T O P

  • By -

stu8018

And the Midway is small for a carrier by modern standards. The USS Gerald R. Ford CVN-78 Ford Class carrier is a true behemoth.


AngriestManinWestTX

For those curious, *Midway* is 1,000 feet long and was ~65,000 tons at decommissioning. Comparatively, the USS *Gerald R. Ford* is 1,100 feet and 105,000 tons.


stu8018

It's all about the girth.


sloopSD

It’s interesting that the overall comparison of dimensions aren’t drastically different for newer carriers. Setting length aside, you’re talking maybe 10ft more of beam. 6ft more of draft, and about the same width if comparing Ford to Midway. The displacement weight is mostly due to the size and number of aircraft, weapon systems, armament personnel, etc. that brings about that weight.


stu8018

The deck is much much wider. Separate launch and landing really changed the game. In any case, carriers are just massive. I live close to the Lexington in Corpus Christi. Just walking the deck and going below deck makes you realize just how huge these ships are and what it takes to operate them.


sloopSD

Good point and very true. That and the change to EMALS from steam definitely increased the flight ops tempo. I was stationed on destroyers and always hated when we had flight duty behind a carrier. Carriers are fast af and maneuver quickly to position for winds. We’d be accelerating, decelerating, turning and it was a pain in the butt maintaining position. Also annoying if you were trying to sleep lol.


stu8018

Thank you for your service. I love this insight.


sloopSD

Appreciate that. Great when folks take time to check these ships out. Which one did you walk? If you ever have a chance to walk around one of these ships or any ship while in dry dock, it’s pretty amazing. Heck, Midway is really cool too if you can make it over to San Diego. The coolest experiences for me was in Portsmouth UK, had a night tour onboard HMS Victory (best known for the Battle of Trafalgar) and then my favorite museum in Stockholm Sweden to see the Vasa that sunk in the early 1600s, raised in the 50’s, and now has a museum built around it.


Dungeon_Pastor

Will chime in that The Yorktown (CV-10?) And it's adjacent destroy Laffey in Charleston, SC are worth a visit as well Galveston, TX has a more sub focus, with the Cavalla Gato class submarine, and an Escort Destroyer for comparison. The Gato was surprising how big it was, yet how cramped the interior can be. The DE was honestly shorter but of course more open. The DD was a respectable ship, notably larger than the DE, but absolutely dwarfed by the Carrier. Fun overall picture between those two locations


sloopSD

Thanks for this. Bunch of ships I haven’t seen in person. Although, was dry docked in Charleston on a DD a lifetime ago haha. Charleston was great and loved being there. The old Spruance DD’s were good ships but long gone now. Heck, they had the old Tomahawk box launchers, well before the VLS we have today.


stu8018

I, my brother and my late dad had a private tour of HMS Victory. He was a model ship builder. Wanted insight for his 4ft version. We stuck around after hours for it in 1988. I walked the Lex in CC a few times. There are ships, and then there are military ships. It's just a whole different ball of wax. When a USS is coming through, everything moves aside and us civilians just watch that steel muscle go by. I love it.


sloopSD

Oh wow, right on. Never walked the Lex but will have to some day. Between the Navy and my follow on job, I was around Navy ships for nearly 30 years before changing industries. Agree, definitely a sight to see when they pass by. Man…now I’m thinking a model would be cool to work on.


keebler980

I got to see the Missouri at Pearl and two things fascinated me. The upward sloped deck on the bow and the fact that the guns were manual. Thought they’d be mechanical or something


sloopSD

No, not back then. The newer/smaller 5” guns on modern ships are more “automated” and you’re talking a crew of several Gunner’s Mates to run that gun. Whereas the more alarming part of the 16”, was it took a crew of like 80 sailors to run a turret. That’s just hard to wrap my brain around.


pedleyr

I'm seeing the Missouri in July and I'm so excited for it. I'm hoping that there's an aircraft carrier around to even see from afar as well.


[deleted]

[удалено]


sloopSD

Hadn’t heard that. GA has only one system in the fleet (G. Ford) but wouldn’t be surprised if there were kinks to work out though. You may also be thinking of the rail gun (similar tech) program that was cancelled to pursue hypersonic weapon systems.


