Re: Repair costs and false economies (was Re: Battle blimps)

In a message dated 4/20/02 12:37:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
books@jumpspace.net writes:

> One of the major reasons the Navy can have such good repair is there
> is room in the ship for machine shops and electronics shops.	The
> other armed forces don't have that immediate access.	It makes
> sense for them to rely on depot level maintenance because they
> can.
> 
> Don't know how true it is, but there is a story about the
> "lost" machine shop on the USS Enterprise.  Seems she was
> in the yards for a refit when they cut through a bulkhead
> to run a cable.  Inside they found a complete machine shop
> completely seeled to the outside.  It had been that way
> since initial construction...
> 

The availability of workshops is very much a part of the ability of the
ships 
crews to do so many repairs. However, a forgotten reason, and one
pertinent 
to this conversation, is the availability of storage. A ship of frigate
size 
has a fair amount of hold space, and can carry sheet metal, and metal
blanks 
of various types for the workshops to start with. Also, any ship larger
than 
a patrol craft carries a supply of 4x4's for damage control. There is a 
decent amount of raw material actually available to the combat unit,
which an 
infantry/armor unit of similar size would be unable to carry with them.
and a 
rapidly redeploying Air unit would find just cumbersome.

Back in the late 70's I heard the story about the workshop, and even
talked 
to people who claimed to have been on board. Never was able to confirm
it. 
Presumably after the equipment was installed and the next deck built, no
one 
cut a door into it. But I always wondered how it got past inspections by
the 
shipwrights who were holding the plans in their hands and looking over
the 
construction. True or not, its a good story.

John Rebori ETN2 (Discharged)
USN 1976 - 1982
ex-USS Pegasus PHM-1