Page 429 - (DK) Smithsinian - Military History: The Definitive Visual Guide to the Objects of Warfare

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LIFE BELOW DECKS
◀ PROPELLER
SHAFT
An engineer checks
a shaft that drives one
of the four propellers. USS GEORGE W
Powered by the ship’s
twin nuclear reactors,
a quartet of five-bladed
propellers give George
Washington a top speed
in excess of 30 knots. ASHINGT

▼ BAKERY
▲ OPERATIONS ROOM Along with the galley, ON
Staff monitor takeoffs, landings, and activities on the flight deck the bakery helps
via television screens, and use radar to direct airborne planes. In the provide around 18,000
event of an attack, the defense systems are also operated from here.
meals each day. The
large ovens are visible
in the background.
◀ HANGAR ▶ ANCHOR
Aircraft are serviced CHAINS
in the hangar. Each of The George Washington
the staff involved have has a pair of 30-tonne,
a specific jacket color stockless anchors.
that denotes their role: The anchor chains
for example, a general run through the
maintenance petty officer bows, where they
wears a green one, while are stored when not
brown denotes a plane in use. Each chain link
captain—responsible weighs approximately
for the upkeep of a 360lb (160kg).
specific aircraft.

▼ ENGINE BAY
The maintenance,
testing, and storage
of engines takes place
in this bay. An F-14
Tomcat engine can
be seen here, with the
engine of an F/A-18
Hornet visible in ▲ BRIEFING ROOM
the background. Flight instructions are given
in the briefing room. Each seat
is assigned to a specific pilot.

▲ OPERATING ROOM ▲ DRINKING FOUNTAIN
The ship’s medical department must be ready for almost any kind of illness, accident, Distilling plants daily produce
or battle casualty. In an average year, the medical team sees over 10,000 patients, 330,000 gallons (1.5 million liters)
processes around 3,000 X-rays, and performs more than 100 surgical operations. of freshwater from seawater.