Prehistoric critters welcome visitors
Headed south on East Princess Anne Road in Virginia Beach toward the North Carolina line, the head and upper torso of a Tyrannosaurus rex grins menacingly over a hedgerow near the entrance of the Military Aviation Museum.
The intriguing sight leads to the Pungo Dinosaur Park, an exhibit open to the public, especially families with young children who adore the prehistoric reptiles.
“It is free to the public. It’s open sunrise to sunset,” said Mitchell Welch, director of operations at the Military Aviation Museum. “If the museum is not open, visitors can park under the trees just off Princess Anne Road, clear the driveway, walk carefully across the drive and enjoy the park.”
Pungo Dinosaur Park was built around a fire retention pond on the museum property, which is “inhabited” by a Plesiosaurus that staff members affectionately call “Nessie.”
“Our founder (Gerald Yagen) built the park because he had kids and grandkids at the time he started the museum, and they loved dinosaurs,” Welch said. “He loved airplanes. His wife enjoys cars so there are cars around the museum to keep her happy.”
The dinosaur figures originally were an outgrowth of the museum to share with the community and an effort to attract the attention of kids as their families drove past the aviation museum on Princess Anne Road. The predator park has generated considerable interest and questions from visitors over the years.
“It fits right in here. Some of those dinosaurs could fly. There are about 12 to 15 dinosaurs out there. I can’t even name them all anymore,” Welch said. “They are not to be climbed on. They are metal and have rough edges and rust on them. We do ask that our guests not climb on them.”
The elements affect the dinosaur figures. The mechanics who maintain the museum’s warbirds also help paint and patch the park’s prehistoric critters, with a mastodon and saber-toothed tiger have been added to the exhibit in recent years.
“They need some TLC. We need to do some welding patchwork and some touch up on the paint,” Welch noted. “Not too much.”
The word “dinosaur” comes from two Greek words. Deinos meaning horrible and sauros meaning lizard. Dinosaurs are indeed fascinating lizards from the perspective of impressionable youngsters.
“They are cool. The kids love them,” Welch said. “Their eyes light up when they cross the driveway and enter the park.”
The park’s T. rex is a life-size depiction of the king of the tyrant lizards, a ferocious creature that ruled during the Cretaceous period in western North America between 66 million and 68 million years ago. This giant lizard weighed from 7 to 8 tons and measured 40 feet in length from the tip of its massive tail to its nose.
The park’s exhibits include a nest of three young dinosaurs — Tyrannosaurus rex babies — hatching from their shells. Children love seeing the baby dinos. The T. rex babies have sharp teeth and claws and are safely viewed from a short distance.
Perched in a tree overlooking the park, the form of a prehistoric flying lizard, a pterodactyl, is a subtle reminder that the Military Aviation Museum maintains and oversees the park property.
“We want the public to come by and enjoy the park even if they are not airplane fans. Kids may not appreciate the airplanes when they are two or three, but they all sure know dinosaurs. It’s something the family can do,” Welch said.
“It’s not always about the buck — the dollar. It’s about what’s right. Our founder set the policy. We’ve continued that. We see no reason to charge for the dinosaur park. We want it open for everybody to enjoy.”