The Wreck of the USS Plainview (AGEH-1), Experimental Hydrofoil

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Sitting on the foggy banks of the Columbia River is the derelict hulk of the USS Plainview, launched in 1965. The Plainview is an experimental vessel called a Hydrofoil, in a way, a cross between a boat and an airplane. Today, the ship is severed, with her stern cut clean off and scrapped. She sits on the riverbank, significantly submerged at high tide.
A special thank you to the following for letting me use their on-board exploration material
Merritt Scott: • USS Plainview
Marc Charbonneau: unfamiliar.land/

[@zachstambaugh2020]

You got many of the details right. It was the archetypical military budget boondoggle, and had a lot of superlatives, from the capacity of the hydraulic system, to the novel supercomputer in the cabin, to the titanium propellers.... The interior had honeycomb fiberglass paneling, and lots of elements that looked ship style, and others which were aircraft like. My father, uncle, and grandfather bought it to convert to a salmon processor. The stern was shortened to get under the 200' length limit which puts it in a different regulatory class. It was damaged by bashing against the rocks for many years, and had a lot of damage from thieves and vandals. Many trespassers were climbing on it, and becoming a danger to themselves and others. Eventually my uncle decided to scrap it after some hippies had toddlers climbing around in there, and while aluminum prices were going up. The barge isn't derelict, so much as leaky and sitting anchored in the mud. Your assumption about the old army friction crane and barge were otherwise correct, but practically speaking they weren't much use in the scrapping operation. We had a lot of the original files and documentation at one time, and I'm all but willing to swear the reports said that it went 50+ with the first set of foils. They were engineered conservatively and had far too much lift, which caused the ship to want to fly out of the water. So they made a second set and got it up to 3/4 throttle, which was ~75kts. By this point long range naval helicopters existed, and were an obviously superior tool for chasing down submarines so the ship had no real purpose. It was cruising at high speed in Puget sound on the way to port when it hit a 5' diameter submerged log and basically knocked the legs out from under it. That's what finally ended the project.

[@lightspeed4596]

Thanks for sharing your info with us. It's too bad your family wasn't able to utilize the ship. I wonder if the Navy still has the powertrain languishing in some forgotten warehouse. And by the way, wasn't this ship fitted with radar? If so, it seems odd that they didn't know a giant log was submerged there.

[@riverbender9898]

In 1969 I rode the commercial hydrofoil between Copenhagen, Denmark and Malmo, Sweden. A very smooth, fast, impressive trip.

[@mpetersen6]

The Soviets operated quite a few hydrofoil passenger ferries

[@thesteelrodent1796]

"Flyvebådene", the Danish high speed passenger ferry service between Copenhagen and Malmö, used hydrofoil from their start in 1965 until 1977, when the ships were replaced by catamarans, which I've been told were far less comfortable. The one hydrofoil was sold to a company in Uruguay in 1985, and in 2011 reported scrapped. In the summer of 2000, the bridge between Copenhagen and Malmö opened, which meant most the passengers on "Flyvebådene" switched to using the trains instead, so in March 2002 the ferry route stopped sailing. On a sidenote to that story, starting in 1984, SAS ran a hovercraft service between Malmö to Copenhagen Airport, where the hovercraft took passengers from Malmö directly to the terminal in the airport, and vice versa. That trip took 35 minutes. The hovercraft were also replaced by catamarans in 1994, and kept sailing until the bridge opened in 2000, and with that the train station underneath the airport.

[@riverbender9898]

@@thesteelrodent1796 Interesting overview. Thanks.

[@michaelimbesi2314]

She’s a pretty wreck. The fact that she is cut open really gives you a good view of her structural arrangements. FWIW, she’s designed like a boat, not a plane, with the exception of the airplane-style cockpit instead of a bridge. (I’m a naval architect, btw. Thank you for this excellent video. Boats like this can often just get forgotten. Thanks for making sure that Plainview will be remembered)

[@zachstambaugh2020]

Having been inside it many times, there are boat like and plane like elements. There were riveted ribs with speed holes. the interior panels were honeycombed fiberglass. Everything was as think as it could be with rigidity coming from contours rather than mass. It was remarkably similar to the Xcraft built many decades later at Nichol's shipyard, which I've also been in.

