Author Topic: Yes Virginia, there is a stern plane!!! Paging Indiana Jones!  (Read 48798 times)

Offline Jim

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Today, Mark Allen, Mark Sarsfield and myself discovered something that hasn't been seen in approximately four decades!  The starboard stern plane and screw shaft (some) and the bearings housing.  This dig was in preperation for the Muskogee PW department to back-hoe dig both the planes and the rudder from under the dirt/sand after 40 years.  Specifically we were looking for the electric lines that are run over the screw stub and near the planes.  We didn't want them to find that the hard way.  Enjoy the pics!

First pic is Mark and Mark as we get started looking for the outlines.

The second pic is headless Mark and Mark as we get close to finishing up for the day with the plane outline exposed.  We're not sure what the vertical surfaces on the outside edges of the plane are.  Our best guess is protection during the upriver shipping phase.  The left to right angle iron will be removed, it was also for shipping. The horizontal edge of the angle was at ground level when we started.  The hole is deceiving as it runs uphill towards the camera.  The hole ranges from two feet forward to almost 4 feet aft.  The plane itself is also at about a 10-15 degree "surface the ship" angle.

Third pic is an overhead of the exposed gear in great shape for 40 years under dirt.

The old girl started to roll over so Mark A. put a stop to that!

« Last Edit: August 20, 2023, 01:58:36 PM by MWALLEN »

Offline Lance Dean

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Re: Yes Virginia, there is a stern plane!!! Paging Indiana Jones!
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2013, 07:32:49 PM »
Man, you guys are dedicated.  Good work!

Offline Mark Sarsfield

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Re: Yes Virginia, there is a stern plane!!! Paging Indiana Jones!
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2013, 08:04:43 PM »
We were happy to see how intact she was, but I wasn't totally surprised.  The ground isn't very acidic and the cathodic system seems to be doing its job. 

Regards,
Mark Sarsfield
USS Batfish reenactor



"If you have one bucket that can hold 5 gallons and one bucket that can hold 2 gallons, how many buckets do you have?" - IQ test from Idiocracy

Offline Rick

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Re: Yes Virginia, there is a stern plane!!! Paging Indiana Jones!
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2013, 02:07:07 PM »
See....

I have been saying it all along that we all will be pleasantly surprised when we get to see her undercarrage.  The last time this portion of the boat has been exposed was in 1986 during the centinial flood.   I am happy to see the dive planes exposed and am looking forward to the developement of this project.

Rick
Former Park Manager
« Last Edit: October 20, 2014, 01:52:40 PM by MWALLEN »

Offline Darrin

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Re: Yes Virginia, there is a stern plane!!! Paging Indiana Jones!
« Reply #4 on: April 14, 2013, 10:17:52 PM »
a HUGE bravo Zulu goes out to the crew on the Batfish for the work that they just did, the Starboard Stern Plane looks amazing after being in the ground for the time that it has... You guys rock

Offline Jim

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Re: Yes Virginia, there is a stern plane!!! Paging Indiana Jones!
« Reply #5 on: April 14, 2013, 10:51:11 PM »
A few more shots.

Offline Jim

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Re: Yes Virginia, there is a stern plane!!! Paging Indiana Jones!
« Reply #6 on: October 20, 2014, 01:18:56 PM »
I am sad to convey that the prior and current management as well as the board of directors of the Park have let the small hole that we started in April of 2013 (shown in the above pictures) become such a massive sink hole that it has eroded into the main support piling for the boarding bridge.  The Batfish is no longer safe to board and is currently closed to visitors.  There is no plan in place to reverse this course.   :(

Offline Mark Sarsfield

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Regards,
Mark Sarsfield
USS Batfish reenactor



"If you have one bucket that can hold 5 gallons and one bucket that can hold 2 gallons, how many buckets do you have?" - IQ test from Idiocracy

Offline Darrin

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Re: Yes Virginia, there is a stern plane!!! Paging Indiana Jones!
« Reply #8 on: October 20, 2014, 11:33:29 PM »
Mark S, W I feel your pain regarding the status of the Batfish and her new sink hole.  We talked about similar stuff regarding digging around her a year or so and I thought that Brent had been reading up on what had gone on prior to him after taking over the directors position, it turns out apparently he didn't and it also sounds like the board members really don't care.

What a shame because now they will be losing money due to not being able to let the tourist's get onboard and see all of the great work you all did.

Sad day indeed,

Darrin

Offline Mark Sarsfield

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Re: Yes Virginia, there is a stern plane!!! Paging Indiana Jones!
« Reply #9 on: October 21, 2014, 01:40:06 PM »
Everyone, go back to sleep.  There's nothing to see here....   :buck2:

Regards,
Mark Sarsfield
USS Batfish reenactor



"If you have one bucket that can hold 5 gallons and one bucket that can hold 2 gallons, how many buckets do you have?" - IQ test from Idiocracy

Offline Jim

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Re: Yes Virginia, there is a stern plane!!! Paging Indiana Jones!
« Reply #10 on: October 21, 2014, 05:43:59 PM »
Everyone, go back to sleep.  There's nothing to see here....    :buck2:

Unfortunately...true...

Offline Darrin

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Re: Yes Virginia, there is a stern plane!!! Paging Indiana Jones!
« Reply #11 on: October 21, 2014, 07:34:28 PM »
And sadly I now have to agree that there is nothing to see there  :'(

Offline Lance Dean

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Re: Yes Virginia, there is a stern plane!!! Paging Indiana Jones!
« Reply #12 on: October 23, 2014, 08:30:33 AM »
Sad!

Can it be repaired for visitors again?

Offline Darrin

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Re: Yes Virginia, there is a stern plane!!! Paging Indiana Jones!
« Reply #13 on: October 23, 2014, 10:58:59 AM »
Lance,

Yes it can be fixed, it does make me wonder how the deep the original hole was compared to what it is now. Reason behind that is now there is an erosion problem that can be fixed without much problem it however will take money and people to do the work.

And from what we all have seen on here in the recent past is there aren't any volunteers to do the work and the museum isn't putting money where it needs to be spent. It apparently was easier for them just to close the boat and forget about it for the time being and hopefully they catch it before it becomes too much more of an issue

Darrin

Offline Darrin

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Re: Yes Virginia, there is a stern plane!!! Paging Indiana Jones!
« Reply #14 on: February 12, 2015, 10:46:46 AM »
Apparently this was fixed about a month ago and she has reopened