Boston Trip August 2017 (picture heavy)

CapnMac82 ;

 Yes , do see and explore the KIDD . I am in the process of completing a 1/96 scale model of her for a client . She's the best of the best for accuracy and history . Plus , she's one of the Destroyer Classes , " Kamikazi " survivors ! ! 

 I used to docent on the Hornet  in Alameda ! Many times without notice ! except the secretary in the office , there were only the two of us on board .

 On a ship that size , that made docenting very hard . But I loved the ship and loved her history . How many folks would get to docent on a ship that was famous for the B-25 attack on Tokyo . You see the Mitchell was also , and still is , one of my favorite twin engined planes from that period.

 That and in the seventies I owned one . Long gone now , but a great plane to make history come alive for her many visitors . The biggest  thing about docenting is this .You are a VOLUNTEER ! That said .You can get very frustrated and angry at the way some administrators and managers treat the volunteers .

 This is why with Budget cuts and Personality conflicts a volunteer is hard to hold onto if he or she lives over five miles away and drives back and forth , because he or she loves the subject or the history thereof .  But Being human , these folks do NOT deserve to be belittled , rudely treated or just seen as fodder for mood swings .

    Hence many Museums are having a hard time holding onto them . Costs and time being the tertiary causes for a docent quitting . As an aside . I docent and am on the Board of our Local RailRoad Museum .Why ? Well , I do like trains . But not that much . I dig passenger trains . AMTRAK doesn't come close to my experiences while a child .

  I do want the history to live though . Seeing folks faces when I tell of a trip over the Rockies or down either coast in legendary trains ." Name trains " is what they were called .

 The opulance of some and the utility of others as the train and it's design grew and progressed is amazing . The cars of the late nineteen twenties up the late fifties were amazing recipients of some of the most Class conscious fullness of design and use .

 Well  this isn't The Sister mag . "Model Railroader" so I will stop while I am ahead .

Great pictures Capn. Thanks for taking them and posting! It is not very often you get to see the yards up close.

Steve

Y'know, I was thinking of the Forum here while taking the pictures.  That there was someone, somewhere, who was trying to model this bit, or that bit.  Which made having the phone be wobbly about the charge was sore annoying.

Now, to complicate things, there were no Volunteers aboard giving tours, which meant I was an impromptu docent a time or two (or seven, or everytime I was taking a picture--"What's that do?")

Since National Park Service operates the Boston Historic area, they apparently rely on Volunteers to do the tour work, allowing NPS to just focus on security, facilities, etc. 

So, for Cassin Young, you are restricted to the main deck, unless a Volunteer is present to give a tour (the 01/0100 deck had obvious indications of where folk are allowed).

Oh well, perhaps next I can get down to Kidd.  My father said his visit was a bit of deja vu, from his time on USS Boyd DD-554.

GMorrison

The USN 5" gun is a underestimated weapon system. My first thing was those twin 5 gun houses on the old Revell Iowas.

 

I have done a couple of tours of the Iowa with a good friend of mine who was a gunners mate on FFGs. The Iowa has one twin 5" mount open for guests to look inside of. My friend was quite familiar with the 5" Mk.38. He explained to me the operating procedures of the gun. Those twin mounts are very cramped inside! I can just imagine in the heat and humidity of the Central Pacific.

Very cool to see these images, Capn. Thanks for sharing them.

Jackstays on the Constitution?

Dr. Tilley took me to task some recent time back for suggesting same. Or at least on the big Revell model. Mind I did not think she had them then but there they were in the instructions.

The USN 5" gun is a underestimated weapon system. My first thing was those twin 5 gun houses on the old Revell Iowas.

Over time, starting with my model of CA ships, and now a brace of big pre-war flat tops, the whole system of range and fire control, fusing, and set up behind the breach is impressive.

Thank you for the pics.

Very nice! I've had some similar outings on the West Coast this year. Gotta love going on those ships!