[@rameybutler6555]

the scrap value of all that alluminum is mind blowing

[@Ma_Deuce_338]

Right at this moment it is .42 cents a pound say there 200 tons of her left…. 168,000 dollars at old sheet price if she is built out of 6061… it would considerably more. Sad story that one… she has been laying there for years. Spent 21 million dollars and she was only on the foils for 268 hours or 78358 dollars an hour.

[@brick6347]

Ssssh, you'll attract winos

[@rameybutler6555]

they better be glad it didnt run aground near me lol

[@Hazztech]

Scrap it then!

[@redneckswitwheels]

@@brick6347 u mad cause u ain't got dem math skills homie?

[@bcmavor]

SS United States’s superstructure was aluminum, the Hull was steel

[@Gallery90]

..And that's pretty significant.

[@aj-2savage896]

Very carefully insulated from each other to prevent the obvious galvanic corrosion that would otherwise defeat the structure.

[@CJM-rg5rt]

Atleast there's that. It's got to be bad for the immediate environment to be saturated with aluminum.

[@rocknepoovey4381]

@@CJM-rg5rt wah wah

[@wintersbattleofbands1144]

Is, not was. She's still docked in Philadelphia.

[@BlairAir]

In Sydney Australia during the 1980s you could ride the bigger ferry from Dee Why pier to Sydney the hydrofoil. The time was cut in half 30 to 15 minutes while the price was double. Time really is money!

[@b.p.879]

Wow!! I can't imagine doing 50+knots on a ship like that!

[@zachstambaugh2020]

Having read some more on the topic, because it's my family that owns it, it went faster than that. 50+ was the first set of wings. They had too much lift and a second set was made with less lift. IIRC they hit 75kts in the Puget sound shortly before hitting a submerged log while planing, which was caused the damage resulting in the end of the project.

[@BrianRLange]

I can remember both the Plainview and the Highpoint running on their foils around the waters of Kitsap County, and farther out into the greater Puget Sound in the early 70s. I always enjoyed seeing them. Sad to see the Plainview now, but I am happy to hear Highpoint is undergoing restoration. Thanks for covering them.

[@leonardhopper857]

I remember them too. Grew up in Port Orchard and the most impressive scene I ever witnessed was sailing into Rich's Passage in my little splinter of a sail boat (International 210) and having the Plainview and the Highpoint go by me on either side on their way into P.S.N.S. at full song. Exhilarating and terrifying are understatements to say the least.

[@TheFalloutFanBoy]

@@leonardhopper857 I don't believe that they would run on the foils through the passage. They don't even take the ferry thru there at full speed.

[@leonardhopper857]

@@TheFalloutFanBoy They used to, even the ferries. but that was before people started building homes right on the water and then started complaining to the county about how the wakes were messing up their beach. I remember riding the Kalakala thru Rich's passage going full tilt more than once. Think it was sometime in the late 80's that they were ordered to go slower thru there. Added about 10 minutes to the trip.

[@briananthony4044]

I remember her, she was on the front page of a Popular Science or Popular Mechanix magazine way back in the day. She was supposed to be the forerunner of a new high speed class of destroyer to hunt down USSR nuclear submarines. I think the destroyer was to be 300 foot long but have a similar layout to the Plainview.

[@wintersbattleofbands1144]

Feet. 300 feet. The plural of foot is feet.

[@thomasliptak9469]

This was some 50's science magazine levels of mad

[@richardhill194]

I live in Washington and have been down to that museum in Astoria multiple times, Im amazed I never heard of/checked out this wreck!

[@Rachel-art-and-design]

That was very interesting. I live farther down the Columbia river past The Dalles. I will have to go someday to see it.

[@enigmaticbeing7796]

OK but you are from Sudan

[@Dakiraun]

Very interesting! Canada was experimenting with them as well at the time. The HMCS Bras d'Or managed 63 knots on it's hydrofoils. Similarly, when on the hydrofoils were in use, it use a gas turbine for the extra power: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMCS_Bras_d%27Or_(FHE_400) They were very neat vessels for sure.