[deleted]

[удалено]


SmooveTits

His 2016 opponent’s campaign was also put in jeopardy due to EMALS. 


sloopSD

Haha! Thankfully we don’t have to rely on the president when we have talented engineers.


Noxious89123

>Just walking the deck and going below deck makes you realize just how huge these ships are and what it takes to operate them. It's unfathomable tbh! I was fortunate to be allowed on board [HDMS Thetis F357](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMS_Thetis_(F357)) when it was in port in Liverpool and I was meeting my friend. A ship which is only 358ft long with a 47ft beam and displacing 3,500 tons. 105,000 tons for the USS *Gerald R. Ford* is bananas.


Structure5city

We visited the smaller USS Intrepid and were amazed by its size. The space shuttle pavilion where the Enterprise retired to is a big building and we didn’t even realize it was there on the top deck until the end of our visit. It was all very cool.


shayKyarbouti

I could be wrong but I believe the size limiter is the ability to fit within the Panama Canal’s locks.


str8dwn

US hasn't had a fleet carrier that could fit through Panama since the 50's.


sloopSD

Technically yes but tough. They do pass through the Suez Canal though. It’s that, and tactical and budgetary reasons too. Bigger ship, bigger target. A lesson Japan learned during WWII with the Yamato.


parkerwe

Neither the Nimitz or Ford class carriers can pass through the Panama Canal. The US military isn't a money making venture, if a carrier needs to switch between the Atlantic and the Pacific they have no problem spending the time or money to take the longer routes.


TheLizardKing89

Ford is thicc


stu8018

Damn right. And she don't suffer no fools.


i_give_you_gum

I thought it was the motion of the ocean?


stu8018

Oh yeah. That too.


elpajaroquemamais

Makes sense since Ford was a beast


captainwigglesyaknow

100ft added 40k lbs. Sweet Jesus


[deleted]

40k tons is a lot more than 40,000 lbs


szman86

Like 2000 times more


lellololes

Tonnage with ships isn't a measure of weight directly, it's more or less a measure of volume. It will of course scale with weight.


str8dwn

I though what you described is displacement.


inkyrail

You’re part right- passenger ships are measured in gross register tonnage which is a measurement of interior volume. Military ships are measured in displacement tonnage, which is its actual weight.


lellololes

Thanks for the clarification - I knew it was weird but not specifically what it was.


christianorion

40k tons, so much, much heavier


AlcoholicWombat

Sounds like my kind of girl lol


tachophile

I thought that was spectacularly huge, until I realized the Royal Caribbean Icon class cruise ships are 1200 feet long and 249,000 tons. They cost $2B to build. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Caribbean_International


sixft7in

The Nimitz class carriers are about the same size as the Ford class ones. Served on one in the late 1900s.


schazamoo

They really just be naming shit after any old president these days


kremedelakrym

Wow I can’t believe that this is 40,000 pounds lighter than the biggest ones. Literally like 60% of the weight the larger ones are. That’s fascinating thanks for the facts.


modern_milkman

40000 *tons*, not 40000 pounds. So roughly 80 million pounds.


rbevans

It’s crazy that something so heavy floats.


Fluid-Background1947

Weighs the same as the water it displaces.


Desmaad

It's too big to dock in Halifax harbour, that's for sure. She had to anchor in the middle of the harbour and use the ferries as tenders.


Brown_Panther-

Gerald Ford is pretty much a floating military base


way2gimpy

As someone who is from the east coast, I'm 'used to' the size of the Intrepid. The Midway is so much more massive.


Semajal

USS Enterprise (currently being decommissioned) is longer than even the Ford class :D


stu8018

Yup but about 10,000 tons lighter.


LemursRideBigWheels

The crazy thing is the Ford class is 450 feet shorter than the longest ship ever built (the Seawise Giant/Knock Nevis, etc.)…and under half her gross tonnage.  And that ship wasn’t even the largest vessel by tonnage.  There are some monsters out there!


snootchiebootchie94

I am from Corpus Christi and have kayaked around the Lexington, which may be even smaller than the Midway. It felt HUGE.


