Welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Here’s the news for the day.
KitMaker Auctions Now Open
KitMaker Auctions is a new site/service available to members. If you have something to sell and would like to use a tool similar to eBay this site is for you. Click through to the news story to read more about it.
KitMaker Auctions
SAVE the SILVERSIDES
Source: Wink Grise, AMP
The USS SILVERSIDES, a highly successful and decorated WWII Gato submarine, a piece of history, is in danger. She needs to be dry docked for hull maintenance. It’s been 55 years since her last one, and now is the time to save her, before it’s too late. Find out how easy it is for you to help!
She is lovingly maintained (physically, and in history and education) by the staff at the Great Lakes Naval Memorial and Museum - www.glnmm.org. She rests in fresh water off Lake Michigan, so with proper continued maintenance, she could last a long time. But only if she is dry docked soon. Otherwise she will end up like LIONFISH - sadly becoming a collection of flaky rust with not much real metal left.
It’s always difficult to find money for a good cause, especially when we all have so many other obligations and yes, recreation needs (model and beer money?!). It’s extra-extra hard during a difficult economic time. But there are only a few WWII vessels left that we can’t let even one go. And without help, SILVERSIDES definitely will go.
Anything you can give would help her out. The rough target (somewhat under actual cost if too much more time passes) is US $500,000. Checks can be made out to "Great Lakes Naval Memorial and Museum" and memo can serve as donation cause ("Save Silversides"). PayPal options may be in the future. The GLNMM has info (links below). AMP have given to the museum, and will continue to privately add little bits here and there (you can donate whenever you have a spare $5 or $10...buy beer or save a boat!).
If you can’t afford to give money now, maybe later. And you can help just by spreading the word!
HMS Bulwark Leaves Dry Dock In £30m Refit
Source: UK Ministry of Defense
The Royal Navy amphibious landing ship HMS Bulwark has been floated out of dry dock after 127 days as part of a £30m refit at Devonport Royal Dockyard in Plymouth.
At the end of the refit programme the ship will be more advanced for helicopter flying and have improved accommodation.
Babcock, the prime contractor, and the ship's company achieved the important refit milestone with a delay of just a single day caused by the near gale force winds that prevented the 20,000-tonne ship's safe passage through the narrow gap of the dock.
A significant improvement for the amphibious task group to which the ship belongs is conversion of HMS Bulwark to full tactical night-vision capability by her landing craft and aircraft and the capacity of the flight deck to simultaneously operate two heavy-lift Chinook helicopters.
So far, the hull and propeller shaft work have also been completed to schedule and freshly painted in technically-advanced anti-fouling paint.
The finishing touches will now be added to the extensive accommodation enhancements for the 380 sailors and marines to move themselves and all the ship's equipment back onboard in late October.
This is the first major refit of the ship and has included additional improvements to the machinery and magazine spaces, the ship's high voltage propulsion system, advanced communication sensors, IT network capability and defensive weapon upgrades.
Commander Nick MacDonald-Robinson, HMS Bulwark's Commanding Officer, said:
"The undocking demonstrates the success of the significant work undertaken so far by my ship's company and the contractors here in Devonport, of which I am justifiably proud.
"There is, however, still a considerable amount of work to be done to attain a successful move onboard of my ship's company and to allow the ship to progress toward sea trials.
"The close working relationship we have established with Babcock this past year will undoubtedly prove to be successful and allow us to achieve each milestone to schedule over the next months."
HMS Bulwark is the Royal Navy's newest commando assault and command and control ship. Launched in November 2001 she has a ship's company of 380, a quarter of whom are made up from members of 4 Assault Squadron Royal Marines.
The ship can carry up to 200 Royal Marines in dedicated accommodation for long periods and another 500 troops for short periods. Her flight deck can accommodate two Chinook or two Merlin helicopters. A large floodable dock holds four large landing craft - with another four carried on davits on the ship's sides.
SS Stephen Hopkins engages German auxiliary cruiser Stier
Today’s is the anniversary of the engagement between the SS Stephen Hopkins and German auxiliary cruiser Stier. Enjoy.
Liberty Ships
Today’s website is Liberty Ships built by the United States Maritime Commission in World War II. Enjoy.
This Day in U.S. Naval History
1922 - Report on observations of experiments with short wave radio at Anacostia in the District of Columbia starts Navy development of radar.
1941 - Launch of first Liberty ship, SS Patrick Henry, in Baltimore.
1942 - Armed Guard on SS Stephen Hopkins engages German auxiliary cruiser Stier and supply ship Tannenfels. Stephen Hopkins and Stier both sink.
1944 - Special Air Task Force (STAG-1) commences operations with drones, controlled by TBM Avanger aircraft, against Japanese in Southwestern Pacific.
1950 - First Marine Division captures Seoul, South Korea.
Photo of the Day
The Virginia-class attack submarine USS Hawaii (SSN 776) enters Apra Harbor for a scheduled port visit.
Gator
