Code 3 Norfolk Navel Air Station Oshkosh T-3000 Crash Truck (12557)

Code 3 Norfolk Navel Air Station Oshkosh T-3000 Crash Truck (12557)

Norfolk Naval Air Model Fire Stations Oshkosh T-3000 Crash Truck 16
Item #: 12557-0000
Scale: 1/64
Release Date: September 2008
Quantity: 1,008

Norfolk Naval Air Station

The Naval Station Norfolk, in Norfolk, Virginia, is a base of the United States Navy, supporting naval forces operating in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Ocean. This Navy Base, occupies about 4,300 acres on a peninsula known as Sewell's Point. It is the world's largest Naval Station, based on supported military population. When the 75 ships and 134 aircraft homeported here are not at sea, they are alongside one of the 14 piers or inside one of the 11 aircraft hangars for repair, refit, training and to provide the ship's or squadron's crew an opportunity to be with their families. NS Norfolk is homeport to aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, large amphibious ships, submarines, a variety of supply and logistics ships, C-2 Greyhound, C-12 Huron andE-2 Hawkeye fixed wing aircraft squadrons, and CH-46 Sea Knight, MH-53 and CH-53 Sea Stallion, and SH-60 Seahawk and MH-60 Seahawk helicopter squadrons.

Norfolk Port Services controls more than 3,100 ships' movements annually as they arrive and depart their berths. Port facilities extend more than four miles (6 km) along the waterfront and include some seven miles (11 km) of pier and wharf space.

Air Operations conducts over 100,000 flight operations each year, an average of 275 flights per day or one every six minutes. Over 150,000 passengers and 264,000 tons of mail and cargo depart annually on Air Mobility Command (AMC) aircraft and other chartered flights from the airfield.

The land on which the naval station is located was originally the site of the 1907 Jamestown Exposition. Immediately after the United States entered World War ,April 1917, the Secretary of the Navy was persuaded to buy the property. A bill was passed for the purchase of 474 acres and it set aside the sum of $1.2 million as payment for the property.

Important historical events were taking place on the air side of the station as well. November 14, 1910 marked the birth of naval aviation. Eugene Ely, a pilot employed by the Curtiss Exhibition Company, slowly accelerated toward the end of a 57-foot wooden ramp constructed on the bow of USS Birmingham (CL-2).

World War I

When the United States became involved in World War I, the size of the Navy's air component was rapidly expanded. In the 19 months of U. S. participation, a force of 6,716 officers and 30,693 enlisted served in naval aviation.

As World War I came to an end, the former NAS Hampton Roads saw erratic growth, increasing to nearly 167 officers, 1,227 enlisted men and 65 planes. But, it was after the war that demobilization had threatened the future of naval aviation. Within seven months of the war's end, Navy manpower fell to less than half its wartime highs.

World War II

World War II profoundly changed the appearance of the Naval Station. With the eruption of war in Europe in September 1939, the station began to vibrate with activity. By December, the Navy had over $4 million in projects underway on the station. By the summer of 1940 the Station employed some 8,000 personnel, a number larger than any time since the end of World War I.

In 1941, the possibility of U.S. involvement in the war looked more likely. Construction of more new facilities was pushed forward to match increased requirements. Directives from Washington meant facilities had to be developed to operate five aircraft carrier air groups, seven to nine patrol squadrons, the fighter director school and the Atlantic Fleet operational training program for 200 pilots prior to their fleet assignment.

In June 1941, the personnel count at the Naval Station dramatically increased once again. There were now about 10,000 new recruits at the Naval Training Station, 15,559 officers and enlisted on station, and 14,426 sailors assigned to ships homeported in Norfolk. After Pearl Harbor, another $4 million was put into the receiving station to elevate its capacity by some 5,500 individuals.

Post War

Postwar period developments underscored the capacity of the Naval Station to change. The station at first stored inactive aircraft carriers, other reserve vessels, and finally submarines and destroyers. Fire fighting and salvage control now became specialties. The Atlantic Fleet Command came ashore in 1948 and placed its headquarters with a staff of 165 officers and 315 enlisted in an abandoned hospital. At the same time, the station rendered service to military as well as scientific pursuits.

One other milestone in NAS's history occurred in 1968 when the station assumed a major role in putting a man on the moon. The air station became Recovery Control Center Atlantic, providing command, control and communications with all the ships and aircraft involved in the recovery operations of Apollo 7.