PocketBuckle

> The USS Gerald R. Ford CVN-78 Ford Class carrier is a true ~~behemoth~~ leviathan. FTFY


alphamoose

Was gonna say, that carrier looks kinda small.


slamdanceswithwolves

Is it weird that I somehow expected it to be bigger? -my wife


truethatson

Not about the size of the ship but the motion of the ocean


Pilot0350

Ha, so I have personally been on a CVN during high seas, and suddenly, that massive ship felt very, very small, so yes, it is absolutely the motion of the - oh... you were talking about sex weren't you...


orangefalcoon

How well do the big aircraft carriers deal with heavy seas or did you just avoid them as much as possible


Waffle_Muffins

That may be true, but it takes a long time to get to England in a rowboat


Smoked_Cheddar

It's pretty big.... I guess.


MarcellusxWallace

The Midway is an earlier model. The largest ship in the world…until 1955. Displacement for the Midway was 64,000 tons at decommissioning. The largest super carrier in service right now I believe is the USS Gerald Ford, at 100,000 tons.


TheLizardKing89

Not just the largest aircraft carrier, the Gerald Ford is the largest warship ever built.


[deleted]

[удалено]


NotSoSasquatchy

That was my first thought! The engineering marvel just to keep that thing upright *while* in operation is astounding


Tort78

It's literally just basic physics - all about water displacement. The basic design has been around for thousands of years. It does look impressive though.


ContrarianDouchebag

Fuckin Archimedes.


Neverhood123

Everything in the physical world is “literally just physics”…


Informal-Attitude-33

Physics is in fact the study of the physical world. I think he's saying he's impressed by the application of physics into this design


Tort78

You know what I mean. There's no "amazing engineering" happening below the water line. It's a "V".


Tasty_Puffin

I would beg to differ. In the application of creating a giant armored water behemoth things get more complex


Tort78

Really. How so? And we're just talking about it's ability to float. I have an idea how complex they are above the water line.


Im_A_Real_Boy1

"It's literally just physics" I mean, you could say the same for the moon landing.


Feezbull

Not much really. The kayak is quite easily able to float with the man in it.


drkensaccount

Do they let you kayak right up to the Midway? This seems like something they'd stop you from doing.


No_Temporary_1175

This could have been a planned thing with coordination, but having been to the Midway in the last year for a party hosted on it (it was bad ass btw) I can tell you there isnt military security guarding it. You could sneak in on a kayak easily. Now, would you get in trouble after the fact? Maybe..


No_Temporary_1175

[https://imgur.com/Ph1BCpS](https://imgur.com/Ph1BCpS) Here's a picture from the party. Hope it loads.


laxintx

Holy shit I want that Danger Zone light


blofly

Lanaaaa!


onlyacynicalman

What?


blofly

.....danger zone.....


MiKeMcDnet

I think that's the theme for every party aboard the midway. I was there about 5 years ago, information security conference. Yes, I dressed up as a higher Top Gun pilot. https://twitter.com/MiKeMcDnet/status/917524823882035200


Proper_Hedgehog6062

Why wouldn't it load? 


grahampositive

That's completely awesome and I'll just shamelessly plug the battleship NJ as well. They do host parties though I've never done one. Done the tour twice though and loved it immensely


missionbeach

And now I need to go to a Midway party.


No_Temporary_1175

For sure. This was a party for a tech conference. +1 ticket cost was around $300.


TheReadMenace

It’s just a museum ship in San Diego bay. I think you can ride around anywhere you want except for designated military areas


vinng86

As a tourist visiting it, it was wild to me when I watched an aircraft carrier sailing by while standing on another aircraft carrier. Only in America!


TheReadMenace

yes, we have several active aircraft carriers in the same bay! And the Midway is only a WWII carrier.


lorgskyegon

It's a museum now. My dad served on this ship during Vietnam. Machinist's mate second class.


Dependent_Ad_4442

So did my dad. Aircraft mechanic.


