0t---navy shipyard apprenticeship magnum opus

made a machine delivery--remote site with grass air strip

poked around overgrowth and found this---

2---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That would be well worth a rebuild.

Jan of '60 would be me - inducted October '59 - tried to be a MR (or Machinery Repairman - the apprentices involved in the actual making of this found project) but had my mind changed by a pair of grizzled E9 chiefs before ever leaving boot camp to AT (aviation electronics tech) - which got me this sort of job.

I had to get out of the Navy to be a machinist



The "instead of" schooling - which included two lengthy sessions Fundamentals and Specialty - like Radar and Navigation

All in all, nine months at Millington TN - just up Highway 51 from Memphis - all gone now

great photograph, Johnny

-Marty-

On the subject of apprentice projects I worked on one that was supposed to go on display at the N.E.C. in Birmingham. It was in the form of a large motor powered four bladed windmill. On each of the sails of the windmill were various pulleys of different sizes mounted in bearings The pulleys were being driven by other pulleys on a main shaft that came through the centre of the windmill hub.

The company I worked for at the time made " Poly-Vee " belts and pulleys. They were the vee belts with many grooves on one single backing. The idea was that the project was to demonstrate the different sizes of vee belts and pulleys working.

We were promised a day out at the exhibition as a reward for the hard work. Unfortunately we never got our day out because the riggers at the N.E.C. managed to drop the windmill from a great height and wreck it.

Regards Tyrone.

I always wonder about the back story when I see posts such as these. How did that assembly end up where it did? Another case for the industrial archeologists...

jmm03 said:

I always wonder about the back story when I see posts such as these. How did that assembly end up where it did? Another case for the industrial archeologists...

Click to expand...

years ago public auctions were held at military base Lewis--all manner of merchandise would be offered in lots that were
enormous by todays standards--post Vietnam liquidation quantities

the site of scale model of Essex steering is owned by heirs of merchant mariner/machinist who scattered auction winnings
everywhere--it was likely part of a much larger lot from Puget Sound navy shipyard

syndicates now control military surplus and quirky items like this have no liklihood of direct public offerings

And one can only imagine what other interesting pieces and treasures lay forgotten and lost forever in some field or basement after they were disposed of by the pound... Jim