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Abstract
Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, renowned as the ‘Cradle of Naval Aviation’, has been a fundamental pilot training facility for the U.S. Navy since its establishment in 1914. World War I ensured aviation would remain an important aspect of U.S. naval warfare and led to an increased influx of prospective aviation cadets at NAS Pensacola. Subsequent decades of training led to hundreds of training accidents, and the loss of naval aircraft in the waters off Pensacola, Florida. Two F8F Bearcat wreck sites are discussed here, including the methods involved in aircraft investigation, and the historical documents referenced for their identification. Utilizing photogrammetric modeling techniques, the author tests the applicability of photogrammetry as an in situ site-monitoring tool.
