USS Alabama - Mobile

wayne

wayne

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Display name:
wayne
Looking to see if there is any interest in a day trip to Mobile and touring the USS Alabama battleship. Also at the memorial park are the USS Drum (submarine), tanks & artillery and aircraft pavilion.

Right now the Galley (cafeteria) at the memorial park is closed, but who knows, maybe it will open back up sometime soon. While the Galley might not be the best lunch it would be convenient.

We could Uber to the park, a lunch location and then back to the airport.

The closest airport is Mobile Downtown (BFM). A rental car would be far easier and cheaper at Mobile Regional (MOB), but Uber may be easier. Bay Minette is certainly a cheaper airport, but it's also almost 30 miles away versus 7 miles from BFM.

Right now just looking for interest. My April schedule is hectic and a mess. At the moment I'm tentatively thinking May, but that's just a broad target idea. My wife is taking a trip with her sister and some friends in mid-June (if the COVID rules allow), so that might work well for me too.

Anyone interested?

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I can't go, but if anyone is interested in seeing a battleship, the South Dakota Class USS Alabama and USS Massachusetts are a better experience than seeing an Iowa class battleship. These ships afford an accurate representation of the WWII battleship, because they still have the same armament configuration they carried during the war. The Iowas underwent massive modernizations during the 1980s, which included removal of most of their two gun 5"/38 dual purpose turrets and other anti-aircraft defenses. There are twenty 5"/38 turrets on the older ships.

These guns were replaced on the Iowas by armored box launchers (ABLs) that carried Tomahawk cruise missiles, and CIWS 20mm high capacity systems for anti-ship missile defense. The Iowas also have limited display access to the ship's berthing, engineering and armament spaces, especially when compared to Massachusetts.

A tour of the accessible spaces on the USS Missouri takes about an hour to complete. It's limited to the weather deck, the L3 bridge and conning tower, quarterdeck, and second deck. When I toured the Massachusetts, Turret Two, Fire Control, the bridge, and the Combat Command Center were open for touring, along with the propulsion spaces. I was there for five hours. :D

The older ships are much more interesting IMO.
 
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I might be interested in May timeframe. Been there before but it’s a nice little aviation museum. Hopefully the cafeteria opens before then.
 
I would like this, but maybe even making it an overnighter. There is a Hampton downtown that is walkable to a number of restaurants, etc.

Either way I’m interested.
 
Right down the road from me. The aviation hangar is way more interesting than a boring old ship anyway :biggrin:
 
3393RP said:
I can't go, but if anyone is interested in seeing a battleship, the South Dakota Class USS Alabama and USS Massachusetts are a better experience than seeing an Iowa class battleship. These ships afford an accurate representation of the WWII battleship, because they are still have the same armament configuration they carried during the war. The Iowas underwent massive modernizations during the 1980s, which included removal of most of their two gun 5"/38 dual purpose turrets and other anti-aircraft defenses. There are twenty 5"/38 turrets on the older ships.

These guns were replaced by armored box launchers (ABLs) that carried Tomahawk cruise missiles, and CIWS 20mm high capacity systems for anti-ship missile defense. The Iowas also have limited display access to the ship's berthing, engineering and armament spaces, especially when compared to Massachusetts.

A tour of the accessible spaces on the USS Missouri takes less than half an hour to complete. It's limited to the weather deck, quarterdeck, and second deck. When I toured the Massachusetts, Turret Two, Fire Control, the bridge, and the Combat Command Center were open for touring, along with the propulsion spaces.

The older ships are much more interesting IMO.
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The North Carolina is another WWII time capsule. Worth visiting if you are into such things.
 
Dependent on timing, I’m interested.

If there is a desire, I can give a “Gilliagan” tour of the Drum...a 3 hour cruise.
 
I like the A-12. Pointed out the differences with the SR-71 to the wife (COMPLETELY uninterested in my knowledge).
 
Interested also. Someone throw a definite date and I'll try to work it out.

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Will be fully vaccinated for May. Interested.
 
Just went there on Wednesday. The Cafe is closed, but they have a snackbar/sandwiches open from 10a-2p.

Gift shop closes at 4.

They won't let you take the A12 out for a spin. Very solid "No" on that.
 

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New to the forum (been lurking, not posting) I live just north of Atlanta, plane based at KCZL. Depending on weather, since I am VFR only, I would be interested.
 
