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Marston Mat

Marston Mat was used to rapidly build airfields for American combat aircraft in the various theaters of operation in World War II. 60,000 of these stamped steel, ten foot long, fifteen inch wide, 66.2 pound planks, locked together, made a durable all-weather runway that was 5,000 feet long by 150 feet wide. Such a landing strip routinely handled aircraft weighing up to 60,000 pounds.

 

Seen at the San Diego Air and Space Museum; read more about it in the scientific tourist #28.

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Uploaded on March 29, 2008
Taken on March 22, 2008