No politics, religion, flames or name calling is the “rules” the powers that be posted.
So, here’s a good off-topic post:
Link was temporary, no longer functions
These are a series of shots of the SSN711 at the Pier and in drydock.
Nasty.
ET(SS) TOC
COB SS(B) 39 Cobra
TOC,
Great photos. I’ve spent a fair amount of time at Electric Boat in Groton, CT. working as a contractor on various crane and automation projects. So I’m used to seeing the boomers and fast boats in dry dock.
The photos of the bird farms brought back memories of my time on the USS America CVA 66 back in the mid 60’s. I’m a plank owner and had the honor to attend the decommissioning of the lady in 1996, a proud and sad experience.
Thanks for sharing the photos with us.
Walt
ETR3
Now I get the submarine ref in the other thread. Very unique pictures. But seeing a sub go thru water. Way cool. Here in San Diego, we have a huge sub base. Because of the real sub base, that was the line back when we were kids to go watch the submarine races.
Tim
I did my time on 637 class SSN’s. That’s the (SS) designator…Qualified in Submarines.
Pretty tight-knit community.
In my “spare” time, I am Chief of the Boat (COB) on SS(B) 39 Cobra on the waterfront in Seattle.
Same class Foxtrot as at the Queen Mary.
Horrible little beasties.
TOC
[:-^]This is off topic but I had to share with you that I have cracked the photo thing. The quality might not be great yet but I am getting there.
This is yours truly taking time off from a work trip last year.
Capt Joe, you might recognise the building behind me.
Tim, thanks for the help.
[:D] All the best Ian P
I’m about as off-topic as they come[:D]
Hey TOC you beat me to the punch! Oh Well, lets see how long this one lasts, hehehe
Warm today, been watch Lord of the Onion Rings - Return of the King yet again only now I’m going thru with the cast commentary on, pretty funny, Andy Serkis does comments as himself and as Gollum/Smeagol, real funny, “Done listen to thems, My Precious, theys only blowing smoke up yer ***!”
Is it just me , or does that look like the Alamo in the background?
TOC,
Much admiration here for all of you that actually done your cruises below the surface. I spent my time on the surface, nothing like a floating city to go to sea on [;)]
Ian,
Congratulations, looks like you’ve got the idea down perfect. [:D]
I found a Shay sitting in the park in a small town near here recently think I’m going to go take some pictures of it today.
Take care all,
Jack
Jack,
Have you been to the Alder Gulch Shortline? Runs between Virginia City and Nevada City, MT. We only had one day to visit but got there too late to ride the train. But I got a lot of great photos. They have the only narrow gauge saddle tank porter that I’ve ever seen.
Walt
Walt,
No I haven’t been there, but now that you mention it maybe I can make it there later this year when the weather is nice.
Jack
Can someone translate this for me?
I interpret this as follows:
"Great photos. I used to work at a factory that made electric boats, so I’m used to seeing kangaroos and fast boats in dry dock.
The photos of the chicken farm reminded me of when I was on the USS America. Becaue I own a long piece of timber, I had the honour of seeing that ship decomissioned."
Misty,
I’ll try, we’ll see how bad I do.
He spent a fair amount of time at a place called Electric Boat in Grotton CT, (I’d say they manufacture submarines) Building cranes and mechanical helpers.
The photos of the Aircraft carriers reminded him of when he was on the USS America (an aircraft carrier) Because he’s a plank owner (he was on the ship when it was commisioned so in tradition he owns a piece of the ship) He was allowed to go to the decomissioning of the ship (put into mothballs) and that ceremony made him both proud and sad.
Hopefully I got that right so someone from Austrailia or non Navy would understand it [:D]
Later,
Jack
Not Quite
Electric Boat is the name of the conpany that build the navies submarines, they have done so since before WW1.
A Boomer is a Nuclear ICBM Missle carrying submarine like the Ohio Class, a Fast Boat is an Attack class sub like the Los Angeles Class…
Remember the Movie “Hunt for Red October”? the ruskie sub was refered to as a Boomer because it carried ICBMs, the USS Dallas was a Fast Boat, no ICBMs but very fast and stealthy underwater.
A “plank owner” is a crew member who part of the ships first crew when originally commisioned…you got me on the “bird farm”…
Bird farm= aircraft carrier, aka “missle magnets”. I guess, I’m a soldier so I don’t really know.
Any redlegs out there that can talk to me about normal stuff like the BCU or AFATDS and maybe a hot sticked DPICM with a little shake and bake shot with a lateral spread sheaf from a M109 SP using a Q36 FO?
[oX)]
Wow I didnt realize in TOC pics but are those the rubber tiles these big buffs are coated with sound absorbtion so accoustical waves are absorbed and not reflected off, its those squares that look like scales where the hull is folded over…or is that part of the sonar array?
Curmudgeon,
How bout a civvie who still has a HS card for going down in ss410 in 1963? and was invited to go do deep dives in Pogy? (Boy, a long story that last one!) Did a mess of DD, DLG, FFG, LPH, AO, ad infinitem. Never got to do a bird farm though, always figured I’d just stick the bouys under my feet and go!
I’m gonna have to look for some pics of me at the Alamo. Did you visit the Ripley’s Believe It or Not and Wax mueseum nearby? Next time you are in San Antonio, try once of the mission tours of some of the lesser know missions, it pretty cool if you are into history.
Strange thing about the Alamo, it is probably the most well known battlefields in the world!
Misty,
I apologize for the navy jargon. The post was addressed to TOC in response to his submarine and aircraft carrier photos.
The name “Electric Boat Co.” is a carryover from the days when submarines were driven by diesel engines that drove DC generators which in-turn drove the DC electric motors for propulsion. When under water, the motors were driven off of huge battery banks. The navy is very big on tradition. Even though today’s subs are nuclear powered, the place where they’re built is still called Electric Boat.
A “bird farm” is navy slang for aircraft carrier. With regard to “plank owner”; there is an old naval tradition that goes back to the days of wooden sailing ships that dictates that a member of the commissioning crew is entitled to a plank from the deck of the ship when she is decommissioned. Since modern naval ships have virtually no wood aboard, we were given a hearty handshake instead.
Is a kangaroo called a boomer?
Now maybe we can both ask Tangerine Jack what the heck he’s talking about.
Walt
Take it easy on us[4:-)] We have enough trouble keeping up with railroad jargon.
An interesting topic, though. I had a teacher in Junior College who served on a submarine in the early 60’s and told good stories. He said they actually got ready to fire a live torpedo at a Russian ship once, but didn’t.