Lexington Park in St. Mary's County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
NC-8A Mobile Electric Power Plant (MEPP)
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), August 30, 2019
1. NC-8A Mobile Electric Power Plant (MEPP) Marker
Powering Naval Aircraft Mobile electric power plants (MEPPs) are used on the flight decks of aircraft carriers and on shore facilities. MEPPs supply regulated electrical power for aircraft servicing, starting, maintenance, and testing. The NC-8A MEPP is electrically propelled, with front-wheel steering and rear-wheel drive. Its liquid-cooled diesel engine provides 115/200-volt, 3-phase, 400-hertz AC power and 28 volts DC power. All propulsion and electrical controls are located on two panels in the driver's compartment.
(Note: All current ground support—so-called "yellow gear"—equipment is now painted white due to environmental contamination issues associated with the yellow paint pigment.)
The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) at NAS Patuxent River manages the development, testing, and life cycle support of MEPPs and all other aviation support equipment used by the Navy and Marine Corps.
Our Display MEPP PRNAM's NC-8A MEPP serves at NAS Patuxent River until it was delivered to the museum in the early 2000s.
Primary Use: Supplying electricalpower to aircraft on the ground
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U.S. Service Timeline: Early 1970s through the 1990s
Length: 112 in
Width: 58 in
Height: 45 in
Erected by Patuxent River Naval Air Museum.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Military • Roads & Vehicles.
Location. 38° 16.557′ N, 76° 27.761′ W. Marker is in Lexington Park, Maryland, in St. Mary's County. Marker can be reached from Three Notch Road (Maryland Route 235) just north of Buse Road, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 22156 Three Notch Road, Lexington Park MD 20653, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. North American T-2C Buckeye (here, next to this marker); TA-75A Tow Tractor (here, next to this marker); Raytheon T-6A Texan II (a few steps from this marker); Beech T-34B Mentor (a few steps from this marker); Douglas F-6A (F4D) Skyray (a few steps from this marker); Douglas NA-4M Skyhawk (a few steps from this marker); Cedar Point Lighthouse
Credits. This page was last revised on August 31, 2019. It was originally submitted on August 31, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 579 times since then and 193 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 31, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
