USS Ford in danger of delay due to AAG

originally posted by: seagull
But the better part of 40 plus? I've heard this from many navy folk I've talked to.

It is all pretty much anecdotal as the steam capacity of the turbines coupled with the hull design does not permit a top speed of 40 knots. The Nimitz class have the same SHP as the older carriers and are heavier. The top speed of the older carriers was actually faster and the highest recorded speed was about 34 knots.

Now, 34 knots on such a large vessel is pretty damn impressive and the fact that it can get up to that speed quickly and sustain it is even more impressive. The older ships could not maintain their design speed for very long, nor could they get up to them as rapidly as the nuclear power carriers.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

You're probably right. Still, its staggering how something so damned big, can go that fast... It's not right, dammit.

Course, 33 knots is approaching 40 mph, or there 'bouts. Maybe that's where the stories begin.

originally posted by: seagull
Course, 33 knots is approaching 40 mph, or there 'bouts. Maybe that's where the stories begin.

Ah, my mistake, when you typed 40 I thought you were referring to knots. You could be right as 40 mph may be getting confused with 40 knots and then it is not much of a stretch to add a few more knots here or there.

While doing my digging I think I came across the genesis of the 'aircraft carrier out runs the battle group stories' and it seemed to deal with the Enterprise getting up to speed much quicker when doing air wing operations. By the time the escorts caught up they were actually going much faster but it took them hours since the Big E was able to make maximum SHP much quicker and then slowed to conduct landing operations.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

I'll guess that's where the stories started. I've been on high powered boats that could do 30 plus knots, but they were all fishing boats, and I remember how hard those boats were working to get up to that...

It just blows my mind that something that weighs twenty million pounds can get up and go like a top fuel dragster...

a reply to: seagull

Then, of course, there was a little aircraft called the Yokasuka MXY7 Ohka Codename: Baka. Capable of speeds approaching 600 mph.

Yes, then there was "Cherry Blossom"… kind of 'self' defeating though, too little and too late. BAKA (US designation), meaning stupid, idiot was the solution arrived at out of necessity. Not so 'stupid' looking today.

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There were plenty of suicide weapons or (ahem), special weapons under development when the war ended.

Link

What the world has seen ever since is countries faced with US fleets parked off their shores and pounding their country with jet bombers. In lieu of a powerful naval or air response, they developed weapons designed to counter that specific threat.

originally posted by: seagull
a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

65 knots? Unlikely. But the better part of 40 plus? I've heard this from many navy folk I've talked to. For a critter weighing over 100000 tones, that's hauling the freight…

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To get somewhere, yah. Not very practical though during launch and recovery of aircraft or when navigating sea lanes strewn with mines, like the Gulf straits.

The real 'Geo' strategic reason why Iran is on the target list.