USS Texas pictures

[asnrobert]

Today I visited the USS Texas at the San Jacinto battleground park. They can be seen at the link below:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44585097@N00/sets/72157604670073831/

[Ed Rotondaro]

Today I visited the USS Texas at the San Jacinto battleground park. They can be seen at the link below:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44585097@N00/sets/72157604670073831/

John:

Were you able to visit the bridge or the turrets?

[asnrobert]

John:

Were you able to visit the bridge or the turrets?

No, unfortunately those were off limits.

[clacton2]

Today I visited the USS Texas at the San Jacinto battleground park. They can be seen at the link below:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44585097@N00/sets/72157604670073831/

Hi,
I really wish the U.K. had had the foresight to preserve a battleship before the scrapman got his hands on them all. A nice KGV class or Warspite or even Vanguard would have been nice. All down to money I guess.
Jon:eek:

[Smiffy]

Hi,
I really wish the U.K. had had the foresight to preserve a battleship before the scrapman got his hands on them all. A nice KGV class or Warspite or even Vanguard would have been nice. All down to money I guess.
Jon:eek:

HMS Victory is a battleship and she's still in commission.:D

[Smiffy]

Hi,
I really wish the U.K. had had the foresight to preserve a battleship before the scrapman got his hands on them all. A nice KGV class or Warspite or even Vanguard would have been nice. All down to money I guess.
Jon:eek:

Warspite would have been my choice, she did have a very full career. There are two of her guns outside the Imperial War Museum. Also the training mechanism for the Joderal Bank radio telescope, was originally in one of Royal Sovereign's turrets.

Money would have been the big problem, although at the time they scrapped Warspite I doubt many people were thinking of preserving them. Just look how few WW2 aircraft still survive, even as non-flyers. I have only ever seen two Beaufighters in my life, and one of those was in Dayton, Ohio!

Oh, nice photos, John. Thanks for sharing.

[Kyle Holgate]

Hi,
I really wish the U.K. had had the foresight to preserve a battleship before the scrapman got his hands on them all. A nice KGV class or Warspite or even Vanguard would have been nice. All down to money I guess.
Jon:eek:

Warspite - that ship was everywhere and did a lot for the RN. Then again the US preserved a bunch of battleships and didn't preserve the USS Enterprise! Go figure. And carriers were supposed to trump battleships, guess not in the "cool" department!

[William Miller]

Kyle,

If you think about it, part of what helped preserve US battleships was the simple fact that they were named after US states. I am convinced this gave sufficient additional incentive for both the people and officials in certain states to make a greater effort to preserve these fine ships. If carriers had been named after states it is quite possible that more would have been saved.

I do agree about CV-6 Enterprise -- it was the most decorated US ship in WW2 (if not the most decorated ship in US history) and deserved to be preserved as much or more than any BB.

[clacton2]

Warspite would have been my choice, she did have a very full career. There are two of her guns outside the Imperial War Museum. Also the training mechanism for the Joderal Bank radio telescope, was originally in one of Royal Sovereign's turrets.

Money would have been the big problem, although at the time they scrapped Warspite I doubt many people were thinking of preserving them. Just look how few WW2 aircraft still survive, even as non-flyers. I have only ever seen two Beaufighters in my life, and one of those was in Dayton, Ohio!

Oh, nice photos, John. Thanks for sharing.
Hi,
Warspite would have been my number 1 choice as well.
It's not her guns outside the Imperial War Museum, in fact 1 is from Ramilles and the other from Resolution.
Jon;)

[clacton2]

HMS Victory is a battleship and she's still in commission.:D

Hi,
True, memory is going! LOL
Jon:D

[Smiffy]

Hi,
Warspite would have been my number 1 choice as well.
It's not her guns outside the Imperial War Museum, in fact 1 is from Ramilles and the other from Resolution.
Jon;)

Was not the Resolution gun transferred to Warspite in 1944 after one of Warspite's originals had worn out?