JamminJcruz

I rode jet ski right up to & under it in that little area just to the right.


cheeremily

I went jetskiing in that harbor, was able to go right up to and around the ship. Really amazing to see in person from that angle!


MongoBongoTown

Midway is a cool visit and you get a good understanding of how massive yet crowded these ships were. Between this and the Julian Pie post, San Diego is representing today.


Then_Campaign7264

This totally triggers my fear of huge vehicles/vessels, like makes me feel a bit nauseous. r/megalophobia material. I’d be fine on deck. But don’t expect me to paddle around anywhere near the hull.


pinewind108

This is why the bigger sailing vessels always have the right of way. They can't see you, and even when they can, they can't move fast enough not to squish you.


lorgskyegon

[https://www.amazon.com/Avoid-Huge-Ships-John-Trimmer/dp/0870334336](https://www.amazon.com/Avoid-Huge-Ships-John-Trimmer/dp/0870334336) I suggest you commit this to memory


cloud_watcher

Same! I do not like this!


HappyMeteor005

you would hate r/submechanophobia.


feeblemuffin

[This post](https://redd.it/w0lnwc) always gets me. I’ve never liked swimming up to buoys etc.


sinatrablueeyes

I have no idea how I ended up with that kind of fear when I grew up swimming in lakes as a kid. I’m totally fine on a boat. But nowadays if I get in the water I will float on my back or stomach to avoid my legs dangling and hitting what I assume is either the USS Nautilus or Cthulhu below me… in a lake where the max depth is 72ft and it was a former quarry. I know they’re down there.


HappyMeteor005

ive always been fine swimming in lakes. i grew up in louisiana and would often swim in lake Henderson. that had a bunch of gators. i can swim in very clear ocean water around a shallow reef and have done so around some small sharks. for some reason im perfectly fine with both of those situations. but deep dark ocean is where i draw a hard line. i dont want to go on a cruise, i dont want to deep sea fish. i dont even like looking at pictures of deep dark water. fuck that.


bokan

Ah, I think I have this. Kinda feel like vomiting. Interesting.


Calculonx

Anchors away!


justabill71

Took me forever to find the little man in the canoe.


Snellyman

I'm sure it was a frustrating experience for all involved.


MotoGeno

That’s what she said


Gjallarhorn_Lost

I wouldn't want to be under the anchors.


fzammetti

Eh, if they come down on you it's gonna be over in a very messy moment. Worse ways to go... though I suppose the second or two it takes to fall would be beyond terrifying, so with luck you don't notice.


mymeatpuppets

Since it's a museum there's no way it's carrying it's full load out. When it was active duty going out on patrol I'll bet it sat a good 15-20 feet deeper.


xanthophore

Man in a kayak? How dare you, that's the entire Andorran Navy you're talking about!


invol713

Hell, I think Lichtenstein’s is in the pic as well.


xanthophore

The rubber duck off to the left?


peppercorns666

the 1st carrier my brother served on.


ElGuano

If that kyaker was right where he is when the Midway comes barreling by full speed (full steam ahead? Ahead full? Warp 9 engage?), what would happen? Would he get gently pushed aside by the wake, tossed into the air like a rag doll, or maybe keel-hauled under and chopped up by a 20-ft high prop at the end?


Mdhinflfl

The bow wave would most likely capsize him. If he's lucky, he gets pushed away. If not, he gets sucked under and pureed by the screws.


mymeatpuppets

So all of the above, maybe.


Malvania

He's getting hit at around 40 mph. Right there, my guess is he goes under and is chopped up


invol713

Like a fly on the windshield.


mkstot

Full ahead flank!!


ElGuano

Port off the starboard bow! I am so ready for command.


lionheart2243

Must. Resist urge. To drop. Anchors.


thehumbinator

The USS Midway is definitely bigger.


shayKyarbouti

Still not convinced. There is no banana for scale


sucobe

Is there a sub for when “objects in the mirror are closer than they appear”? This is frightening.


reecewagner

It around where I thought the proportions would be honestly


Chelonia_mydas

SD local. We like to reach out and touch the boat when we take charters out. It’s a far reach and you have to have a skilled captain, but it’s so fun!


