A few weeks ago I managed to work in a short trip up to Norfolk. My primary goal was to tour the USS Wisconsin as well as see the Navy Base. I accomplished this!
First was a trip to the Nauticus Museum. Its a great little museum about US Navy history and you can pet a small shark and horseshoe crab.
The main even was of course walking the Wisconsin. I was amazed by how different she was the North Carolina. I know they are different classes but they are still battleships and should feel similar. They really didn't. Layout, lines, equipment and environment. All were different. One of the main differences is that the Wisconsin was modernized while the North Carolina was decommissioned in 1947. So the Wisconsin is missing all the machine guns and AA but did have the mounts for Tomahawk and Harpoon missiles. For all that she is a gorgeous ship. They really don't make them like that anymore. The sleek flowing lines of her superstructure and hull.
That being said, I was a little disappointed with the tour. There were huge chunks of the ship you couldn't get too. You could only get into the wardroom and some berths and compartments around it. The North Carolina basically let you roam the whole ship. Bridges, engine room, magazines, under the turrets etc. Still, overall, a worthwhile trip and makes 2 of 7 Battleships that I have now seen.
After the tour of the Wisconsin I took a harbor tour which took you right past the navy ship yard. I got to see a whole stack of modern ships.
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| Arleigh-Burke |
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| Ticonderoga |
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| 688 Class Submarine |
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| The mighty Ike |
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| LPH |
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| The Ike and George H Bush |