[Smiffy]

Warspite - that ship was everywhere and did a lot for the RN. Then again the US preserved a bunch of battleships and didn't preserve the USS Enterprise! Go figure. And carriers were supposed to trump battleships, guess not in the "cool" department!


Kyle,

I do agree about CV-6 Enterprise -- it was the most decorated US ship in WW2 (if not the most decorated ship in US history) and deserved to be preserved as much or more than any BB.

There have been 9 Warspites in the Royal Navy.
Warspite carries the most battle honours of any ship in the Royal Navy, and the eighth ship carries the most for any individual ship.
(First)

Cadiz 1596;(Second)

Orfordness 1666;
Schooneveld 1673, Texel 1673,;
Barfleur 1692;
Velez Malaga 1705;(Third)

Lagos 1759, Quiberon 1759;(Eighth)

Jutland 1916;
Atlantic 1939;
Narvik 1940,Norway 1940;
Calabria 1940, Mediterranean 1940-41-43,;
Malta Convoys 1941, Matapan 1941, Crete 1941:
Sicily 1943, Salerno 1943:
English Channel 1944, Normandy 1944, Walcheren 1944, Biscay 1944.

[asnrobert]

Warspite would have been my choice, she did have a very full career. There are two of her guns outside the Imperial War Museum. Also the training mechanism for the Joderal Bank radio telescope, was originally in one of Royal Sovereign's turrets.

Money would have been the big problem, although at the time they scrapped Warspite I doubt many people were thinking of preserving them. Just look how few WW2 aircraft still survive, even as non-flyers. I have only ever seen two Beaufighters in my life, and one of those was in Dayton, Ohio!

Oh, nice photos, John. Thanks for sharing.

Your welcome- although my name is Robert, not John. ;)

Speaking of WW2 aircraft, today I visited the Lone Star Flight museum in Galveston, Texas. They have a B-17G, a B-25 Mitchell, an F6F Hellcat, F4U Corsair, P47 Thunderbolt (all flyable- I saw the B-17 and B-25 airborne). They also have a B58 Hustler, Dauntless, Spitfire, Hurricane, F3F (predecessor of the Wildcat), PBY Catalina. They have a Privateer (navy version of the Liberator) undergoing restoration, and a Polish Mig-21 also waiting to be restored. I'll post the pictures to Flickr for everyone to look at when I get the chance.

[Ed Rotondaro]

HMS Victory is a battleship and she's still in commission.:D

Smiffy:

Correction she is a ship of the line of battle.;)

[Ed Rotondaro]

Warspite would have been my choice, she did have a very full career. There are two of her guns outside the Imperial War Museum. Also the training mechanism for the Joderal Bank radio telescope, was originally in one of Royal Sovereign's turrets.

Money would have been the big problem, although at the time they scrapped Warspite I doubt many people were thinking of preserving them. Just look how few WW2 aircraft still survive, even as non-flyers. I have only ever seen two Beaufighters in my life, and one of those was in Dayton, Ohio!

Oh, nice photos, John. Thanks for sharing.

Smiffy:

Unfortunately Warspite had suffered significant damage near the end of the war and if whe was to have been a museum ship, she would have needed extensive repairs. It's too bad though, she was probably the greatest of the British battleships. My other choice would have been KGV or DOY.

[Ed Rotondaro]

Kyle,

If you think about it, part of what helped preserve US battleships was the simple fact that they were named after US states. I am convinced this gave sufficient additional incentive for both the people and officials in certain states to make a greater effort to preserve these fine ships. If carriers had been named after states it is quite possible that more would have been saved.

I do agree about CV-6 Enterprise -- it was the most decorated US ship in WW2 (if not the most decorated ship in US history) and deserved to be preserved as much or more than any BB.

William:

That's a good point about states names and BBs. Most of the BBs that were preserved were done so by the states in question. Only the Missouri and Wisconsin seem be Federal momuments.

Adm. Halsey tried in last years to generate interest in preserving Enterprise, but I think it may have been a combination of her age (she was an old carrier, but then Texas was an old BB) and damages suffered near the war's end that doomed her. Too bad, she was a truly great warship.