[@the_engine_guyhi6765]

I actually went inside of the HMCS Bras d'Or one time but that was a long time ago

[@Dakiraun]

@@the_engine_guyhi6765 Neat! I'd love to go see her one day.

[@Agent_3141]

Canada was also testing a VTOL hovercraft that looked eerily like a flying saucer.

[@Dakiraun]

@@Agent_3141 Yeah, that was Avro's "other" project alongside the Arrow. Freaky looking things, apparently really hard to control though.

[@chrisostling805]

I remember when they nosed her up to the bank of Young's Bay in Astoria, where she stayed for many years. I passed by her last month on a drive to the coast and she looks the same as the video.

[@SuperchargedSupercharged]

You and I have walked in the same place. I remember her from when I was a kid.

[@abnurtharn2927]

Sad ending for a magnificent ship.

[@sebastianthomsen2225]

😢

[@andrewreynolds912]

Exactly I wish she could be rescued

[@redneckswitwheels]

@@andrewreynolds912 to far gone

[@andrewreynolds912]

@@redneckswitwheels I don't know dat

[@keith800]

Yes very interesting , another bit of maritime history remembered ,in a way becoming a wreck is what keeps her story alive if she had been scrapped years ago she would be long forgotten now.

[@Jedi_Master_Obi-Wan_Kenobi66]

I live in Washington and I've never heard of this story, thank you for sharing!

[@cornpowa]

I've gone and seen the hydrofoil USS Aries a few times over the years. Allegedly it's a museum and still goes out under it's own power, but I've never seen it open to the public and it always seems moored in the exact same spot. You have to walk onto a vehicle bridge with no sidewalk or shoulder to get a good look at where it's tied up.

[@LordHeath1972]

Another well presented, well researched documentary. Perfect length, good narration and well edited.

[@Commander-McBragg]

Another great job on a very interesting subject. Thanks!

[@eve__________]

This was a great video! An amazing ship that never saw its full potential and now sits mangled is such a tragic story.

[@imakeboatsifudidntknow]

Haven't watched one of these videos in months, good to be back :)

[@blainehoward1832]

First

[@jackharle1251]

Love this story. Many Thanks!

[@markhassebrock4814]

My dad was a quality control inspector at Lockheed in Seattle when the Plainview was built. My mom has a commemorative plaque that says he was on board when the boat made her first foil-borne run. My dad's brother was a welder at the Naval Shipyard in Bremerton and he frequently worked in the drydocks on the waterfront. He told me he remembers seeing the Plainview coming through Rich Passage up on the foils on the way to the shipyard. He says it was quite a sight.

[@THX-vb8yz]

To cool..... Great memories.

[@mnhoss2100]

Great video as always sir

[@markr2616]

Damn good content, deserves more views.

[@johnreynolds5103]

What a fantastic story, enthralling and with so many 'I never knew that's Thank you!

[@mbb967]

Incredible work!!! 😄

[@b1gfronto685]

FINALLY SOME WESTCOAST CONTENT!! Be subbed for anout a year and we have talked about west coast ship wrecks and seafaring in the past! You mentioned you dont want to videos on places unless you have been there to see the wreck or the location so u can get a true experience and I respect you so much for that! Thank you for making a video in Washington state my home state!

[@larryfromwisconsin9970]

In 1975 we watched this or a similar military watercraft on it's hydrofoils on Puget Sound while we were eating lunch in the Seattle Space Needle.

[@tb7771]

Great video! I love videos showing abandoned ships above water.

[@SezFrancis1]

What a story and ship! Very fascinating! 🙂

[@panzerabwerkanone]

Not a jet engine as in use in a fighter aircraft, but a gas turbine engine as used in a turboprop or helicopter. I remember two waterjet powered Pegasus class hydrofoils that were stationed near Pensacola, FL during my training in the US Navy.

[@KFRUkraine]

I did not even know this was a thing! great video

[@rancidschannel3206]

Great video

[@CAPNMAC82]

USN funded up three hydrofoils at about the same time, Plainview, Tucumcari, and Flagstaff--the names were all deliberately of "dryland" cities reflecting how the ships were not meant to be much in the water. AGEH-1 did not fare as well as PGH-1 and PGH-2 (Tucumcari & Flagstaff, respectively) which both saw limited service of Viet Nam. Bother later wound up in USCG use for high-speed drug interdiction. USS Plainview was always poignant bot both me and my father, as Plainview, TX was where he grew up. And for being an intriguing notions to both of us as Surface Warfare Officers in the USN.

