USS Alabama & Battleship Park

[APG85]

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?

The interior spaces aboard the Alabama are awesome! They've done a fantastic job and I thoroughly enjoyed going through the ship. They have obviously put a great deal of effort into the renovation. I hear the USS North Carolina (which I saw about 10 years ago) is getting some TLC as well to include new decking.

The interior spaces on the USS Drum were stellar as well. They have really done a nice job with it...

[Steve Nelson]

Sadly our last visit to the Park was too brief to go aboard Alabama or Drum, but I was absolutely blown away (pun intended) by how well the place has recovered from Katrina. Many aircraft that were looking rough during my first visit five weeks before the storm were looking pristine just five years later, not to mention other aircraft that were restored but nearly destroyed by the storm. I wish Yankee had been able to make that kind of spectacular comeback after the fire.

My wife grew up less than an hour from Mobile, so we will definitely be making another trip down there at some point (fortunately she loves aircraft museums, particularly the NMNA at Pensacola.)

SN

[JOMiller]

Steve, the services require that the original serial be displayed.
The C-47 is marked as a particular ship from OP Market Garden
from which one of my childhood heroes (neighbor) jumped. I
wanted the get a piece of aluminum, paint the actual number
on it and pop rivet over the USAF required serial. It could
easily be removed when necessary. Idea didn't fly......

Another example is our A-6. It's marked as the bird Jere Denton
was shot down in. The USN requires that we display the original
BuNo. Also, that was a KA-6 that we converted back to attack
configuration. I wish you could have seen RADM Denton the day
we dedicated that to him.

[Pat Carry]

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

I recall 2 or 3 aircraft were damaged beyond repair. Could the H-19 be one of them?

[Steve Nelson]

Steve, the services require that the original serial be displayed.
The C-47 is marked as a particular ship from OP Market Garden
from which one of my childhood heroes (neighbor) jumped. I
wanted the get a piece of aluminum, paint the actual number
on it and pop rivet over the USAF required serial. It could
easily be removed when necessary. Idea didn't fly......

Ah..thanks for the information! So I take it the C-47 is on loan from the military? I wouldn't get too uptight about the serial..for the most part only us pedantic rivet counters would even notice. She looks fantastic in any case.

SN

[Steve Nelson]

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

I recall 2 or 3 aircraft were damaged beyond repair. Could the H-19 be one of them?

I remember hearing that the Chickasaw and Huey Gunship were both so badly damaged they were scrapped. Considering the scale of the assault, it's amazing more aircraft weren't totaled.

SN

[p51]

Were you there onFriday, Sept 7??

Small world. I was there on the 10th on my way through the are and then again the next week... Hadn't been there since I was a kid. As I still had my Army ID, I got in for free but spent enough in the gift shop to make up for that...

[JOMiller]

[quote="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?).


Actually, she is only over 1/2 degree. I'll agree from certain angles it looks like more,
but that's what the inclinometeres say.

[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?).


Actually, she is only over 1/2 degree. I'll agree from certain angles it looks like more,
but that's what the inclinometeres say.

Just going by what I was told. You can't really tell by the exterior. Once you are on deck or below decks, you can really feel it. I can't imagine how they go about getting her level after a bad storm...must be a challenge.

Do they have plans to repaint the ship at some point? I vote for WWII "Dazzle paint" (camouflage)...

[JOMiller]

We're constantly painting her. You saw a lot of fresh new
paint inside the ship and you may have noticed the fantail
area and 16" turrets are freshly done. As my buddy the
crew chief once famously said, "I've been here 22 years
and haven't finished yet".

Seriously, I'm assuming you mean the exterior of the hull.
I don't know a time frame on that. I do know battleship
grey paint is $42.00 a gallon if anyone if feeling generous.
Remember, we are a self sustaining organization. No budget
from Uncle Sam, nothing from State of AL, etc. At times
it's a struggle.

[mh53eflyguy]

All things considered, it's a great park. Owen and the staff work very hard to keep her in "ship shape", which is as he stated a never-ending battle. I hope to be able to volunteer there again some day. I can proudly state that I have volunteered a few hours working on various ship spaces and aircraft over at Battleship Park!

[B 25 C]

I had the pleasure of the Boy Scout over night stay on the Alabama this year. It was a very exciting time as I had always wanted to do that. My Grandson Kody and my self went through the entire ship 3 times. Its very different at night to have the ship to your self. I also hope to do some volunteering there soon. She is in great shape due to all of the people who take care of her. I remember giving money when I was in grammar school to pay for her trip to the park.

[Mike]

What became of the F4U-7 that was there?

[Red Baaron]

What became of the F4U-7 that was there?

I thought it went to the USS Midway along with a -4 project?

[APG85]

Seriously, I'm assuming you mean the exterior of the hull.
I don't know a time frame on that. I do know battleship
grey paint is $42.00 a gallon if anyone if feeling generous.
Remember, we are a self sustaining organization. No budget
from Uncle Sam, nothing from State of AL, etc. At times
it's a struggle.

Yes, I was referring to the hull. Speaking of the hull, what condition is it in? Is it regularly inspected? Is there ever a time that the water is drained from the cofferdam? I think I saw some pictures of this being done at one time...years ago. Thanks.