1 of 3 surviving U-boats being broken up

[old iron]

Hello all,

Yes, off topic, but one of three surviving U-boats (not on ocean bottom) has just in the past few weeks been cut up. U-534 was the last U-boat to be sunk during WWII, was raised in the 1993 and in 1996 joined a collection of historic ships in Birkenhead UK. This area is now being rebuilt into apartments and the boats, many now detereorated, are being dispersed or scrapped (one of the boats is a D-day landing craft).

Several points are relevant to us. First, this may suggest the ultimate fate of many of our outdoor museums as the memory and interest in WWII declines with new generations.

Options to move the boat for display elsewhere ran into troubles with the British disabilities act; apparently tours in a new museum were not possible because not everyone could take the tour. There is a plan to use the pieces as a way to show the inside of the U-boat, but whether enough money can be raised for the new museums is uncertain. The now cut-up pieces appear sure to detereorate further.

So, is the ultimate fate of all but a few of our still existing warbirds?

There are all kinds of videos on U-534 at youtube, but the one below seems to lay the story best (you may have to cut and pastte the link):

<http://youtube.com/watch?v=JeCJu5mjE0I&feature=related>

Kevin,
.

[ZRX61]

FFS! I can't beleive that blithering idiot is trying to justify cutting the bloody thing up because of the disabilities act.

[APG85]

What a waste! Whats next, take a chain saw to the U.S.S. Constitution?

[DoraNineFan]

I though I read somewhere that they at least were going to cut it in logical assembly places. And that the sections could be turned into a museum.

Not that future generations will care, maybe. A ship is a ship and it's more impressive in one piece.

[BattleRabbit]

This is terribly disappointing. I hope if they do turn it into a museum all the components go to one place, and are at least lined up together where people can at least appreciate the whole.... with some gaps.

[Jack Cook]

Do I see a trend

[mustangdriver]

No.

[Jack Cook]

Oh I don't know about that.
What's the status of the Hornet. They were in $$$ trouble the last I heard. The Saratoga is questionable, the USS Olympia was turning to trash (have they turned it around I hope??, the SS United States is rotting and oh yes the Cabot. That's just the US. Looks like a trend

[mustangdriver]

I thought the hornet was doing O.K.? I would love to see the USS United States saved.

[PbyCat-Guy]

That's what happens when people don't know about Guadacanal, D-Day, the Bismark, U.S.S. Indianapolis, 8th (and other) Air Forces, and Operation Drum Beat, and so many others. It's a fight to keep this history preserved, and seems like it gets harder as time goes by, especialy when historic artifacts are destroyed.

[Jiggersfromsphilly]

Oh I don't know about that.
What's the status of the Hornet. They were in $$$ trouble the last I heard. The Saratoga is questionable, the USS Olympia was turning to trash (have they turned it around I hope??, the SS United States is rotting and oh yes the Cabot. That's just the US. Looks like a trend

\Apparently Norwegian Cruise lines is interersted in returning the United States to the cruise business. I drive passit most days and it looks a lot worse for the wear that it did when it was berthed in SPhilly oh so many years ago.

The Olympia is under going some major restoration work and is tenatively scheduled top be drydocked soon.

All is not lost on the Delaware River.

I will do some checking with my longshoreman friends ansee if there is anymore intel on these ships.

.

[Glen]

The Olympia is going under the guide lines of what was learned on the USS. TEXAS when back in the early 80's she was in a real bad way. thankfuly they got to her just in time . By te way a foot note I belive that the Texas was the first "Battle Ship" to have a Plane launched off of turrent # 3 .
The Olympia is under going some major restoration work and is tenatively scheduled top be drydocked soon.

All is not lost on the Delaware River.

I will do some checking with my longshoreman friends ansee if there is anymore intel on these ships.

.[/quote]

[mikoyan29]

I'm not so sure this is a trend as the Museum of Science and Industry just spent a ton of money to restore U-505 and put it in new digs (very nice ones too).

[Robbie Roberts]

The SS US is pretty well gutted at the moment- after she was taken out of service, they stripped her, and sold everything off- down to the painted metal.

There is a group on the internet trying to save her... But I can't find my link for them! If I come across it, I will post it.

Robbie

[tom d. friedman]

what a crime to ww 2 history!