USS Franklin CV-13 "Ultimate Reconfiguration"?

Started by republic, December 31, 2012, 11:01:14 PM

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republic

I was watching a documentary on the USS Franklin and I noticed on the wiki page this:  "it was their like-new condition which kept them out of commission, as the Navy for many years envisioned an "ultimate reconfiguration" for them which never took place" speaking of the Franklin and Bunker Hill.

I just assumed the damage to the Franklin so severe that the ship was fundamentally weakened.  Have any of you heard of this "ultimate reconfiguration" theory?

besilarius

#1
Cannot recall anything like that, but it wouldn't be surprising if this was no more than a hope, or a contingency plan.
Considering the fight with the Air Force and Army about the usefulness of carrier aviation (look up the "Revolt of the Admirals")  and then the involvement in Vietnam (in which most support and funding went to the Army and Air Force.)  The funding for something like this kind of a rebuild seems unlikely.  Both carriers were so badly damaged that it seems likely that a brand new construction would actually need less budget.
When the cruiser Belknap was rebuilt after her tremendous collision and fire, there was a sort of logical reason.
The number of hulls tha the navy could have was agreed to in congress, but there was no money for a new cruiser.  So, funds were shuffled and the husk was reborn.  Normally, the cost and time to gut the hull, and then build up new systems was prohibitive.  Since the hull was already authorised, the rebuild was the only way to keep the numbers in being.

Just read the wiki page, and I'm really surprised that the money was spent on bringing both ships back to pre-battle condition.  From my dad's stories, and other people who served in the time between 1945 through about 1960, they all groused about how tight things were financially.  Probably spoiled by the wartime conditions.
All I can think of in terms of "ultimate configuration" was some plan to make them larger, or more capable.
Since the Forrestal class of carrier, the first of the "super" carriers, was being planned, I would guess that the brass preferred the newer, bigger, more capable Forrestals to upgrading the Essex class.
"Most gods throw dice, but Fate plays chess, and you don't find out until too late that he's been playing with two queens all along".  Terry Pratchett.

During filming of Airplane, Leslie Nielsen used a whoopee cushion to keep the cast off-balance. Hays said that Nielsen "played that thing like a maestro"

Tallulah Bankhead: "I'll come and make love to you at five o'clock. If I'm late, start without me."

"When all other trusts fail, turn to Flashman." — Abraham Lincoln.

"I have enjoyed very warm relations with my two husbands."
"With your eyes closed?"
"That helped."  Lauren Bacall

Master Chiefs are sneaky, dastardly, and snarky miscreants who thrive on the tears of Ensigns and belly dancers.   Admiral Gerry Bogan.

republic

That was some great info Besilarius!  I'm going to read up on the Revolt of the Admirals.  I also had never heard that story about the Belknap.  This is why Grogheads.com is awesome.  :)

mirth

There's a nice little discussion on the "Ultimate Reconstruction" program here:

http://warships1discussionboards.yuku.com/topic/2482/Franklin-and-Bunker-Hill

This is what it would have entailed:

Quote"Ultimate" Reconstruction: This was a never-realized program to upgrade Essex class ships to a final, completely modern configuration. The SCB 27A/27C programs were seen as a temporary measure pending development of an "ultimate" configuration for the class. Ships of this configuration would have operated with the "supercarrier" United States in large nuclear-strike groups. The design would have been completely flush-decked, with no island at all. With the death of United States and the development of the angled deck, the "ultimate" plan was reconfigured but probably stayed alive. It is unclear when it was realized that the "ultimate" modernization of Essex class ships should be dropped in favor of SCB 125 and new construction. Two ships were excluded from other modernization programs to make them available for the "ultimate" conversion -- Bunker Hill and Franklin. These ships had been heavily damaged near the end of the war, fully repaired, and laid up in excellent condition. Ultimately they went to the breakers unmodified.