[@housemana]

out of all the patrons, Rob is the most G 💯

[@janslifejourney2664]

Hi!Ģreat Video I enjoyed watching it

[@goofy5693]

Dang, I'm gonna have to go check this one out some time

[@cmw184]

Man id love to see you do more in washington!

[@laracraft82]

Wow interesting invention 😀

[@DerpyPossum]

Outside the S.S.U.S., I’m very unfamiliar with a lot of the “fast” ships out there, I suppose; I had no idea that a ship this much bigger than an average speedboat-sized craft could actually have knot speeds in the 50s! 👍

[@GT402]

I wondered what that ship dumped across from Astoria was, thanks for the video.

[@hogsnplanes]

Development starting in 1911, Alexander Graham Bell and Casey Baldwin designed, built and operated his own hydrofoil in 1919 breaking a world water speed record at the time at just under 71 MPH in Baddeck Bay Nova Scotia, Canada. The old video at 1:30 is actually the Bell/Casey machine in Nova Scotia, not Italy.

[@rancidschannel3206]

Red Funnel Hydrofoils operated for years before catermeran advances. They were the sold after years service and had a second service life abroad. Some are still in operation. Great innovation. Most were built as aircraft with rivited construction for lightness. Metals in construction are allways contrived, Steel versus Aluminuim. Steel being much stonger but the two cause galvanic corrosion. Welding steel to aluminium is difficult to weld by normal standards. Nowadays modern ships are explosive welding, using the heat and pressure of explosive force to join. Amazing technology.

[@scott_hunts]

I’ve seen this wreck a great number of times, easily one of the most recognizable ones on the river.

[@Ethans8730]

When ships fly

[@davidmurphy8190]

Thanks!

[@PartTimeExplorer]

Thank you very much!

[@mudduck754]

I remember that ship out in Puget Sound, We used to run circles around it with our Sea Scout Ship, when they were testing it. Get those old Hallscotts (my baby's) wound up, have 60 feet of wooden planing hull jumping up out of the water, three feet of hull still in the water, the offset rudders making her respond to the helm like she's a little speed boat, buring 22 gallons of fuel an hour, the Skipper leaning out the port wheel house door with a big fat cigar in his teeth smiling and waving as we fly by at 45 knots plus, crew at their stations smiling and waving. On a good day out jumping the wake of the Princess Marguerite as we head towards the San Juan's.

[@dezertraider]

VERY COOL..THANK YOU

[@johnstreet797]

I once lived in Bremerton WA, the home of Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. They had two hydrofoils being tested in Sinclair inlet. A normal boat wake is a surface disturbance of the water. When the hydrofoils made a turn they sent an underwater pressure wave through the water. This slammed in to and washed the sand and gravel out from behind many bulkheads along the inlet.

[@dustingriffith7399]

👋😊Hello there! I’m sorry to say this, but it has been several months since the 107th anniversary of the RMS LUSITANIA tragic sinking on the Irish coast since May 1915. I am still anxious about your LUSITANIA Virtual Museum which will be a true masterpiece and remember LUSITANIA makes a brief appearance in the British movie A NIGHT TO REMEMBER (1958) as she was once disguised as RMS TITANIC!😊But please let us know when your virtual museum of LUSITANIA: The Greyhound’s Wake will be completed and ready for public showing! I trust you that LUSITANIA: The Greyhound’s Wake will become a real masterpiece!😁👍

[@anthonysmalawipredators8794]

Love it when a random bit of Long Island, NY history gets thrown into the most random of things!

[@justdestruction4675]

This ship is butiful

[@tundramanq]

I remember the Pegasus ripping up and down Puget Sound testing before it's commissioning as PHM-1. Neat little ships.

[@lenaistalar8032]

The wreck looks pretty bizzarre being half scrapped and half left to rot, but it's very cool to be able to see so much of the inside still.

[@Wilett614]

I toured this ship back in 1974 I think it was . It was moored at Annapolis USNA and was open for public viewing ... Very Impressive ship I will Say , Sad to learn it was subsequently scrapped .

