OT: Freshwater Flattops

[NigelKentarus]

This months Fleet Reserve magazine had an interesting article about carriers in the Great Lakes during the war. Here's some forgotten info.

https://militaryhistorynow.com/2016/08/ ... -carriers/

[pbiggar]

Very cool. I had no idea about these ships. Thanks for posting.

[BBfanboy]

Someone posted that about four years ago. I knew about the paddlewheel carriers from spec books I had on the US and other fleets, but it was interesting reading about the experiences of the pilots and crews.

With no hangar deck, the flight deck was that much closer to the water and the Great Lakes can get very choppy in shallow waters. Winters were probably no fun either.

[btd64]

Nice article. Good information. Thanks for sharing....GP

[Jorge_Stanbury]

and apparently lake Michigan is full of airplanes lost on training mishaps

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Jorge_Stanbury

and apparently lake Michigan is full of airplanes lost on training mishaps

Probably covered in zebra mussels by now!

[geofflambert]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy


Probably covered in zebra mussels by now!

How did football referees and their physiques get into this discussion?

[NigelKentarus]

I've heard that there are some wrecked aircraft on the bottom of Lake Michigan, now I know how they got there. The Great Lakes are always choppy, I grew up not far from Lake Erie, went to boot camp at Great Lakes, and lived in Chicago for awhile. The Great Lakes are never calm (like the South Pacific).

[Mundy]

ORIGINAL: NigelKentarus

I've heard that there are some wrecked aircraft on the bottom of Lake Michigan, now I know how they got there. The Great Lakes are always choppy, I grew up not far from Lake Erie, went to boot camp at Great Lakes, and lived in Chicago for awhile. The Great Lakes are never calm (like the South Pacific).

Yep. I lived by Lake Superior for awhile. At times the waves could be absolutely deafening with the noise.

[RangerJoe]

The wreck of the Edmund Fitgerald . . .

From what I understand, the storms on those lakes can be worse than the storms on the ocean.