Pat Carry wrote:
I was wondering the same thing about the USS Yorktown since she is subject to hurricanes on the eastcoast.
I don't believe that Yorktown has a functioning elevator. Having been aboard her recently as this past July, and aboard six or seven times since 1993, I've seen no evidence of such - although plenty of evidence to the contrary:
Forward centerline elevator pit is now the movie theater
Port side mid-ships deck edge is "plated over". Not sure if that's the right word, but that part of her deck has the newer rubberized coating and between the recollections and pictures I have it looks like it covers completely the area where the elevator joins the flightdeck proper
Starboard size aft port-quarter elevator is in the lowered position and set up as the entry point to the ship, and looks like it has the stairways welded to it, as well as looking like it's been extended (and covered with teak decking).
Interesting thing about the Yorktown is that when there's a hurricane she's where they put the local and State police helicopters. From the video that they used to show on board, they land the helos on the lowered starboard elevator and then wheel them into the hangar bay. She's also 5 degrees down by the bow due to the bottom shifting when Floyd or Hugo tore through back in the 90s.