USS Alabama & Battleship Park

[APG85]

Some pictures I took the other day of the USS Alabama, USS drum and some of the aircraft. The ship is in good shape although it is listing about 3 degrees to port (result of Hurricane Katrina?). The USS Drum is immaculate on the interior. The exterior has severe hull corrosion which they are continually addressing. The aircraft are in various stages of repair and deterioration. The climate does them no good and interior space is limited.

Last edited by APG85 on Sat Sep 29, 2012 2:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[APG85]

[APG85]

[Steve Nelson]

Great pics! They've made incredible progress since Katrina nearly wiped them off the map in 2005. Good to see the Kingfisher and B-25 getting a bit of attention. Most of those outdoor aircraft in your pics were beaten up by the storm, and are awaiting their turn in the repair queue. They were just starting on the C-47 when I was there two years ago..looks like they've gotten her back in shape (the mostly-obliterated upper invasion stripes are a nice touch, and historically accurate, but the postwar tail number is a bit of an anachronism.) The BUFF certainly needs a paint job, but it's nearly impossible to keep an aircraft that big in decent shape in those harsh conditions.

SN

[JohnB]

Anyone know what became of the storm damaged H-19?

[JOMiller]

Were you there onFriday, Sept 7??

[APG85]

Were you there onFriday, Sept 7??

No, I was there yesterday...

[Clifford Bossie]

The Thud, Sabre Dog and Panther still show hurricane damage. I know it can be a long road to repair. IIRC the P-51 was heavily damaged as well. Is that the same one inside?

[CoastieJohn]

Nice pics!!


Hmmm...sadly, that Skyraider above looks woefully familiar.

[Steve Nelson]

When I was last there, the plexi was missing from several of the B-25's cockpit windows, allowing me to get these horribly overexposed "camera onna stick" shots.





Of course, she was almost copletely submerged in seawater when Katrina's storm surge came rolling up Mobile Bay.

SN

[Lightjug]

Very nice... thank you for sharing!

[Wildchild]

The Thud, Sabre Dog and Panther still show hurricane damage. I know it can be a long road to repair. IIRC the P-51 was heavily damaged as well. Is that the same one inside?

Not just heavily damaged, it was sawed in half. Last time i went was just after the hurricane, and they had all the aircraft piled up infront of the hangar.

[Steve Nelson]

Better than the day after the storm, when they were piled up IN the hangar (that's the P-51 at the bottom of the pile!)

SN

[APG85]

The SR-71 looks really nice...although they have painted it. I assume they did that due to years of exposure to the salt air. Does anyone know how it did during the Hurricane?

[JOMiller]

Actually that is a single seat A-12, forerunner to the SR-71. It sustained a good
bit of damage, but she looks good today. I am proud to say that when a movie
company approaches the Roadrunners (vets org) for where to film, they always
tell them we have the best, most complete example.

On another front.....what did you think of the recently renovated spaces aboard
BB60? Such as the Marine compartment, Warrant Country,Sick Bay and adjacent
spaces, CIC, Radio Central, etc. Doesn't she look like she came out of the yards
last week in those areas?

Link to post Katrina damage.......
http://rides.webshots.com/album/558283899RbtWLL