Curiousone
Banned
In much the same vein as 'pick a heritage listed building to survive that didn't', what ship deserved to be preserved that would have become a great attraction today?
AHC: Pick a ship scrapped OTL as a Museum ship.
- Thread starter Curiousone
- Start date
RamscoopRaider
Donor
CV-6 USS Enterprise, the most decorated ship in the USN, if the group dedicated to preserving her got started earlier and was better organized it would be possible to preserve her
HMS Warspite of course
though before towing her to her new home
you might have to explain the destination carefully to the old lady
(she always had a mind of her own)
though before towing her to her new home
you might have to explain the destination carefully to the old lady
(she always had a mind of her own)
SMS Goeben (Turkish Yavuz).
Is there really any other? The only WW1-era battlecruiser (or early dreadnought for that matter) still in service in the 1960's with few modifications. The ideal solution would be for her to be sold back to Germany and refitted as she was in 1914 as a proud member of the (politically not too sensitive) High Seas Fleet Mediterranean squadron whose transferral to Turkey expanded WW1. With this history, she could serve not only as a naval musem, but a museum dedicated to the entire First World War. Too bad the Turks scrapped her.
The problem with most other WW1-era ships like Dreadnought is that they were not considered "historic" when obsolete. Also, the Washington Treaty required most obsolete ships to be scrapped, not just deactivated. As noted, "Warspite" or one of the "R"s could conceivably been retained, but in 1946-48 people wanted scrap value for all that steel, not museums.
Other WW1 era ships that could conceivably have been saved were the South American dreadnoughts. Still in service in the 1950's and quite old. However, I suspect neither Argentina, Chile, or Brazil saw them as particularly historic or worth preserving, and its hard to imagine enough interest in Britain or the US to buy and preserve ships that did not serve in their own navies. A Chilean ship maybe, since they also were purloined by Britain in WW1.
The only other likely candidates would be a few British and French battleships or heavy gun crusiers that served into the late 1950's or 1960's. One of the Richelieus would probably be the most likely candidate.
An Italian Cavour-class ship is also a remote possibility, and several Russian dreadnoughts survived in the USSR long after they lost all miltary value.
It's no suprise that almost all large surviving museum ships are American. The US had the money to keep their WW2 battleships in service or inactve reserve far longer than anyone else, so they weren't scrapped. In fact, most 3rd generation US battleships escaped the breakers, and even one old WW1-vintage ship as well.
Is there really any other? The only WW1-era battlecruiser (or early dreadnought for that matter) still in service in the 1960's with few modifications. The ideal solution would be for her to be sold back to Germany and refitted as she was in 1914 as a proud member of the (politically not too sensitive) High Seas Fleet Mediterranean squadron whose transferral to Turkey expanded WW1. With this history, she could serve not only as a naval musem, but a museum dedicated to the entire First World War. Too bad the Turks scrapped her.
The problem with most other WW1-era ships like Dreadnought is that they were not considered "historic" when obsolete. Also, the Washington Treaty required most obsolete ships to be scrapped, not just deactivated. As noted, "Warspite" or one of the "R"s could conceivably been retained, but in 1946-48 people wanted scrap value for all that steel, not museums.
Other WW1 era ships that could conceivably have been saved were the South American dreadnoughts. Still in service in the 1950's and quite old. However, I suspect neither Argentina, Chile, or Brazil saw them as particularly historic or worth preserving, and its hard to imagine enough interest in Britain or the US to buy and preserve ships that did not serve in their own navies. A Chilean ship maybe, since they also were purloined by Britain in WW1.
The only other likely candidates would be a few British and French battleships or heavy gun crusiers that served into the late 1950's or 1960's. One of the Richelieus would probably be the most likely candidate.
An Italian Cavour-class ship is also a remote possibility, and several Russian dreadnoughts survived in the USSR long after they lost all miltary value.
It's no suprise that almost all large surviving museum ships are American. The US had the money to keep their WW2 battleships in service or inactve reserve far longer than anyone else, so they weren't scrapped. In fact, most 3rd generation US battleships escaped the breakers, and even one old WW1-vintage ship as well.
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U.S.S. Enterprise (CV-6), U.S.S. California (BB-44)-the Golden State's namesake and a ship sunk at Pearl Harbor and salvaged to fight again.
I'd also agree with HMS Warspite, SMS Goeben, and for another Pearl Harbor survivor: U.S.S. Maryland. She could've been moored at Baltimore as an East Coast memorial to that Sunday Morning in December....
I'd also agree with HMS Warspite, SMS Goeben, and for another Pearl Harbor survivor: U.S.S. Maryland. She could've been moored at Baltimore as an East Coast memorial to that Sunday Morning in December....
The Väinämöinen (the Vyborg in Soviet use).
Would have been a great museum ship to tell about the story of the Finnish Navy through the interwar period (Finnish shipbuilding and design for local conditions, the 1927 Navy Act, defensive policy and foreign cooperation, Åland, etc) and WWII and aftermath (Winter War, Continuation War, the war reparations, Soviet service). In an ATL, easily one of the foremost war/military museum highlights in Finland.
Would have been a great museum ship to tell about the story of the Finnish Navy through the interwar period (Finnish shipbuilding and design for local conditions, the 1927 Navy Act, defensive policy and foreign cooperation, Åland, etc) and WWII and aftermath (Winter War, Continuation War, the war reparations, Soviet service). In an ATL, easily one of the foremost war/military museum highlights in Finland.
I kind of want to say the Battleship Yamato or one of the I-400 class submarines, but the latter weren't technically scrapped and the former definitely doesn't count. Plus, I find it doubtful either would be preserved, given the Americans made damn sure IOTL the Soviets couldn't get their hands on the I-400s and the Yamato probably has way too much symbolic value to the Japanese for the Allies to leave it around.
GTS Finnjet for Finland, the first, last and the best gas turbine powered cruiseferry. Cruiseferries are Baltic, particularly Finnish, travel icons and have been so for some fifty years. As a large ship it could have been used also as a hotel, conference center and a museum not only for maritime affairs but also for post-war-pre-EU Finland in general.
HMY Britannia of 1893. Sheer beauty.
USS Long Beach (CGN-9)
She was the only ship of her class and was scrapped. Unique, as a nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser in the USN is quite rare. Her superstructure was also something else.
She was the only ship of her class and was scrapped. Unique, as a nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser in the USN is quite rare. Her superstructure was also something else.