EFGrune Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 The Texas is currently finishing a drydock period in Galveston. Hull leaks have been addressed and she will be exiting the drydock soon. More topside work will be necessary before she will become a museum attraction across the harbor in Galveston and greet the tens of thousands of cruise ship passengers who sail into and out of Galveston each year. The conservation staff has researched the color and selected a 5N Navy Blue which is better matched than that used in the 1988/1989 refit. Measure 21/Overall Navy Blue was selected because that is the color she finished the war in the Pacific and other measures would not be appropriate for the gun tubs and platforms that were added during the late-44 refit following Normandy and Southern France. The staff also located the remnants of the welded outlines of the hull numbers and draft marks. Replacements were cut from sheet steel and applied, as has the name TEXAS on the stern Photos from the Battleship Texas website During a leak test earlier this week Most of the leaks have been fixed, but there is more work to do. Scaffolding surrounds the upperworks indicating the work to be done. The square structure on the side is part of the museum visitor access ramp structure. Hull number 35 low and aft of the anchor. The gantry in the background is an oil rig elsewhere in the yard. The aft stern number with the name TEXAS aft of the number. Sheet steel letters were cut out using the as-built font format and welded in place. The name was painted over in compliance with wartime restrictions. The rudder with aft draft marks, two sets. The rudder is offset 19 degrees, reportedly the last rudder command when she was turned over to the state as a museum in 1948. There have been calls to straighten the rudder. but the steering engine is rusted solid and the costs involved would be better to other projects. Similarly, the Battleship Texas Foundation chose to forego the application of a red lead hull bottom. The red would not be seen one the ship is back in the water. They close to use a black marine epoxy with good biofouling properties. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmarc Posted February 4 Report Share Posted February 4 GGGGGGGGGGGGreat pics !.. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhamilton Posted February 11 Report Share Posted February 11 Thanks for the update. Looking forward to getting over to see her when she reopens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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