The Standard-Star du lieu suivant : New Rochelle, New York • 31

Section Gannett Suburban NewspapersThursday August 1 1991 COVER STORY Planes tanks and ships Carrier museum displays the US might ByJoanneurio Staff Writer At the Intrepid Sea Air and Space Museum you can see and often touch the ships planes tanks and bombs of war including the recent one in the Persian Gulf The museum at Pier 86 at West 46th Street and 12th Avenue in Manhattan is named after the Intrepid a former World War II aircraft carrier that is the mainstay of this three ship museum Snuggled up against the New York skyline the Intrepid looks like a battleship gray old lady retired at a fashionable port But this ship has seen many a battle It opened up the battle of Leyte Gulf in the Pacific the largest battle in naval history in which the air group helped sink the Japanese battleship Mushashi and the aircraft carrier Zuikaku During World War II the planes sunk or destroyed some 298 enemy ships But success was not without its consequences More than 100 men were lost in torpedo and kamikaze attacks on the ship itself while over 200 airmen were killed in action over enemy targets During the the Intrepid served three tours of duty in Vietnam It was decommissioned in 1974 In 1978 the Intrepid caught the eye of millionaire philanthropist Zachary isher who put in 50 years building New York skyscrapers for companies such as Trans World Airlines and Westvaco He started the Intrepid oundation in 1978 with $6 million of his own money and helped raised $20 million to open the museum by 1982 Commanding dimensions The first stop in the museum is the hangar deck the storage area on an aircraft carrier where maintenance and repairs would be done on the planes as well as the loading of armament In World War II the hangar could house up to 103 planes The Intrepid is 898 feet long 103 feet wide at its hull 153 feet on the flight deck The ship weighs 33000 tons when empty and 42000 tons with a full load The ship cost $44 million to build and $10 million to rehaul In its heyday it carried 360 officers and 3008 men At the bow or the front of the boat visitors can watch a 15 minute film Power at which depicts the workings of the aircraft carrier the roles of its crew and the planes it houses While the big screen and being there effects make for good viewing the standing room only theater may be uncomfortable for older visitors or children Gulf War on exhibit The hangar deck includes the exhibit space for changing and permanent exhibits The newest exhibit the "War in the was begun while the war was in progress after an enormous amount of requests from visitors Some of the stars of the war that appeared on nightly news can be seen face to face: the Grumman A 6 Intruder and the scud busting Patriot missile Outdoors the exhibit continues with two tanks and a graffiti covered piece of the Berlin wall Walking aft or toward the back of the boat takes you back in time through the permanent exhibits There is a display on Battle of the 1939 45 which includes a Grumman 6 5 Hellcat Next is the World War I gallery and farther back a history of aviation with everything from early biplanes to the Intrepid Apollo 12 which in 1969 became the second spacecraft to land on the moon The hangar deck ends with a cafeteria restrooms and an outdoor section at the stern with views up and down the Hudson The fastest plane Upstairs on the flight deck is the most important airplane and certainly its most il intimidating: the 107 foot long flat black Lockheed A 12 Blackbird the fastest airplane It travels at three times the speed of sound Designed constructed and finally flown in 1962 in secrecy President Johnson finally announced the existence of the A 12 program two years later Even today its operational missions are cloaked in secrecy The newest addition to the museum the Blackbird came on board in 1990 Also on deck are some 23 other aircraft including helicopters of every stripe There are a total of 40 aircraft at the museum The gallery deck gives insight into the workings of the ship and the men who ran it You can see the Information and of the showing memorabilia donated photos and uniforms of the men who called the Intrepid home Across the pier are the submarine USS Growler and destroyer USS Edson which are off limits to those in wheelchairs strollers and carriages Admission to the Growler is determined by whether you can step through a 3 foot by 4 foot oval opening the size of doorways in the sub Children under 6 are prohibited on the sub i 1 Lt JV 7 i tw 1 I I I 4 1 4 Baal Courtesy of The Intrepid Sea Air and Space Museum An enormous amount of requests from visitors has brought about the in the Gulf exhibit at The Intrepid Sea Air and Space Museum Persian Gulf War tanks and a portion of the Berlin Wall are on display on board the ship ILyougo The Intrepid Sea Air and Space Museum at Pier 86 46th Street and Twelfth Avenue is run by a private non profit foundation and is not part of the US Navy or any federal state or local government All of the vessels are National Historic Landmarks A normal tour of the Intrepid takes about two' hours the destroyer Edson 40 minutes and the submarine Growler 17 minutes Tours of both the Edson and the Growler are led by guides what you need to know to get around and get there: Hours: Summer: 10 am to 5 pm daily all winter spring 10 am to 5 pm Wednesdays Sundays Admission: $7 for adults $6 for veterans and senior citizens $4 for children under 12 free for children under 6 ree for museum members By Car: Take the Henry Hudson Parkway (9A) to the West Side Highway (turns into Avenue) to 46th Street' By Train: Metro North to Grand Central then either walk (across 11 wide avenues) or cab it for around $6 Parking: The closest lot Park Right at 45th Street and Eleventh Avenue charges $15 for anywhere from two to 24 hours or information call (212) 459 9003 Souvenirs: The Intrepid has a souvenir shop at the pier entrance and a separate shop on the hangar deck where you can get "dog punched with your name for $5 Disabled Access: Disabled visitors can visit the main exhibit area on the hangar deck via an elevator There is no handicapped access to the Intrepid flight deck the Edson or the Growler or information: Call the Intrepid at (212) 245 0072 Joanne urlo Pioneering sub The Growler commissioned in 1958 was only was the second submarine in the Navy built to launch nuclear missiles ushering in a new era of strategic nuclear deterrent Congress awarded the Growler to the Intrepid in 1988 and the Edson in 1989 The Edson launched in 1958 was named in 1968 after firing over 23000 5 inch 70 pound projectiles in South Vietnam Portions' of these vessels are open to the public allowing visitors to see how crew spent their sleeping working and recreational hours Both are toured with a guide While the museum silently pays tribute to the technological wonders created by man its real purpose in words is that future generations of Americans could appreciate the sacrifices made by a few to guarantee the liberties and freedoms for the While in the neighborhood When it was opened by founder Zachary isher and New York Mayor Ed Koch in 1982 the Intrepid Sea Air and Space Museum was seen as the lead project in the redevelopment of West Side Not much has changed the 12th Avenue skyline since then but there are a couple of things to do while in the neighborhood Directly next door to the south is Victory Park which looks like a traveling carnival with a erris wheel bumper cars kiddie games and live music in the evenings Admission is $4 for adults $2 for children from 6 pm until midnight and half price between noon and 6 pm Ticket books for the rides are extra $5 for 12 tickets $10 for 24 and $20 for 50 or information call (212) 239 0796 arther south at Pier 83 42nd Street and Twelfth Avenue is the Circle Line These ferry style boats with seating indoors and out make three hour tours of Manhattan every 45 minutes from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm daily Tickets are $16 for adults $15 for senior citizens and $8 for children under 12 Tickets are sold on a first come first served basis or information call (212) 563 3200 Joanne urio COVERSTORY I.