Once in a while, an idea so good comes along that you wonder why no one thought of it before – an idea like the Naval Aviator Monument. The idea was conceived by Mr. Robert R. Macon, Deputy Director and Curator of the National Museum of Naval Aviation. In early 1993, representatives from the Museum, the National Museum of Naval Aviation, and the art world got together to create a fitting tribute to Naval Aviators. They wanted a monument traditional enough to capture the noble history of Naval Aviation, powerful enough to set a new precedent in detail and craftsmanship, and enduring enough to keep the spirit of Naval Aviation alive for generations to come.
The result was a plan for the Naval Aviator Monument, five heroic-sized bronze sculptures that salute Naval Aviators and Naval Aviation at five significant stages in their history: the Early Years and World War I; World War II; Early Postwar and Korea; Vietnam; and Desert Storm, the Modern Years.
Captain Robert L. Rasmussen, USN, (Ret.), Director of the Museum, a noted aviation watercolorist in his own right, conceived a dramatic design for the sculptures. Renowned artist Sandra Van Zandt, the designated monument sculptress, worked closely with Foundation and Museum officials to bring that design to life. Today, these five sculptures are more than just an idea; they have become a reality.
While sculpting the maquettes, Ms. Van Zandt took up temporary residence in Pensacola to ensure that each piece reflected not only her own artistic vision but also the vision of the Museum, the Foundation, and – most important of all – the Naval Aviators it was meant to honor.
The end result: five works of art so rich in artistic quality and emotional power that they only could have been wrought through a rare combination of creative excellence, historic accuracy, and firsthand experience. Five larger-than-life bronze figures represent aviators from pivotal periods in America's history: World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam and Desert Storm. Accurately sculpted in flight equipment of the period, the airmen appear to be watching intently as the WW II pilot describes a dog fight; five aviators frozen in time, yet united by a common theme.
When the full-size monument was completed in 1995, it was unveiled in a special ceremony at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. It was dedicated at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in late 1995, where it serves as the centerpiece of the Museum's new entrance building.