[Ed Rotondaro]

Your welcome- although my name is Robert, not John. ;)

Speaking of WW2 aircraft, today I visited the Lone Star Flight museum in Galveston, Texas. They have a B-17G, a B-25 Mitchell, an F6F Hellcat, F4U Corsair, P47 Thunderbolt (all flyable- I saw the B-17 and B-25 airborne). They also have a B58 Hustler, Dauntless, Spitfire, Hurricane, F3F (predecessor of the Wildcat), PBY Catalina. They have a Privateer (navy version of the Liberator) undergoing restoration, and a Polish Mig-21 also waiting to be restored. I'll post the pictures to Flickr for everyone to look at when I get the chance.

Robert:

That sounds like a really great museum to visit. Oh, sorry it was my fault that Smiffy called you John, I noticed one of my earlier posts to you was addressed to John. I can only blame the pain meds I'm on and the pain from trying to pass a kideny stone for the brain fart. That and the whiskey I drank to enhance the pain relief.

[Warship NWS]

Another great warship, and one of my true favorites, was the rebuilt HMS Renown battlecruiser which served in a variety of roles and oceans with distinction.

[asnrobert]

Robert:

That sounds like a really great museum to visit. Oh, sorry it was my fault that Smiffy called you John, I noticed one of my earlier posts to you was addressed to John. I can only blame the pain meds I'm on and the pain from trying to pass a kideny stone for the brain fart. That and the whiskey I drank to enhance the pain relief.

Yes, it was a great museum, even better than the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum in Reading, PA (although that museum was still good, albeit smaller than the Lone Star Museum).

[Smiffy]

Smiffy:

Unfortunately Warspite had suffered significant damage near the end of the war and if whe was to have been a museum ship, she would have needed extensive repairs. It's too bad though, she was probably the greatest of the British battleships. My other choice would have been KGV or DOY.

Warspite came to a very fitting end for a fighting ship. On her way to the breakers she parted her tow and ran aground on the Cornish coast. She was well and truly stuck and had to be broken up on site. Not for Warspite the indignity of the breakers.

ROBERT:o: The USAF Museum in Dayton has an incredible collection of aircraft, very well displayed. In a few month's time I hope to visit the SAC Museum, near Lincoln, Nebraska.

Locally, I live quite close to RAF Conningsby, which is home to the "Battle of Britain Memorial Flight," so I often see flying Spitfires, along with the odd Hurricane and Lancaster, or Dakota.

[clacton2]

Was not the Resolution gun transferred to Warspite in 1944 after one of Warspite's originals had worn out?

Hi Smiffy,
Did'nt know the answer to that one, so I did some research, and it was as I said previously, 1 came from Ramillies and the other from Resolution. The Resolution gun was mounted on her from 1915 to 1938. It was then stored from 1938 to 1944, when it was then fitted to HMS Roberts, a monitor, and was fired at the Normandy landings. It was then stored again from 1945 until going to the IWM. See the following IWM link for full info:
http://collections.iwm.org.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.990

Well, thats taught me something new as well! LOL
Cheers
Jon;)

[asnrobert]

Warspite came to a very fitting end for a fighting ship. On her way to the breakers she parted her tow and ran aground on the Cornish coast. She was well and truly stuck and had to be broken up on site. Not for Warspite the indignity of the breakers.

ROBERT:o: The USAF Museum in Dayton has an incredible collection of aircraft, very well displayed. In a few month's time I hope to visit the SAC Museum, near Lincoln, Nebraska.

Locally, I live quite close to RAF Conningsby, which is home to the "Battle of Britain Memorial Flight," so I often see flying Spitfires, along with the odd Hurricane and Lancaster, or Dakota.

Speaking of Spits and Hurricanes, the museum I visited yesterday has one of each- I believe in flyable condition.

[Ed Rotondaro]

Another great warship, and one of my true favorites, was the rebuilt HMS Renown battlecruiser which served in a variety of roles and oceans with distinction.

Chris:

I agree, and Renown was a very elegant looking ship.

