It is a 688I and it's hull number is after 750 due to the fairwater planes being removed.. Toured the USS Newport News today with my son and my friends son and I was surprised to see that she had fairwaters on her because I thought that the 688's took those off earlier then her hull number. At times the Newport News reminded me a HELL of a lot like a first flight 688 but at other times it was not the same 688 class that I qualified on in '92, even made the mistake of telling one of her QM's that it felt like a first flight which he inturn laughed and then reminded me that I wasn't one one anymore.
While I love the hell out of submarines I really got to the point that I hate the 688 class because my boat was always at sea and when she went to drydock I went to other boats who needed a TM and I stayed at sea until I got out, granted it kept me out of trouble and it took me 12 years before I went back onboard a 688 and that was only AFTER I went and worked on Torsk and found that I still do like to work on submarines.
Darrin
