WWII seaplane ramps to be repurposed by USMC
The Marine Corps’ base in Hawaii is looking into repurposing at least one of its pre-World War II seaplane ramps, which figured in the Dec. 7, 1941 attack, for a 21st-century need. They…
The Marine Corps' base in Hawaii is looking into repurposing at least one of its pre-World War II seaplane ramps, which figured in the Dec. 7, 1941 attack, for a 21st-century need. They are planning on using the ramp to utilize a large hovercraft that will ferry equipment from ship to shore.
The landing crafts are air cushioned vehicles with two giant fans used for propulsion. They have been hindered by hitting their bellows on the beach during training exercises with visiting amphibious ships.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is investigating whether any of the five 160-foot-long concrete ramps located in the Kaneohe Bay, with strafing and bomb marks still visible from the Dec. 7 attack, are up to the task of supporting a landing craft and amphibious operations.
