Aircraft Carriers

Re: All about the Chinese Carrier II

Obi Wan Russell said:

What's the chances some billionaire 'Trekkie' buys her to turn into a museum just so he can brag at conventions that he 'owns' the real Enterprise?:roll:
But seriously, as there are already a number of preserved CVs in the US what are the chances of her avoiding being turned into razor blades after many years swinging at her moorings, or joining the Oriskany as a playground for divers (my eldest brother is a SCUBA instructor, and has dived many wrecks in the Red Sea. I'm thinking of asking him for lessons...)?

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I actually believe there is a good chance that the Big "E" will end up as a museum. Huge historical value in that vessel.

I do think she will be a long time in coming to that end though. As popeye says, and by looking at the other mothballed nuclear vessels...it is likely to be a long time before she is rendered in a condition absent her reactor's cores to be in a position to become a museum.

I heard that the EPA won't allow any former nuclear powered ship to be used as a museum or theme park- but that may change. She could be used as a floating casino in Biloxi, LA- when the next hurricane comes, it's will be possible to tow it to the Gulf and ride it out! :roll:

BLUEJACKET said:

I heard that the EPA won't allow any former nuclear powered ship to be used as a museum or theme park- but that may change. She could be used as a floating casino in Biloxi, LA- when the next hurricane comes, it's will be possible to tow it to the Gulf and ride it out! :roll:

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Once the cores are removed and the ship "cleaned up", and those spaces probably sealed off, I believe they both can...and will in the Big "E"'s case. But that will take a lot of time and money, and that, more than anything else may end up being the limiting factor.

Time will tell.

Re: All about the Chinese Carrier II

bd popeye said:

Looking at that chart the life span of the Kitty Hawk will far out last her sisters. Take a look at the America... CV-63 will be in service 16 more years than CV-66. Amazing.

The diffrence? CV-63 had a SLEP. a SLEP is a three year re-fit. CV-66 had none. CV-63 is in Japan being maintained by the shipyard workers in Japan and American sailors. Major Re-fits were cancelled for CV-66. Her longest re-fit was about 11 months...

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Hindsight is of course a wonderful thing, but that decision to pension America off could well haunt the USN over the next decade.

I'm sorry to see JFK about to be decommissioned, she has a special meaning for me as I got to see her from the shore, when she was on a port visit to Dublin about 10 years ago. Even though she was about a mile or so out at sea her size was incredible. The day before she arrived some joker was on a radio phone in show saying that he wanted to land his Cessna on the JFK to raise money for charity. He couldn't understand why the USN didn't answer his letter!

Re: All about the Chinese Carrier II

Jeff Head said:

I actually believe there is a good chance that the Big "E" will end up as a museum. Huge historical value in that vessel.

I do think she will be a long time in coming to that end though. As popeye says, and by looking at the other mothballed nuclear vessels...it is likely to be a long time before she is rendered in a condition absent her reactor's cores to be in a position to become a museum.

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Would it make any sense for these retired carriers to ever be refurbished for other uses? I'm thinking hospital ship, those hangers would provide ample space to create rooms and triage.

..he wanted to land his Cessna on the JFK to raise money for charity. He couldn't understand why the USN didn't answer his letter!

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If he was a real pilot, then I'm surprised how he got his license in the 1st place, given the thought process involved in his question!

BLUEJACKET said:

If he was a real pilot, then I'm surprised how he got his license in the 1st place, given the thought process involved in his question!

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Without meaning to be anti Irish in any way, this pilot is fairly typical of all the Irishmen I've come across. Great blokes, but a very unusual world viewpoint...

Funny you should mention that incident...a Cessna has landed on a USN CV...

On 29 April 1975 during the US led evacuation of S. Vietnam, Operation Frequent Wind a RVN officer, Major Bung Ly, his wife and their five children, landed his Cessna on the USS Midway(CVA-41). At that time I was on board the USS Hancock which also was involved in Operation Frequent Wind as a "refugee" recovery ship.



I would post the pics but pics from the Midway site are hard to link and upload on photo sharing sites. Instead just click these links.







The aircraft is now at the US Naval avation Musuem in Pensacola FL.

Would it make any sense for these retired carriers to ever be refurbished for other uses? I'm thinking hospital ship, those hangers would provide ample space to create rooms and triage.

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One of the idea bantied about has been turning the old CV's into "Camando ships" or some sort of Humanatiarn rescue ship. First off the US Depart. of Homeland Securtity turned down the JFK when she was offerd. Second, those ships are not in any sort of condition to be re-fitted. They all have been "striken" from the Navy list. Many..and I mean many of the vital parts and equipment have been removed, refurbished stored or reinstalled in other active CVN's.

Stricken from the Navy list means;

Stricken
A ship or service craft formally removed from the Naval Vessel Register by SECNAV on recommendation of CNO. A legal preliminary to disposal.

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bd popeye said:

Funny you should mention that incident...a Cessna has landed on a USN CV...

On 29 April 1975 during the US led evacuation of S. Vietnam, Operation Frequent Wind a RVN officer, Major Bung Ly, his wife and their five children, landed his Cessna on the USS Midway(CVA-41). At that time I was on board the USS Hancock which also was involved in Operation Frequent Wind as a "refugee" recovery ship.

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I would post the pics but pics from the Midway site are hard to link and upload on photo sharing sites. Instead just click these links.

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The aircraft is now at the US Naval avation Musuem in Pensacola FL.



One of the idea bantied about has been turning the old CV's into "Camando ships" or some sort of Humanatiarn rescue ship. First off the US Depart. of Homeland Securtity turned down the JFK when she was offerd. Second, those ships are not in any sort of condition to be re-fitted. They all have been "striken" from the Navy list. Many..and I mean many of the vital parts and equipment have been removed, refurbished stored or reinstalled in other active CVN's.

Stricken from the Navy list means;

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Whilst I accept that stricken ships are just stripped out hulks that would be astronomically expensive to return to service in some form or another, in principle it seems such a waste to just throw them away. Common sense and a little forward planning would see them 'recycled' into some form of useful service after life in the navy, but common sense and politicians rarely appear in the same sentence...

When I was at China Lake any USN F-18 that was not part of the airwing had to get prior authorization to land on a carrier. Did that Irish guy done any carrier quals? I don't think so!

during the US led evacuation of S. Vietnam, Operation Frequent Wind a RVN officer, Major Bung Ly, his wife and their five children, landed his Cessna on the USS Midway(CVA-41).

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- this was different from charity/publicity event. Actually, Cessna's most famous landing was near the Red Square in Moscow- as a result, - that of Soviet AD & DOD!