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Question of the Hour

my money is on the Seeandbee / Wolverine sidewheeled aircraft carrier......

F'ing incredible!
 
I found some more on the Seeandbee/Wolverine Aircraft Carrier of 1942 (I thought that it was in use in the '20s, but I have been wrong before...).  Apparently George Bush senior qualified as an Avenger pilot on her. 

This is from: http://www.voodoo.cz/ww2car/ships/usa/training.html

Training ships (2 ships)
WOLVERINE IX-64
Displacement: 7,200 tons
Complement: 270
Length: 500 ft
Beam: 98 ft
Draught: 15.6 ft
Aircraft: ?
Guns: none
Armour:
Machinery: 28 kts, Propulsion 4 coal fired boilers, compound reciprocating engines, 2 sidewheels, 8000 hp.

Side-wheel excursion steamer built, 1913 as Seeandbee at American Shipbuilding Co., Wyandotte, MI, for the Cleveland and Buffalo Transit Co; Acquired by the Navy, 12 March 1942; Converted Miscellaneous Unclassified a training aircraft carrier; Commissioned USS Wolverine (IX-64), 12 August 1942, at Buffalo, NY; Decommissioned, 7 November 1945; Struck from the Naval Register 28 November 1945; Transferred to the Maritime Commission, 26 November 1947 for disposal; Final disposition, sold for scrapping December 1947 at Cleveland, O.


The second Wolverine (IX-64)-a side-wheel excursion steamer built in 1913-was originally named Seeandbee, a euphonious name based upon her owners' company name-the Cleveland and Buffalo Transit Co. She was constructed by the American Shipbuilding Co. of Wyandotte, Mich. The Navy acquired the side-wheeler on 12 March 1942 and designated her an unclassified miscellaneous auxiliary, IX-64. Conversion to a training aircraft carrier began on 6 May 1942; and the name Wolverine, commemorating the first ship of the name, was approved on 2 August. Wolverine was commissioned at Buffalo, N.Y., on 12 August 1942, Comdr. George R. Fairlamb in command .

As the Navy's first side-wheeled aircraft carrier, Wolverine was equipped to handle plane take-offs and landings, a vital duty that she performed for the duration of World War II. She contributed to the winning war effort in World War II by training hundreds of pilots in basic carrier operations. During an inspection conducted by the admiral on 27 October 1942, she briefly flew the four-starred flag of the Commander in Chief of the United States Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Ernest J . King.

Her task completed and the war over in the summer of 1946, Wolverine was decommissioned on 7 November 1945 and struck from the Navy list on 28 November. The ship was transferred to the War Shipping Administration on 26 November 1947 and sold later that same year for scrapping.
 
There is also the USS Freedom LCS-1 launched Sept 23, 2006 but not yet commissioned at 2500 tons displacement.
Built at Marinette, Wisconsin
Unlike USS Wolverine which was strictly a training vessel, this vessel is to be a front line surface combatant.
 
For those curious

http://k53.pbase.com/v3/85/593485/1/50549844.USSWolverine.jpg
 
In 1958 the Queen visited Canada , I believe this visit had something to do with the opening of the
Seaway,she was travelling on the Royal yahgt Britannia escorted by a RN frigate and the RCN destroyers
Restigouche and Gatineau.At the same time the USN 6th. Fleet had the largest deployment of naval
warships on the Great Lakes.The flagship of this deployment was the heavy cruiser CA-132 USS
Macon a Baltimore class cruiser displacing 14000 tons,not to be confused with the illfated naval airship
also called Macon.
    I was in Windsor Ont. on that beautiful summer en route to my first posting ,to Calgary,





I produced
my ID card and was invited aboard the Gatineau and was taken for a tour of the ship by my gracious
hosts and as this was taking place the USS Macon cruised by ,all her bunting was flying and all the
"swabbies" were line up on deck as she dipped her colours to Britannia,a truly an impressive sight.
She was the largest warship to operate on the Great Lakes.
      Wikepedia does not mention this cruise in its history of the Macon,however if anyone has Google
grab 2,1 you will find pictures of the Macon navigating the Welland canal,in which she buckled her
plates ,by the way.
 
That was a very good question.  I really thought I had it nailed with the Seeandbee!  Is there a follow-up?
 
The comment I have posted is not recent,it is 107 yrs old and this is the only clue I will give.
Who wrote it?

( I mean no offence to any of the Faith only a history lesson)

"How dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on its votaries! Besides the fanatical frenzy - which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog - there is this fearful fatalistic apathy.  The effects are apparent in many countries.  Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live.

A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity and sanctity. The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property, either as a child, a wife, or a concubine, must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men.

Individual Moslems may show splendid qualities, but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it.  No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science - the science against which it had vainly struggled - the civilization of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilization of ancient.
 
As I am a bit of a Churchill fan, this one wasn't as hard as it might have been.

Sir Winston Churchill, originally published in: The River War, first edition, Vol. II, pages 248-50 London: Longmans, Green & Co., 1899

:)
 
In the 1980's a novel was written as a training manual to show the doctrine that would be used in battle by Canadian military forces.  Who wrote this novel and what was it called?

 
redleafjumper said:
As I am a bit of a Churchill fan, this one wasn't as hard as it might have been.

Sir Winston Churchill, originally published in: The River War, first edition, Vol. II, pages 248-50 London: Longmans, Green & Co., 1899

:)

Ghad great naked kipper's you!
I was hoping the kiddies would have had good search.
 
First Clash, by Keith Macksey.  I believe there was a sequel to it that was not as well publicized, but has been mentioned on this forum.

D
 
The "sequel" was called COUNTERSTROKE, written by the same author.  Whereas FIRST CLASH used existing vehicles and equipment, COUNTERSTROKE used "fantasians" instead of "Soviets" and we had "Lion" tanks instead of Leopards.  First Clash was also released to the public as a novel (I have a copy) but I don't think COUNTERSTROKE was.
 
Close enough.      Macksey, Kenneth.              First Clash: Canadians in World War Three

Stoddart 0-7737-060-X 1985, 1st edition. (Hardcover)
 
And as a supplementary question to the follow-up, what is the novel that was released recently "in the spirit" of First Clash/Counterstroke?

D
 
Link, is that you?

Close, they were flogging them at CDLS(L) Army conference last year...and then I got one mailed to me...and then sent a link to an electronic copy...maybe the author will drop by and offer to sign it soon.

Anyone got the real name?
 
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