The Intrepid has installed a propeller in the Plaza at the entrance to the Museum. Guests to the Museum and those walking along the Hudson River will be able to see the propeller on display on the North side of Pier 86.
The propeller is the same size as the one on display in the Hangar Deck of the Museum with a diameter of about 15 feet.
The Intrepid and her sister ships of the Essex class were called the “Fast Carriers” of World War II. They were capable of moving twice as fast as the USS Langley, the Navy’s first aircraft carrier. The Intrepid’s power plant could generate close to 150,000 horsepower. In total, four steam turbines driven by eight boilers enabled the Intrepid to reach maximum speeds approaching 32 knots, or more than 37 mph (59.5 kph).
The Intrepid’s speed was generated by four propellers, two of which are now on display. Weighing approximately 27,000 pounds (12,247 kg) each, or roughly the equivalent of ten automobiles, all four of the Intrepid’s propellers were removed when she was drydocked in 2007. |
|