You will find this awesome monument right off of the Virginia Beach Boardwalk near the 25th street entrance. This monument is somewhat large and borders the street and the boardwalk. There is metered street parking and a few commercial lots within walking distance that you can park at to visit here. The meters cost about $2/ hour and the lots vary in price depending on what is going on and the season.
It is one of the larger monuments of the boardwalk and consists of three statues, and a bunch of plaques mounted on granite structure. It is all located in an amazing plaza area that has a few places for visitors to sit and take a load off.
The monument was dedicated in 2006 by the Hampton Roads Squadron of the Naval Aviation Foundation Association with the intent of show three eras of naval aviation, beginning with the early 20th century, to World War II and then to modern times (as depicted by the 3 sculptures)
The monument was funded by private donations. The price tag for the monument was $1.5 million. It was designed by Army National Guard veteran and sculptor Michael Maiden.
Maiden's 3 sculptures are amazing in itself as stand-alone feature. One statue depicts Eugene Ely, the first aviator to fly off a ship's deck (successfully, at least). Another is a of a WWII pilot and his wingman as they are exiting a hatch, on their way to their aircraft. The third sculpture depicts a modern-day male pilot, a maintenance man, and a female pilot with her foot on an empty cart interacting together. There are also laser etched photos and details on the granite base that statue is on. The detail on these sculptures are amazing. Maiden is very talented. My favorite has the be the wingman and pilot walking out of the hatch.
You will also find a bunch of laser-etched granite storyboards, dedications, and sponsor acknowledgments along with a tribute to aviators past and present here. There is also a monument that includes the names of maintenance personnel and aircraft carriers.
This is a very nice monument. I wish that people would respect it better. For example, even with posted signs saying not to do it, people were still riding bikes and scooters through the monument area, which is very disrespectful.
This is a must see if you are walking along the boardwalk. There are a few other monuments in the area that you can add to an itinerary with this, including the King Neptune statue, and the Norwegian Lady. The Navy SEAL memorial is a little stroll down the board walk, but not too bad. read more