Pensacola, Fla. (Sept. 28, 2020) – Last week, Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 1135 into law, approving the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation’s Blue Angels specialty license plate. The plate features four blue and gold F/A-18s between the words “Florida” and “Home of the Blue Angels.”

The Department of Motor Vehicle’s process to establish a new specialty license plate requires the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation to sell 3,000 vouchers. The voucher is redeemable for the plate once the sale requirement has been met and the plates are in production. This is accomplished by pre‑sale of a voucher that indicates drivers will purchase the plate. Purchasing a voucher ensures the plate will go into production as quickly as possible.

Beginning Monday, Sept. 28, the Escambia County Tax Collector, in partnership with the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation, is offering online pre-deposits to collect all 3,000 commitments or more prior to the official release on October 1, 2020.

The $30 vouchers are available to Floridians in all counties for presale exclusively through the Escambia County Tax Collector’s website. Please visit https://escambiataxcollector.com/voucher for more information and to make your purchase.

The Naval Aviation Museum Foundation is offering numbered Commemorative Challenge Coins to the first 3,000 Floridians who purchase a voucher from the Escambia County Tax Collector’s website. The 1.5-inch antique bronze coin showcases the Blue Angels crest on the front and the words, “I Helped Make History” on the back. This exclusive coin is a way to thank those who helped make the Blue Angels license plate a reality for the State of Florida. 

“There’s a lot of enthusiasm throughout the state about this tag,” said Duane Thiessen, President and CEO of the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation. “Revenues generated from the plate will support STEM education programs and ensure the next generation of children and adults have access to our unique collection of aircraft and exhibits,” said Thiessen.

To pre-order go online to https://escambiataxcollector.com/voucher or after October 16, 2020, visit any Florida tax collector’s office to purchase a voucher. If purchased through the Escambia County Tax Collector portal, Floridians will receive a receipt for payment by email. Shortly thereafter, they will receive a second email from the Escambia County Tax Collector’s office to secure additional details about their purchase and the intended recipient.

“Escambia County is blessed to be the home of the world-class National Naval Aviation Museum and National Flight Academy. We are proud to partner with the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation to promote this plate and honor all naval aviators on whose shoulders both institutions were built. The purchase of a Blue Angels specialty plate is an investment in our community and our children,” said Escambia County Tax Collector Scott Lunsford.

Media Note:For more information about the National Naval Aviation Museum or Foundation, contact Malerie Cates at (850) 308-8937 or mcates@navalaviationmuseum.org.

About the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation

The Naval Aviation Museum Foundation is the nonprofit, 501(c)(3), sole benefactor to the National Naval Aviation Museum—and the fuel that allows the museum to take flight. The Foundation is responsible for funding all museum operation, expansion and activity. The Foundation works diligently to raise funding through gifts and memberships. All funding, aside from Foundation staffing and operational costs, goes to the operation, maintenance and enhancement of the museum, including museum expansion, aircraft preservation, conservation and maintenance, development of new exhibits and support of day to day functions—including custodial services, marketing, operation of the Museum’s various attractions (such as our Naval Aviation Memorial Giant Screen Theater, flight simulators, Blue Angels 4D Experience and Flight Deck gift shop), as well as the production of major events at the Museum. The Foundation also supports the advancement of STEM education through the National Flight Academy, a cutting edge, aviation-themed learning experience.