the battle for Midway depended upon his skill and courage. After forty seconds the sun circle beckoned to him, Dick reached out his left hand to pull the manual bomb release. His one thousand pound bomb plunged downwards and after sixteen hundred feet of descent hit the Japanese Imperial Navy’s aircraft carrier Akagi in the middle of her flight deck. Defeat had come to Japan.

During the Battle of Midway, SBD Dauntless dive bombers from USS Hornet (CV-8) approach the immobilized and burning Japanese heavy cruiser Mikuma to make the third set of attacks on her. (Photo US Navy)

Watch SBD’s dive in formation

Have you ever wondered what it was like to be involved in something greater than one’s self? Have you ever wanted to climb into a Navy cockpit and imagine being a Naval Aviator and flying at Top Gun? Sunday, 09 October, is your chance to fulfill a dream! Patriots Point will be opening multiple Navy/Marine Corps aircraft cockpits to the public for viewing and entrance. Bring your children, family and friends to re-imagine the greatest generation as they fought in the Pacific. Sit in various cockpits (jets, props, helicopters) and you can imagine flying in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan…

Aircraft that are being opened to the public include the SBD Dauntless, F-9 Cougar, H-1 Huey, S-3 Viking, H-3 Sea King and the A-6 Intruder. Cockpits will be open from 10 AM till 4 PM on Sunday, 09 October. Normal museum admission will be charged for the day.

Below is a sneak peek at our SBD (Scout Bomber Douglas) Dauntless cockpit, come on out and just imagine being a pilot for a day…take home memories of greatness and a new appreciation for our freedom…

Cockpit instruments and plotting board at bottom in our Dauntless.

Left side of cockpit, throttle, prop and mixture control, fuel tank selection switches.

Right side of cockpit, gear handle, electrical switches, dive flaps, normal flaps, etc.

« Previous Post

Naval Aviators Set World Record For Distance In Balloons 1932

Next Post »

Video Thursday - Auroras

6 thoughts on “Open-Cockpit Sunday October 9th At Patriots Point

  1. Robert Sminkey says:

    Great idea! Finally the old fuddy duddies (I am one also) are thinking out of the box. Keep up the great ideas and maybe there is a chance that you can bring this operation out of the red and into the black. Good luck!

  2. Robert Sminkey says:

    This comment is not related to “open cockpit” but I thought I would include it here. You folks need to do something about the Clamagore. What a boring exhibit. I am a retired submariner. I noticed that people walk through the boat and do not even know what they are looking at. They are not able to appreciate what they are observing. You need to come up with some ideas to to bring some “life” to the old boat. People respond well to audio and visual clues. How about a 50 inch LCD screens in each compartment showing old clips of what was going on in these spaces. The display really needs to connect the people to the then and now so that they can get the feel and really appreciate what they are looking at.

    1. Dave Corvino says:

      I visited a sub in CA, and the self guided tour included a headset which played different clips depending on where you stood in the boat. They were optional ($5) but everyone I saw had them. I did too and I loved it. They also had automated lights to highlight specific sections of the boat.

  3. jerry jones says:

    thanks to the board members at patriots point for coming up with different ideas at patriots point and trying to bring the uss laffey back. I hope every thing works out for every one.

  4. Brandon Buchardt says:

    I think that Open Cockpit sunday is a great idea. My children are excited about coming to visit again and we all have something new to look forward too. Good Job!

  5. Dave Corvino says:

    I plan to be there on the 9th. I’ll bring some friends too.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

  • Active Duty / Retired Military (ID required)
  • $19
  • In Person
  • Active Duty Military In Uniform
  • Free
  • In Person
  • Veterans / Teachers / First Responders
  • $21
  • In Person

COVID-19 Notice

Due to health safety measures related to COVID-19, structured, in-person education programs have been suspended. Please consider booking a guided or self-guided tour for your group.

More Information

COVID-19 Notice

Due to health safety measures related to COVID-19, our overnight camping program has been suspended. Please consider joining our exclusive list to be among the first to learn when the program relaunches.

Interested in booking a day group visit to see our museum? Discounted rates for 10+ people.

More Information