[Smiffy]

Speaking of Spits and Hurricanes, the museum I visited yesterday has one of each- I believe in flyable condition.

Flyable Hurricanes are very rare. I think there are three in the UK, the RAF has two of them and only ever flys them one at a time. Last year, taking a back road near Niagara Falls, somewhere on the Canadian side, I saw a barn with its doors open. In the barn was a Hurricane MK1, with the engine covers off. It looked to be in excellent condition. Too far away and too dark to get an photos and there were lots of very large Keep Out signs. Parked behind the barn was a Spitfire, couldn't get a good luck but I think it was a Griffon engined variant. Would like to have found out more but those signs looked like someone meant business; and it was getting late.

Getting back to the Texas, is it right that they had to dig a canal, just to get her to her present position?

[asnrobert]

Flyable Hurricanes are very rare. I think there are three in the UK, the RAF has two of them and only ever flys them one at a time. Last year, taking a back road near Niagara Falls, somewhere on the Canadian side, I saw a barn with its doors open. In the barn was a Hurricane MK1, with the engine covers off. It looked to be in excellent condition. Too far away and too dark to get an photos and there were lots of very large Keep Out signs. Parked behind the barn was a Spitfire, couldn't get a good luck but I think it was a Griffon engined variant. Would like to have found out more but those signs looked like someone meant business; and it was getting late.

Getting back to the Texas, is it right that they had to dig a canal, just to get her to her present position?

I believe the Hurricane I saw at the museum was a IIB model; the Spit was also a late war model.

I'm not sure about the canal for the Texas; I do know she is on the Houston ship channel;
you could see barges and freighters going about their business.

[asnrobert]

Here are the pics of the Spitfire and Hurricane:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2175/2439364733_fc27f78741.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2368/2439367255_ef7aae8627.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3193/2438891080_55441ac683.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3152/2438884972_896f8cc63d.jpg

The Spitfire has a drip pan underneath (as did some of the other planes) which leads me to be believe it is a flyable model. The Hurricane did not.

[Smiffy]

The Spitfire has a drip pan underneath (as did some of the other planes) which leads me to be believe it is a flyable model. The Hurricane did not.

Q. Why can't we British build computers?




A. Because we can't figure out a way to make them drip oil.:D


Great pictures, thanks. For a look at my near neighbours take a look at http://www.bbmf.co.uk/index.html

[asnrobert]

Q. Why can't we British build computers?




A. Because we can't figure out a way to make them drip oil.:D


Great pictures, thanks. For a look at my near neighbours take a look at http://www.bbmf.co.uk/index.html


Thanks for the pics!

[Ed Rotondaro]

Here are the pics of the Spitfire and Hurricane:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2175/2439364733_fc27f78741.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2368/2439367255_ef7aae8627.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3193/2438891080_55441ac683.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3152/2438884972_896f8cc63d.jpg

The Spitfire has a drip pan underneath (as did some of the other planes) which leads me to be believe it is a flyable model. The Hurricane did not.

Robert:

The Spitfire looks ready to take to the skies and fight. Beautiful plane, a nice picture. Thanks!

[Ed Rotondaro]

Q. Why can't we British build computers?




A. Because we can't figure out a way to make them drip oil.:D


Great pictures, thanks. For a look at my near neighbours take a look at http://www.bbmf.co.uk/index.html


Smiffy:

That's too funny, reminds me of all those classic British sports cars (Triumphs, Jaguars). Nice pics of the planes. Thanks.

[john964]

Smiffy:

That's too funny, reminds me of all those classic British sports cars (Triumphs, Jaguars). Nice pics of the planes. Thanks.
Try the MG, they say you have to drive it to experince it, but from several friends who have ownd MG's it more like towing experince.

[asnrobert]

Here are some pics of Grumman products seen at the Lone Star Museum:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3070/2441302919_1f5dc085e5.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2217/2441304571_6de5ab3dae.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2112/2441301001_c1c198654f.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3019/2441298799_63180c2a83.jpg