The USS Midway

That's the USS Midway.

The USS Midway was an aircraft carrier of the United States Navy which was launched in 1945, and decommissioned in 1992. It is now a naval museum.

Speaking for myself, although I've watched a few films with battleships, navy aircraft carriers, etc., I never really wondered what it was like inside a such ships. What made their nitty-gritties work, what powered the ship, what sort of workforce would be required to keep the ship floating (quite literally).

The visit to the USS Midway was fun, that way. Visitors can walk around inside the ship, through the marked paths. There are also some informative graphics and pictures, quotes from crew members.

Space inside a ship, even if it's this huge, is cramped. Look at the brigade (the "jail" in the ship). The crew members' quarters were no better!

This is where the controls of the ship are located, part of Engineering.

There were some simulation rides too, but the queues for them were long and we didn't feel up to waiting in line. Plus we have tickets to a 4D laser game (which I will hopefully blog about when we're done with it). We stepped out after a tour of the interiors...to see a number of restored aircraft lined up. It was one of the things that made you realise the size of the ship! We tried getting a few photos, but it was sunny and crowded, and well, the photos didn't turn out quite the way we (I) wanted.

There were also a few instructors teaching people how the catapult worked to sort of "fire" aircraft for take-off, and how aircraft would land. Reminded me of my NCC days, only this was definitely more fun.

We couldn't climb up the signal tower either. The line for that was winding, and it was nearly closing time. But we got a few pictures anyway.

Next stop, Old Town San Diego!