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Favorite fleet submarine museum?


MattS
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The only submarine I've been on is the U.S.S. Batfish. I throughyl enjoyed going through it. When we finished the tour, I went back through it again at a pace I prefered leaving my wife topside.

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I was just thinking about the Batfish this morning and then I see this thread. Cool! Since the Batfish is sitting on/in dry ground, I wonder how long the pressure hull has until it rusts through, if it hasn't already. And what happens to it at that point? I understand the Navy still has ownership of these boats but at what point will they take them back and scrap them? It's pretty sad to think that at some point in the future, these boats might all be scrapped. The same goes for the destroyers, battleships, aircraft carriers, etc that are on display.

 

So, if the Cod and the Pampanito are mostly operational, do they still have their props and are the shafts connected to the gears and engines? In other words, could they theoretically propel themselves if fueled and crewed? I think Pampanito runs her diesels every so often but what about Cod? I know the Navy says no way, no how but.....

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The Cod, Silversides, and possibly Cobia have operational diesels. The Silversides plans on running theirs this summer according to the website (http://www.silversidesmuseum.org/), but I have no idea if the screws are still present. I would hope there is a drainage system in place under Batfish to keep water away from the hull, but it's still got to be a slower decay than the ones sitting in salt water.

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The Cod, Silversides, and possibly Cobia have operational diesels. The Silversides plans on running theirs this summer according to the website (http://www.silversidesmuseum.org/), but I have no idea if the screws are still present. I would hope there is a drainage system in place under Batfish to keep water away from the hull, but it's still got to be a slower decay than the ones sitting in salt water.

Just as they would be if they were in dry dock, access to the hulls makes the difference. High and dry will not only outlast "wet and fret" every day, but allows maintenance on a regular basis. Being able to get at the hull allows the veteran crews the chance of maintaining them indefinitely. The single largest cost for these museum ships is the hull maintenance. It is the main reason that the USS Olympia is at risk and why the Navy has pulled so many ships from donation hold like the USS Saratoga and the USS Forestal.

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The Cod has,I believe, two operational engines at this time. The boat has no screws as they were removed pursuant to an old treaty between the US and Canada that says no operational warships can be based in the Great Lakes.

 

The main budgetary consideration is the eventual hoped-for towing of the boat to Lorain shipyard where it will be dry-docked and repaired. About $250K is needed and there is a long way to go.

 

Tom

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The Cod has,I believe, two operational engines at this time. The boat has no screws as they were removed pursuant to an old treaty between the US and Canada that says no operational warships can be based in the Great Lakes.

 

The main budgetary consideration is the eventual hoped-for towing of the boat to Lorain shipyard where it will be dry-docked and repaired. About $250K is needed and there is a long way to go.

 

Tom

I have often thought that all museum ships should be helping each other! There are former Navy tugs that are still operational as museums. There is one in upstate New York. Why don't we use them to tow other museum ships to their maintenance?

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I have often thought that all museum ships should be helping each other! There are former Navy tugs that are still operational as museums. There is one in upstate New York. Why don't we use them to tow other museum ships to their maintenance?

 

I noticed the rivalry when visiting the Silversides. I was talking about the work of the Cod volunteers, and they did not seem interested because it was "not the Silversides." Sure seems like a good idea in theory to have the museum tug help out, I wonder if they have considered it.

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The problem with the Batfish is, it's not high and dry. Well, it is, but it's simply sitting on/in the ground. It used to be in a retention pond, and I guess technically, it still is. But, there's no water left unless the river floods and fills it up again. You can walk all the way around the hull and touch it while standing on dry land. The hull is in direct contact with the ground.

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Going back to engines... the COBRA has some Naval Reservists who help maintain the engines. They are occasionally run, I think the run dates are often posted on their website so the public can be there for it. On the day I was able to visit Cobra the WW2 Sub Vets were having a reunion so I had the chance to speak to several who had served on the Cobra.

 

MW

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I was in Muskegon 10 days ago, but had no idea the boat was there, :crying: my loss!!

 

Robin, tell me that since you missed the Silversides and the cutter that you were at least able to tour the LST393 which is also in Muskegon, right off the downtown? For a smaller town it is definately a great place to go to see ships.

 

 

MW

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  • 1 month later...

Here are a set of table medals/ plaques ????? I do not know if they pre or post date the Cobia arriving in Manitowoc and are 4" dia and look locally made.

post-2723-1318731162.jpg

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carbinephalen

My vote would have to be for the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum (Located in Little Rock, AR)

 

The main display is the USS Razorback (SS-394) The Razorback conducted five combat patrols during World War II, sinking Japanese vessels, capturing Japanese POWs and rescuing American pilots who had been shot down. At the end of WWII, she was one of only 12 submarines selected to be present in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese surrender was signed.

 

2008-11-05-01.jpg

 

You can take a full tour of the sub and can even spend the night aboard (Well...if you're 10 and in the Boy Scouts that is. We might get some raised eyebrows if any one of us tried it at our age :lol: )

 

JunctionBridgeDedication051708ussrazorback-86R.jpg

 

Here is a link for more information on this WWII survivor!

 

http://aimm.museum/razorback.asp

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