Foley's effort to honor its role in Navy aviation training took a step forward with the arrival of a second historic aircraft set for display in a planned museum.

Crews from the Foley Public Works Department, alongside city employees and volunteers, transported a Beechcraft T-34B Mentor from the National Naval Aviation Museum (NNAM) in Pensacola to Foley on Thursday, June 12. The aircraft, disassembled for transport, was moved in two trucks — one carrying the fuselage, the other hauling wings and tail sections on a trailer. It was placed in a city storage facility, where it will remain until a permanent display site is ready.

The T-34B Mentor served as the primary training aircraft for the U.S. Navy from 1957 through the mid-1970s. During its active years, the aircraft was a familiar sight in the skies above Foley and South Baldwin County as Navy pilots trained in the area.

The NNAM agreed to a long-term loan, allowing the city to exhibit the aircraft as part of a museum celebrating Foley's aviation legacy. The city has received federal approval permitting it to borrow materials from institutions like the NNAM. Bonnie Towne, NNAM aircraft loan manager, coordinated the transfer.

Foley officials expressed appreciation to Towne and other NNAM staff for their support in acquiring the T-34B and preserving the community's heritage.

Mike Chavers, Foley street superintendent, said the move was a community-wide collaboration involving several city departments, residents, the NNAM and personnel from Pensacola Naval Air Station.

"First and foremost, we would like to send out a huge 'thank you' to Aubry Morris with Little Bitty's Towing and David and Bob Irwin with Magnolia Equipment Rental for providing their equipment and donating their time to make this happen," Chavers said. "Thanks to all the help and guidance from Kenneth Tillman, Michael Allen and Bruce Cummins from NAS."

City workers who took part included Greg Frank, Will Ray, Bob Morrison and Mark Harbison from the Street Department, and Dustin Wyatt, Andrew Salgado, Henry Prim and Daniel Bristow from the Municipal Complex.
The T-34B will join a 1942 N3N biplane previously acquired by the city. Both aircraft will be featured in the upcoming museum, which aims to tell the story of Foley's longstanding connection to Navy aviation.

Foley already hosts a display at the Foley Railroad Museum highlighting Barin Field's role in World War II and beyond. The expanded exhibition will include the newly acquired aircraft and other artifacts currently being collected.

Barin Field, located east of the Foley Beach Express, opened in 1942 as a Navy aviation training base and played a key role during World War II and the Korean Conflict. At the height of operations, more than 2,000 personnel were stationed there and over 5,000 aviation cadets trained within the base's first two years. The Navy still uses the site as an outlying landing field.

In 2024, Foley was named an American World War II Heritage City by the National Park Service, a designation that recognizes communities that made significant contributions during the war and have continued efforts to honor those who served.