My latest warship museum weekend!

[TopHatter]

Just got back from Boston, met up with my father and a friend of the family (Hopefully he'll be joining the board soon ) up there. They flew over from Chicago whilst I hopped up from Florida.

We went to Battleship Cove in Fall River and to the USS Constitution in Boston Harbor. Needless to say, it was an amazing trip.

Here are a few pictures:

Fall River has among other things,
USS Massachusetts
USS Joseph P Kennedy
USS Lionfish
Soviet-built Tarantul I Hiddensee (of the East German navy)






I know, that sign says "No Climbing". Guess what happens to rule-breakers?

Yup, I made it a grand total of 20 minutes aboard the Massachusetts before being thrown in the brig.

Just in case anybody was wondering what kind of fuel the Navy uses:


My Saving Private Ryan moment. Ironically, we went back to the hotel and rented Flags Of Our Fathers. That'll be on my Amazon.com buylist tonight.


Pictures of the Constitution to follow!

[TopHatter]

USS Constitution and USS Cassin Young






I've got a ton of pictures, mostly detail stuff. I'll be posting a bunch in the Models forum later.

[dave lukins]

The Constitution looks a fabulous vessel, bet it looks incredible in full flow

[T_igger_cs_30]

Originally Posted by dave lukins

The Constitution looks a fabulous vessel, bet it looks incredible in full flow

Doesnt it just Dave, did you check out the recoil systems on them guns ..what a great TP that would be to give..those were the days

[dave lukins]

How big is a HESH round for one of them things Wayne???

[Parihaka]

TH, 20th century battleships all very cool and stuff, but do they ever take the Constitution out for a run, or is she always tied up?

[TopHatter]

Originally Posted by Parihaka

TH, 20th century battleships all very cool and stuff, but do they ever take the Constitution out for a run, or is she always tied up?

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: She leaves the dock 7-8 times per year (and gets turned around for even weathering) but rarely is she under her own sail power, mostly moving via tugboat.

She's also strictly forbidden from leaving the mouth of the harbor.

In addition, she'd need a couple hundred crew to effectively man the sails and she's only got something like 90 (or less).

Having said that, she's still a commissioned warship in the United States Navy with an active-duty crew, not reservists. Being a national icon - and slower than molasses in January with her tiny crew, about 3 knots - she'll never be sent off to war. But technically she is just as liable to be deployed as any other USN vessel because of her being an active vessel.

[Parihaka]

Originally Posted by TopHatter

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: She leaves the dock 7-8 times per year (and gets turned around for even weathering) but rarely is she under her own sail power, mostly moving via tugboat.

She's also strictly forbidden from leaving the mouth of the harbor.

In addition, she'd need a couple hundred crew to effectively man the sails and she's only got something like 90 (or less).

Having said that, she's still a commissioned warship in the United States Navy with an active-duty crew, not reservists. Being a national icon - and slower than molasses in January with her tiny crew, about 3 knots - she'll never be sent off to war. But technically she is just as liable to be deployed as any other USN vessel because of her being an active vessel.

It'd be fantastic if I ever got a chance to crawl all over her, even better to see the old girl under sail.
I know I'm talking to the converted but her kind were the most complicated and powerful human powered machines ever made.
The sheer complexity of her operation and the depth of knowledge required for her officers and able seamen is astonishing. Imagine the minds of the men who could sail them across a thousand or more miles of ocean and make near perfect landfall as a matter of course.

[YellowFever]

TopHatter, is that you in the picture??

I never knew you were bald and have red eyes?

[Parihaka]

Originally Posted by YellowFever

TopHatter, is that you in the picture??

I never knew you were bald and have red eyes?

Have you never seen the terminator?

[TopHatter]

Originally Posted by YellowFever

TopHatter, is that you in the picture??

I never knew you were bald and have red eyes?

Yep, that's me.

Not really bald yet, just balding. (and at 31 too )
Mostly I keep a very close crew-cut.

[Ray]

In my part of my country, those who are thin on the pate and have hair in their ears are said to be highly intelligent!

[Ytlas]

Originally Posted by YellowFever

I never knew you were bald and have red eyes?

I wonder if his head spins around when he gets angry?

Where are all the other pictures?

Originally Posted by Ray

In my part of my country, those who are thin on the pate and have hair in their ears are said to be highly intelligent!

In my country they're lonely....

I think Grasshopper is too young to have hair in his ears

[RustyBattleship]

Originally Posted by Ray

In my part of my country, those who are thin on the pate and have hair in their ears are said to be highly intelligent!

No, no. That's Yoda.

[THL]

Originally Posted by TopHatter

Yep, that's me.

Not really bald yet, just balding. (and at 31 too )
Mostly I keep a very close crew-cut.

31 and a half at my last calculation...but who's counting?

Very nice pictures, TH. I am still very jealous!