Who invented the...... (1 Viewer)

[panda1gen]

Who invented the carpet airfield that they had P47s and Typhoons flying off in no time? Within a day or two after DDay in Normandy and same in the Pacific....

I was about to write this in my last post then thought it might make a thread - here goes......

 

[Leadmen]

The Navy Seabee's built airfields quickly in the Pacific. Marston matting was the secret. The Marston mat was interlocking strips of honey combed strips of steel 10 feet long and 16 inches wide. This was laid down for the airfield over the raw earth. Then finely crushed stone or coral was plowed on top of the matting and soaked with saltwater to form a cement- hard surface. An 8000 foot runway could be completed in three weeks from breaking ground.Some airfields were completed in less time.
I know in the 1960's we had Marston matt laying trucks in our engineering battalion to lay down matts and also for roads of steel matting from Landing ships off beaches. Leadmen

 

[panda1gen]

Thanks Leadmen. It is particularly great to hear from someone who used them. Do you know anything about the inventor?

Next question - Who invented the Liberty ship?

 

[sceic2]

Henry J Kaiser of the Six Companies is credited with the final redefining and ultimate end version of the US Maritime Commission's EC2-S-C1 hull, better know as the "Liberty Ship."

 

[kilted vampire]

History Channel has a segment on the Liberty ships. We have one here in the Bay Area. Jeremiah O'Brien