Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
Mike Ellis
TDR MEMBER
I had a fun weekend with the family down in Houston and Galveston, it was the first trip I've had there that I wasn't visiting the hospital so I was ready to visit the local attractions.
At the Space Center, the most notable engine was of course the Saturn V rocket that is on display. Capable of generating millions of pounds of thrust, the display unit was originally slated for the Apollo 18 mission but when the budget axes started falling, it was an instant casualty. The NASA rep who was showing us the rocket was a bit crestfallen when a GM executive appeared out of nowhere and said, "Power? That ain't no kind of power, boy. If you-all had used a couple of our Duramax trucks, you coulda hooked a chain onto the moon, pulled it right down to the surface of the earth, and just propped a board up to walk on over. And they get great mileage too... . "
In Galveston, we had fun touring the USS Cavallo, a WWII diesel-electric sub that is on display in Seawolf Park. According to the guys who were working on her, the Cavallo is the sub which sank the Japanese carrier that was the flagship for the attack on Pearl Harbor. Ahhhh, vengeance!!! They said Cavallo survived an onslaught of 105 depth charges following that attack, so she was clearly a tough old gal from the get-go. Touring the sub, we were able to view some truly massive diesel engines (the placards said they were GM Winton diesels, 16 cylinders, 1535 BHP, with an 1100 KW generator attached). The fuel delivery systems were very interesting, as were the battery array and electrical control systems. I was able to get a lot of pictures and really enjoyed roaming around the sub.
We also spent a great deal of time at the Lone Star Flight Museum looking at their collection of WWII aircraft, and it was truly the highlight of the trip for me. They have several restored, flyable fighters (P38, F7F, Corsair, etc etc etc), a B17, Spitfire, you name it. Also a collection of really interesting "Cut Away" radial aircraft engines, a cut away early jet engine, an original German jet engine from one of their late WWII jet fighters, etc. Loads of goodies that have to be seen to believed.
Not least in this collection was a 1950 Job-Rated Dodge truck that had been modified to the so-called "Gashopper" configuration following delivery. This truck was restored, and a very high quality job of restoration indeed. I got a lot of good pictures of this truck configured with the tanks, the original Ram Head hood ornament, dash guages, the "Dodge" embossed tail lenses, etc. It was a great looking truck indeed.
If any of you have the chance to visit Galveston and like engines and military history, the sites listed are definitely worth a visit.
At the Space Center, the most notable engine was of course the Saturn V rocket that is on display. Capable of generating millions of pounds of thrust, the display unit was originally slated for the Apollo 18 mission but when the budget axes started falling, it was an instant casualty. The NASA rep who was showing us the rocket was a bit crestfallen when a GM executive appeared out of nowhere and said, "Power? That ain't no kind of power, boy. If you-all had used a couple of our Duramax trucks, you coulda hooked a chain onto the moon, pulled it right down to the surface of the earth, and just propped a board up to walk on over. And they get great mileage too... . "
In Galveston, we had fun touring the USS Cavallo, a WWII diesel-electric sub that is on display in Seawolf Park. According to the guys who were working on her, the Cavallo is the sub which sank the Japanese carrier that was the flagship for the attack on Pearl Harbor. Ahhhh, vengeance!!! They said Cavallo survived an onslaught of 105 depth charges following that attack, so she was clearly a tough old gal from the get-go. Touring the sub, we were able to view some truly massive diesel engines (the placards said they were GM Winton diesels, 16 cylinders, 1535 BHP, with an 1100 KW generator attached). The fuel delivery systems were very interesting, as were the battery array and electrical control systems. I was able to get a lot of pictures and really enjoyed roaming around the sub.
We also spent a great deal of time at the Lone Star Flight Museum looking at their collection of WWII aircraft, and it was truly the highlight of the trip for me. They have several restored, flyable fighters (P38, F7F, Corsair, etc etc etc), a B17, Spitfire, you name it. Also a collection of really interesting "Cut Away" radial aircraft engines, a cut away early jet engine, an original German jet engine from one of their late WWII jet fighters, etc. Loads of goodies that have to be seen to believed.
Not least in this collection was a 1950 Job-Rated Dodge truck that had been modified to the so-called "Gashopper" configuration following delivery. This truck was restored, and a very high quality job of restoration indeed. I got a lot of good pictures of this truck configured with the tanks, the original Ram Head hood ornament, dash guages, the "Dodge" embossed tail lenses, etc. It was a great looking truck indeed.
If any of you have the chance to visit Galveston and like engines and military history, the sites listed are definitely worth a visit.