The above comes from Haze Gray & Underway in the section on the Essex Class:

http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carriers/us_fleet.htm

Very interesting topic, thanks for bringing it up, Republic.
"45 minutes of pooping Tribbles being juggled by a drunken Horta would be better than Season 1 of TNG." - SirAndrewD

"you don't look at the mantelpiece when you're poking the fire" - Bawb

"Can't 'un' until you 'pre', son." - Gus

besilarius

Thanks for the link, Mirth.  Very interesting topic.
FYI, american sailors, being the most irreverent folks on the planet had very evocative nicknames for their ships.
The Intrepid's official nickname during the war was the Evil I.  By the mid 60s, the crew referred to her as the Decrpit.
The Franklin Roosevelt was a heavy, wet ship that wallowed in rough weather, and the whole fleet knew her as Eleanor's Pig.
The Bonhomme Richard was called the Bonnie Dick, but among themselves the crew called her The Biggest Dick in the Pacific.
"Most gods throw dice, but Fate plays chess, and you don't find out until too late that he's been playing with two queens all along".  Terry Pratchett.

During filming of Airplane, Leslie Nielsen used a whoopee cushion to keep the cast off-balance. Hays said that Nielsen "played that thing like a maestro"

Tallulah Bankhead: "I'll come and make love to you at five o'clock. If I'm late, start without me."

"When all other trusts fail, turn to Flashman." — Abraham Lincoln.

"I have enjoyed very warm relations with my two husbands."
"With your eyes closed?"
"That helped."  Lauren Bacall

Master Chiefs are sneaky, dastardly, and snarky miscreants who thrive on the tears of Ensigns and belly dancers.   Admiral Gerry Bogan.

mirth

Quote from: besilarius on January 01, 2013, 12:08:13 PM
Thanks for the link, Mirth.  Very interesting topic.
FYI, american sailors, being the most irreverent folks on the planet had very evocative nicknames for their ships.
The Intrepid's official nickname during the war was the Evil I.  By the mid 60s, the crew referred to her as the Decrpit.
The Franklin Roosevelt was a heavy, wet ship that wallowed in rough weather, and the whole fleet knew her as Eleanor's Pig.
The Bonhomme Richard was called the Bonnie Dick, but among themselves the crew called her The Biggest Dick in the Pacific.

LOL! Thanks for sharing the nicknames, Bes. :)
"45 minutes of pooping Tribbles being juggled by a drunken Horta would be better than Season 1 of TNG." - SirAndrewD

"you don't look at the mantelpiece when you're poking the fire" - Bawb

"Can't 'un' until you 'pre', son." - Gus

republic


besilarius

If carrier aviation is an interest, there is a free video for the rest of January at Zeno's Warbird.

http://www.zenoswarbirdvideos.com/HookDown.html

There is some great archival footage from the 20s and 30s that is very difficult to track down.  Also has interviews with some of the people involved in World War II, like Wade McCluskey (who lead the Enterprise bombers at Midway), Arleigh Burke, Gerry Bogan, and many others.
"Most gods throw dice, but Fate plays chess, and you don't find out until too late that he's been playing with two queens all along".  Terry Pratchett.

During filming of Airplane, Leslie Nielsen used a whoopee cushion to keep the cast off-balance. Hays said that Nielsen "played that thing like a maestro"

Tallulah Bankhead: "I'll come and make love to you at five o'clock. If I'm late, start without me."

"When all other trusts fail, turn to Flashman." — Abraham Lincoln.

"I have enjoyed very warm relations with my two husbands."
"With your eyes closed?"
"That helped."  Lauren Bacall

Master Chiefs are sneaky, dastardly, and snarky miscreants who thrive on the tears of Ensigns and belly dancers.   Admiral Gerry Bogan.

republic

Hey thanks besilarius, I'll watch that this evening.

mirth

"45 minutes of pooping Tribbles being juggled by a drunken Horta would be better than Season 1 of TNG." - SirAndrewD

"you don't look at the mantelpiece when you're poking the fire" - Bawb

"Can't 'un' until you 'pre', son." - Gus

Airborne Rifles

I have a great uncle who was a sailor on the cruiser USS Pittsburgh that towed the Franklin to safety after it was hit.  He always tells that story and how the bow of the cruiser broke off during the a typhoon later.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Pittsburgh_(CA-72)