Y’all should do a trip to PNS and do the Naval Aviation museum at NAS Pensacola. Great overnight and museum.


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Looks like some good interest. Thanks for the update on the current food situation there.

I'm also working on a trip in May for my wife and I to visit our youngest in Pueblo, CO.

I will start throwing out some dates soon and see what works best for the group.



Wayne
 
scarcherpilot said:
New to the forum (been lurking, not posting) I live just north of Atlanta, plane based at KCZL. Depending on weather, since I am VFR only, I would be interested.
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A few of us are flying over to Columbia, SC for lunch today; CUB.



Wayne
 
The Alabama is really interesting. On the main(not weather) deck, there is an abrubpt 6” transition where the armor increases to protect the ship’s vitals. I was surprised that was just layered on top and not integrated to provide a flat deck.

Also, the Alabama is the only battleship where I’ve been able to tour the guts of the turret ring, which is pretty interesting.
 
Fracpilot said:
Y’all should do a trip to PNS and do the Naval Aviation museum at NAS Pensacola. Great overnight and museum.


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I lived in Pensacola two different times for a total period of about 6 to 7 years, and never visited that museum. I’m not sure if I’m aware it was even there. And I finished up my private while I lived in Pensacola.
 
Ok, so let's talk about dates and whether people want to make it a day trip or an overnighter as Bill brought up.

In May we have two weekends that could pose issues: May 8-9 - Mother's Day and May 29-31 - Memorial Day. I'm not locked in on May, it just will have cooler weather typically than June or July in Mobile, which would be nice for walking around inside a battleship and submarine.

First, would you prefer a day trip or overnight trip? We may just add a dinner get-together, so overnight may not change much for most.

Second, which weekends would you prefer?


I'm good with a day trip, but we may do an overnighter. My wife went to lunch with a friend that had a good weekend in Fairhope, which is on the other side of the bay.

Best weekends for me:

May 1-2
May 15-16
May 22-23
 
Those weekends should work for me if WX is VFR of course and barring any unforeseen issues that come up. I am good with day trip or overnight, but would lean towards a day trip if i had to choose.
 
15-16 is the only one that works for me. Track meets, graduations, etc. It's that time of year...
 
scarcherpilot said:
Those weekends should work for me if WX is VFR of course and barring any unforeseen issues that come up. I am good with day trip or overnight, but would lean towards a day trip if i had to choose.
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Well, even if some people decide to spend the night others can just come for the day. We can tour the ships and planes and have lunch together.
 
All of those weekends are like all other weekends right now.
 
Busflyer said:
The Naval Air Museum is a fantastic museum.
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Indeed, it is. We visited there in 2019 and I thoroughly enjoyed it. My wife, probably not so much. Same thing last month at the Pima Air and Space Museum. I enjoyed it, she saw part of it and then waited for me on a bench in one of the hangars.
 
Ghery said:
Indeed, it is. We visited there in 2019 and I thoroughly enjoyed it. My wife, probably not so much. Same thing last month at the Pima Air and Space Museum. I enjoyed it, she saw part of it and then waited for me on a bench in one of the hangars.
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What’s wrong with her???
 
Who's still up for Saturday, May 15th or Sunday, May 16th? @Bill was good with that date, @scarcherpilot was open and @bflynn was maybe. Anyone else?

My wife is planning on going with me. We'll probably spend the night and do somethings in Mobile. We were thinking of doing a food tour in Fairhope, but that's only on Saturdays. :( Looks like a bunch of things are not open on Sunday.
 
Conflict on the 14th might keep me out, need to check schedules. I have to pick up my son from college and given the distance, flying down on Sat isn’t really an option. I think I’m doubtful
 
I still have the plane, but have not made plans beyond that. Let me discuss with "the management", I think it would be fun. There is a Hampton that is downtown that looks walkable to a bunch of food/entertainment options on Dauphin street.
 
I booked a room at the Hampton Inn & Suites Mobile - Downtown Historic District. We have it Saturday night, May 15-16. I cancel on May 14th. If the weather forecast looks really crappy we can cancel.

I'm IR and current, so we can go along as the weather isn't crappy.

I may look into a rental car. That could get us to the beach. Otherwise we'll just do Uber/Lyft. This past weekend in Savannah Lyft was cheaper, and often more available for us.
 
wayne said:
I booked a room at the Hampton Inn & Suites Mobile - Downtown Historic District. We have it Saturday night, May 15-16. I
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Just booked a room, same place.
 
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