
Exploring the Wreck of USS Macon, the Navy's Last Flying Aircraft Carrier - curtis
http://news.usni.org/2015/08/19/exploring-the-wreck-of-uss-macon-the-navys-last-flying-aircraft-carrier
======
Ankaios
For those of you in Silicon Valley, USS Macon was based out of Moffett Field
(named after Adm. Moffett). The big hangar (currently just its frame) that you
can see from US 101 on the west side of Moffett Field was Macon's hangar.

The Moffett Field Historical Society has a small museum
([http://moffettfieldmuseum.org/](http://moffettfieldmuseum.org/)) right next
to the hangar which includes some neat stuff on the airship and the rest of
the Navy's history at the field.

------
scrumper
I'd love to learn more about that trapeze system; it looks absolutely
terrifying, not least the climb out of the cockpit and up into the ship. Can't
find much about it with a quick search.

~~~
kjs3
I've seen films. Holy shit I wouldn't want to be the pilot on the receiving
end of that. Launching is precarious and clumsy; recovery looks like pure
nightmare fuel. Remember, zeppelins aren't fast, so those planes are
dangerously close to stall speed even without dealing with things like
turbulence and crosswind. NopeNopeNope.

~~~
fancyketchup
I'm not so sure they were 'dangerously close' to stall speed.

While I can't find specifications for the N2Y biplanes hosted by the Macon,
keep in mind that the N2Y is a two-seat inter-war biplane trainer with a 115
hp engine--it was not a fighter or pursuit plane. Additionally, it would have
been designed to use the short, unpaved runways characteristic of pre-WWII
airfields. All these factors point to low stall speeds.

So if we wanted to estimate the stall speed based on comparable aircraft, we'd
be looking for a 100-ish hp, two-seat trainer. Aircraft of that description
typically have a stall speed in the 35 to 45 knot range.

The source of all truth (Wikipedia) lists the cruising speed of the Macon as
55 knots / 63 mph with a max speed of 75 knots / 86 mph (altitudes not given).
The Macon's cruising speed would be right around the recommended approach
speed for aircraft like these, and it could have certainly accelerated to
higher speeds to perform heavier-than-air aircraft operations.

~~~
kjs3
You and your facts. :-)

------
tired_man
Airships has a load great information on the USS Macon and the USS Akron.

[http://www.airships.net/us-navy-rigid-airships/uss-akron-
mac...](http://www.airships.net/us-navy-rigid-airships/uss-akron-macon)

------
reacweb
I have discussed with a japanese go player who told me that Pearl Harbour was
a huge strategic mistake. Most of Japanese army is the navy. They can not play
go in boats. They play chess. It is a good game for winning a battle, but not
a war.

~~~
reacweb
Interesting to see that reporting the hindsight of an old wise japanese makes
me lose so much karma. It is not clear if this bad return is comming from
japanese people or by chess players ?