[@aydenburris8631]

I noticed one of your music playlists has some Irish folk stuff. Lads got a jolly taste in tunes

[@BMan100]

....I think a group of guys bought one at an auction years ago and they didn't know what had a navy ship lol

[@willmetz1490]

Going from a beautiful engineering marvel to a salmon fishing boat to a wreck sitting in Washington what a way to go

[@tomm1109]

It seems like the history of Hydofoils and Ekranoplan is of experimentation and abandonment. And surprisingly few accidents or tragedies. But I think it is and was apparent that a huge accident could have happened at any time. Imagine if a foil had failed due to stress cracks or hydraulic failure or a collision with a submerged object. The crew being thrown forward at 50knots would surely have been fatal to many because a quick drop back into the water would stop it pretty quick! And if it got sideways.... Well, I still find them intriguing. Would love to see anything on Ekranoplans. I'm not sure if the US experimented with them or not but the Russian program was amazing. See the Caspian Sea Monster!

[@jessicam5712]

My uncle used to race hydrofoils in the bay area, very interesting

[@alanbare8319]

I remember seeing pictures of her on the cover of "Popular Mechanics."

[@stephenchappell7512]

The UK's version HMS Speedy renamed 'Lilau' is used today as a high-speed ferry linking the territories of Macao and Hong Kong

[@Aaron-hk6st]

401 or Lewis & Clark Trail Hwy is directly behind that wreck just up the bank. I've driven past that thing dozens of times and never knew it. Now I'm going to have to stop and walk down to it.

[@ZAV1944]

I think the introduction of Anti-Submarine missiles like the SUBROC and ASROC in the late 60s also played a role in negating the need for hydrofoil ships like the Plainview.

[@hosank]

Thank you Keiser Wilhelm II for your patreon support

[@mattboggs6304]

Any 80's kids remember the GI Joe Moray Hydrofoil toy? I thought that was so cool back in 1987 or 1988, and the hydrofoil tech seemed so futuristic. Kind of sad to see the Navy's hydrofoils as nothing but wrecks now.

[@rogerrendzak8055]

Good documentary, Tom!! When you were describing, the hydrofoils, you said they raised the ship up, due to positive lift, under that 'wing'. I know regular lift is caused, by a vacuum above the wing, giving it lift. The wind (or water) that pushes up, underneath the wing, is called 'positive' lift? Is that, official terminology?? I know the principal actions, but don't know the word. One thing more, why is this ship (as in any ship) just sitting there?? Why don't they (the US government) scrape it? Not to mention, it's against federal pollution laws (The Clean Air, and Water Act of 1974-75), and wrecks like these, were salvaged, decades ago. Recently, you covered a wreck, down at Cape May Point, NJ, the SS 'Atlantus' (aka, the concrete ship). I live on, the next city up the coast, and have another boat wreck, that might be interesting for you, to cover. It was a ferryboat, that used to be docked in Wildwood, NJ. It's name was the MV 'Utica', a early 20th. century Staten Island ferryboat that was built in 1910, and stayed in service 'till 1960. Then a local, Wildwood businessman purchased it, and brought it down to Wildwood, to make a floating, marine supply store, and later a gift shop, out of it. When that federal law, was implemented back then, it was scraped. There is some descrepancies on what happened, to the wreck. I live in Wildwood, and watched the superstructure get razed, and acetylene torches cut, into the hull. The workers even let us kids throw rocks, at the windows that day. But, in other documentaries, it's stated that it was towed away, which is incorrect!! First of all, it was sunk for years, and I watched it's demise. Then they say, it became a sunken base for a restaurant, in Lower Township, NJ. Something doesn't add up, with their facts. Thanks Tom. I hope you and your wife, Anna (correct?), are doing well ☺️.

[@natejones902]

What's the uscg marked ship you have in the video? Any info on her?

[@Gallery90]

USS High Point became USCGC High Point in 1975. Briefly. When the Navy decommissioned High Point the Coast Guard recommissioned it for trials. The Coast Guard also brought into service another Navy loaner hydrofoil -- USS Flagstaff as USCGC Flagstaff. The end result was that the Hydrofoils just didn't work out for the Coast Guard. (Flagstaff struck and killed a gray whale off Point Loma, which did significant damage to the vessel.)