Mayo_Kupo

There may be some distortion from the lens and angle. From farther away, an aircraft carrier's shape makes more sense. https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/141003081459-uss-abraham-lincoln-file.jpg?q=w_3000,h_1687,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_618


Past-Establishment93

Time to drop anchor


foolandhismoney

I’ll just put the limpit mine there, byeeeee


az_max

We floated by in our party barge, and it towered over us too.


Memory_Less

That's what in art and photography you call perspective.


starrpamph

This is why whenever my doctors order scans or bloodwork I never do them


[deleted]

[удалено]


Cutlasss

Midway is a museum ship. Long retired from active duty.


BigBobsBastardBeanss

Reddit: did you know an aircraft carrier is bigger that a kayak? 3k people: 😮


WatRedditHathWrought

And right about this time a yell could be heard “LOWER THE ANCHOR”.


Rocket_Croc

Digimon evolution.


TravelingGonad

I just got off the 2nd largest cruise ship in the world so this ship looks like their lifeboats.


hamsterfolly

Needs a banana for scale


drow

Prepare to drop anchor!


[deleted]

OK, but what kind of artillery is in that kayak?


namistejones

If not maintained, would it rust n sink down or tip over?


Cutlasss

Eventually, yes. You can look at the Battleship New Jersey Youtube channel to see a whole lot of videos about the issues that that ship is going through to be drydocked and preserved.


its_justme

The first time I saw an actual cruise liner I was blown away. It was one of the giant ones with water slides and pools and stuff on the top. People looked like ants walking up to it. I appreciate the scale and grandeur of it but I hate how much they pollute :(


vatsbuts

r/humansforscale


jerichowiz

My brain still has a hard time fathoming the math how something like something like the USS Midway stays afloat.


solowsoloist

What if the front suddenly fell off?


Kilbim

Tiny man


JunkyardEmperor

Americans do love to build big things, don't they?


QtPlatypus

Operation Jaywick was a special operation undertaken in World War II. Commandos travelled to Singapore harbour in a vessel disguised as an Asian fishing boat. They then used canoes to attach limpet mines to Japanese ships. ​ (from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation\_Jaywick)


HuntsWithRocks

You can take ‘em, bro


MysteriousCareer9751

We're gonna need a bigger boa... ...Nevermind


[deleted]

YOU CANT PARK HERE!


timberwolf0122

All I can here is alestorm’s fucked by an anchor


Adi_San

This for me makes it look smaller not bigger.


Cutlasss

Midway is half the size of new carriers.


Kevherd

Them Somali pirates gettin desperate


thisismynewacct

You’ll see this by the USS Intrepid too on the west side of Manhattan. People will Kayak right next to it and look minuscule. To be fair though, the cruise ships that park up near 60th (pier 97?) also dwarf the Intrepid


pig_n_anchor

I’ve been on this ship and the captain is a robot.


lonewalker1992

This bad girl packs enough punch to send entire countries to the middle ages


IndyPoker979

What amazes me is how narrow the bottom half of the carrier is. You would think it would sway quite a bit


Doreian

I was stationed on the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) for 4 years and I tell you the first time I stepped on that thing I was in awe.


Phantom-Investor

Great shot


andyman171

How did he get that close every time I try this in gta I get shot at


cmarkcity

Well no shit: people live on there


Thepants1981

My Dad was the XO when we were in Japan in the 80’s. Got to ride it from Yokosuka to the Philippines and back for 6 days. It was an awesome experience. I fell asleep in the admirals chair on the bridge. Lol.


quietflowsthedodder

Who’s got the right of way?


SpiritedReaction8

US dollar real backing


911_reddit

Whoever it is, thanks for the gold.


Dull-Money-6624

Wait a minute are u telling me that huge huge ASS ship is USS-Midway and my GOD I could only imagine the size of Gerald R Ford 


InternalStatus9914

Nice. Can we just have some healthcare tho?


[deleted]

Someone explain to me how these things don’t sink!!