USS Hornet blog

[tbm3fan]

Sometimes I do other type of work, in my spare time, not related to the ship directly. Such as this weekend I replaced the front suspension on my wife's 1998 Sable wagon. Strut assembly, lower control arms, outer tie rods and ball joints. First time is always a learning experience and so this took me about 8 hours over two days. The HORNET comes into the picture when the ball joint press, I rented, didn't fit my application. There is an adapter, I did't know about, and the clerk also didn't know about. So down to the machine shop at 8am Sunday morning and I know Tom is there.

He takes a look and I describe what the press was but why it didn't work. So we need to make a receiver for the ball joint to slide into. Tom measures width and diameter, goes to our stock, and finds the correct pipe. Cut it and then put it on the lathe to square up the edges and Tom chamfers the edge. Next find a correct diameter socket and slip the whole thing into the bench vise. The first joint had me bracing my legs against the work bench legs and pulling for all it was worth to get it to move. This is a large vise with a 2 foot long arm to close it. The second ball joint come out smoothly. Putting them in was the work of a large clamp. None of this would have worked with the puny looking ball joint press. I knew with Tom there would be no issues. Growing up on a ranch, then the Seabees and last the Santa Cruz Fire Dept. I have yet to find any mechanical issues he can't solve.

[tbm3fan]

This plane has been off it's pedestal, behind the East Gate to NAS Alameda, for almost two years now. Had been up there maybe two decades and the wear and tear were obvious. Well, Tim, who was with the Air Group on the Hornet and helped me with the TBM, was hired by the City of Alameda to restore this A-7B and the A-4 at the North Gate. The A-7B is ready to be placed back in place. Just noticed the name Dodge. He was the last commanding officer of NAS, Alameda. When it closed he retired early since he didn't make any friends with his backing of the group trying to save the HORNET in 1995. I believe he was helpful in pointing out a Navy violation regarding the procedures for museum status.

[tbm3fan]

I was just over at the house of my guy who does upholstery work to show him an item. He knows I work on the HORNET and go out to the Reserve Fleet. Well today he told me his connection with the Navy. Apparently his father served aboard the heavy cruiser CA-34 USS ASTORIA from just before Pearl Harbor to the aftermath of the Battle of Savo Island. Gathered that after the war his father did some time on the ORISKANY also. The important thing here is that he told me he has boxes and boxes of photos taken by his father serving in the Navy. Pictures of ships, crew, his father and so forth. I suggested that many of these might be worthwhile to scan and then post on a site like this that appreciated old naval photos. Told me to give him a call and maybe I could come over one night and we could go over the pictures since he knows I would appreciate them. Should I scan them for myself would anyone want me to post them to this thread or a new thread about a sailor's photos?

[TopHatter]

Should I scan them for myself would anyone want me to post them to this thread or a new thread about a sailor's photos?

Hell yes! Crank up another thread here in the Naval Warfare Forum, that sounds great.

[blidgepump]

Pictures..... did someone say pictures ???

I was just over at the house of my guy who does upholstery work to show him an item. He knows I work on the HORNET and go out to the Reserve Fleet. Well today he told me his connection with the Navy. Apparently his father served aboard the heavy cruiser CA-34 USS ASTORIA from just before Pearl Harbor to the aftermath of the Battle of Savo Island. Gathered that after the war his father did some time on the ORISKANY also. The important thing here is that he told me he has boxes and boxes of photos taken by his father serving in the Navy. Pictures of ships, crew, his father and so forth. I suggested that many of these might be worthwhile to scan and then post on a site like this that appreciated old naval photos. Told me to give him a call and maybe I could come over one night and we could go over the pictures since he knows I would appreciate them. Should I scan them for myself would anyone want me to post them to this thread or a new thread about a sailor's photos?

TBM heck yes.... post and post. :Dancing-Banana:

[qaz14595]

I Second...errr third what Top and Blidge said!

& P.S Make sure to post any DE related picutres that may be found!! ;)

[Stitch]

This plane has been off it's pedestal, behind the East Gate to NAS Alameda, for almost two years now. Had been up there maybe two decades and the wear and tear were obvious. Well, Tim, who was with the Air Group on the Hornet and helped me with the TBM, was hired by the City of Alameda to restore this A-7B and the A-4 at the North Gate. The A-7B is ready to be placed back in place. Just noticed the name Dodge. He was the last commanding officer of NAS, Alameda. When it closed he retired early since he didn't make any friends with his backing of the group trying to save the HORNET in 1995. I believe he was helpful in pointing out a Navy violation regarding the procedures for museum status.

I was WONDERING where that A-7 went! It's been there every year I went to the Hornet, except last year; the pedestal was there, but no Corsair!

[tbm3fan]

Here is a profile shot of the A-7B followed by a before shot

[tbm3fan]

This is the A-4 that stands at the North Gate. This jet has actually been restored twice so to speak. After it was finished a crane was arraigned to be at the gate on a certain day and time. The maintenance people for the base were told which gate and therefore not to water. Well they screwed up and stopped watering at the East Gate. Day comes and the A-4 is lifted by the crane. As the boom swings out towards the pylon one of the cranes supports starts to sink into the grass. As it does the boom slowly starts the crane to tip over and it does. A-4 hits the ground followed by the boom that was holding it. Back into the hanger for another 4-5 months for repair.

Every time I see one of these restored I think to myself... they can keep that lo-viz crap.

[tbm3fan]

Our East Gate back to normal now.

[Admiral Nelson]

Are these gate guardians coated / protected somehow against the elements? I imagine the original paint wasn' meant to sit outside for years at a time...

[tbm3fan]

I'd have to ask what he used this time. I know the TBM, on the ship, was done in Dupont Imron which is some very tough paint. However, the rule for the TBM is that it could never spend over night on the flight deck otherwise I would stop work on it removing my personal parts. For 13 years it has never spent over night in the elements. All the others have and some are in Imron. The T-28, donated and painted 7 years ago, definitely shows fade on all flat exposed surfaces to the sun. No idea what paint. TA-4J and F-14 in original Navy low-viz, mainly outside, hard to tell what the paint is doing since flat already but they do get dirty.

[tbm3fan]

To Navy Doc who sent me a PM today.

Can't reply if one's inbox is too full which is what I have been told by the PM program

Answer is every Wed. from 10-7pm with closing at 5pm.

[SlaterDoc]

I'm wondering if not deleting all the emails could be labeled as "hoarding"! Naw, it's like it was when we hung all those Christmas cards around the doorways in the house and didn't take them down until Spring!
Thanks tbm!

[tbm3fan]

Spent more time on O11 dealing with rust removal. Put in 8 hours up there in 20 mph winds which had dust swirling all over the place. Using the grinder I managed to get maybe 9 sq. ft. Goes slow when digging down into the pits and then needing a little more sledge and chisel. Cleaning up all the debris was even more fun in all the late afternoon wind as it is howling up there. Still have about 20 sq.ft. left to do. As always chisel, grind down, Corroseal, primer, tie coat over rusted pits and then color coat. When I got home my wife went "what happened to your eyes!" Wow, I look like a zombie...

Also saw today that Hal was repairing the straps that hold the Wildcat's fuel tank in place so he can put it back.