[@SoggyNugh]

I'm gonna go there in spring

[@jimwjohnq.public]

I'm a plank owner of the sub tender in this video, the USS Emory s. Land (AS-39).

[@troy3456789]

I'm guessing the fuel cells are huge in these, and the engines are thirsty. Also, I'm guessing sea conditions need to be all but perfectly placid to employ those jets and put it up on the foils

[@kdrapertrucker]

No, lots of footage of hydrofoils in heavy seas

[@troy3456789]

@@kdrapertrucker Oh, that's great.

[@rancidschannel3206]

Such a sad wreck for such an innovative vessel

[@Chord_]

I'm a layman when comes to things related to boats and ships, so pardon the possibly obvious question, but: if hydrofoils are so quick, why haven't they more widely caught on? At a guess I'd assume either structural or economic concerns, but if someone with more authority on the matter knows, I'd love to learn more!

[@leonardhopper857]

Short answer: fuel consumption.

[@ericlipscomb4764]

I recall seeing pictures of her in an old copy of Jane's. I think at least one had been given to the Coast Guard at that point.

[@alannilsson6509]

This ship had to be the test bed used for the USN Pegasus class PHM hydrofoil class. Those ships served active tours as armed naval vessels. 76mm gun with 8 Harpoon missiles as well.

[@zachstambaugh2020]

No. It was meant as a submarine chaser, and was rendered completely obsolete by long range naval helicopters.

[@larrysorenson4789]

I remember the hype when the ship was introduced.

[@mpetersen6]

G Harry Stine famously said. "Never believe the cover of Popular Mechanics."

[@grantpratt299]

I stop every time I go by her when I go to the coast.

[@Wahoo343]

so funny story, my ex's father used to work for boeing he use to be a recon marine during the war, well when he got injured and came state side his gf father gave him a job at boeing, he worked his way up to being in the engineering portion of it no i cant remember if it was the plain view or the pt boat hydrophoil but i do know he use to work on these boats.

[@jamesdamron2065]

Sad,,pretty cool ship

[@owenaero]

just a couple miles from me went on it before it was cut to pieces a shame

[@fliegerdefunes7758]

Fun Fact: Hydrofoile boats are still being used for public transportaion in Italy.

[@naughtiusmaximus830]

Columbia river is really choppy. The wind through the Gorge is generally 10mph or much higher. I literally get 5MPG better gas mileage going uphill east than downhill west.

[@PartTimeExplorer]

You’re gonna see a lot of Columbia River stories on my channel in the next few months

[@Xinuka]

thats an awesome boat ! now i wanna see a hydrofoil unicycle! roflmao

[@williamrogers.]

Go visit the one off the Mississippi river in Missouri. I've been on it with the owner.

[@dennisdey3104]

What a shame for this vessel. When I was in boot camp we were issued a blue jackets manual and a picture of AGEH-1 was in it. After "A" school my rating would allow me to be a crew member. But the U.S. Navy had other ideas for me.

[@garyjust.johnson1436]

Very sad ending to a wonderful ship

[@astonike8383]

Shocked that scappers haven't picked that thing clean

[@DoubleMonoLR]

Weird that it's just been left there. Aside from any potential historical value, if it's largely aluminium it would have significant scrap value.

[@myverycoolusername]

wow thats sixk i wanna go see that

[@lightningwingdragon973]

Someone may wanna update Highpoints wiki. I think the last mention of the ship eas that it was MIA

[@TiffanyL2]

Called Hydra, Part-time-explorer

[@sebastianthomsen2225]

😊👍

[@davedunks4647]

surprising the navy allows it to rot like that

[@ethanspaziani1070]

its sad seeing it like that ...

[@jillatherton4660]

👍

[@imfknradio9978]

Personally I think it's funny as hell to hear weapons of war having less than sounding developers like "General Electric" or "GMC". Like today we generally think of them as being more innocent brands like "GMC is a car company".

[@lordcantiismyname]

It reminds me of the old Godzilla cartoo . Made me want to ride a hydrofoil so bad