What Were Those Things Called?

[RedOwlAirfield]

Does anyone here remember those big steel "mats" the military used to use to make runways way back when?

Do any of y'all remember what they were called?



I have a friend here in the valley whose business includes roads for the mines around here. He also is kind enough to help with my runway on occasion. We were talking and I mentioned seeing my dad use them to make runways back in the 60's. He was saying how he wished he could find some of those as they would be great in some situations he encounters regularly. I thought it might be a possibility for my runway too. So I want to do some research, but I don't even have a clue what they were called. I figured this group has a ridiculous amount of arcane knowledge so I thought I'd ask y'all first.

We'd appreciate any help you care to provide. Thank you.

[StudentPilot479]

Marsden matting.

[guanaco]

Marston Mat

[SJ]

There was a big thread on here about building runways with that stuff many (like twenty) years ago.

sj

[Willie]

Any Chu Lai based Marine would recognize it. Marston matting, so called because it was made in a town named Marston.

[RedOwlAirfield]

There was a big thread on here about building runways with that stuff many (like twenty) years ago.

sj

What a memory!!

Although I searched and couldn't find a big thread. I found one that's like 2 or 3 posts, but nothing huge. Maybe I'm searching the wrong thing. I searched "Marston". Maybe I need to check something else.

Either way the big thing was just to know what the name of these was - and this list didn't disappoint. I knew somebody here would know. Thank you to all!

I'm sure a little time on the interweb will yield something positive. I'll let the list know.

But thank you!

[Waldo M]

Also known as PSP; Perforated Steel Planking. Slippery as greased owl dukey when wet.

[RedOwlAirfield]

Also known as PSP; Perforated Steel Planking. Slippery as greased owl dukey when wet.

That ​part I did remember. - the slippery bit that is.

[Farmer Hank]

About ten years ago there was a parking area at Rapid City that had PSP.

[musket]

Sir, if you do a google search on PIERCED STEEL PLANKING, aka Marston mat, you'll be overwhelmed with trivia with, hopefully, some useful info re: availability...

[Ken Robbins]

Years ago at Lake Shasta in CA, they built a massive beautiful boat launch ramp from marston landing mat. What an experience it was getting your boat out of the water. Funny dynamic happens with spinning tires on wet mat in hot weather. Goes from absolute grease to high traction quickly. Saw more than a few boats get offloaded on the ramp when folks would not have the boat secured to the trailer.

[Speedo]

Looks like it’s still available here. And Coleman’s has something similar here.

[stknrddr]

For someone’s future reference, At EAA AirVenture, a similar product called “Perfo Reinforcement Systems” is used in the car camp ground to firm up high vehicle traffic wet areas. It works great. It is a plastic grid that embeds in the sod…

[RedOwlAirfield]

Looks like it’s still available here. And Coleman’s has something similar here.

Thanks Boss. They sure are proud of them though. I could pave my runway for what those would cost! And top it off the ones they show on their site aren't serviceable. Wow. That's pretty much what I've found in my research too though. But thanks for the help.

Note - Colemans says that they're out of stock and won't be getting any more. I wonder why those folks don't just delete the doggoned page then?

[BC12D-4-85]

They were popular with off roaders that looked for mud and places to get unstuck after. A couple of them tied next to a handyman lift jack or winch setup. Great fun when young and dumb.

Gary

[RedOwlAirfield]

For someone’s future reference, At EAA AirVenture, a similar product called “Perfo Reinforcement Systems” is used in the car camp ground to firm up high vehicle traffic wet areas. It works great. It is a plastic grid that embeds in the sod…

A - Thank you! I had not known of the plastic option. I should have known someone would do it. Thanks for pointing it out. I will spend some time researching it.

B - Looks like this is primarily intended for sod stabilization. I think the nearest grass is 70 miles away. Gravel is what I have and dirt is the only other option. Living in the desert does have its limitations. But maybe... I'll look.

[frequent_flyer]

I flew the 182 and P206 jump planes at a very dusty AZ drop zone. Someone decided that discarded carpet was great ground cover. The road from the office to the LZ was paved with it. The aircraft parking area was covered in carpet and overlayed with steel cargo net.

I assume a drop zone regular was in the carpet fitting business. It actually worked quite well.

[BC12D-4-85]

"Synthetic Soil Stabilization Matting" is used often for construction in Alaska. Comes in a big long roll that's unrolled over surfaces prone to underground instability and surface erosion. The users typically cover it with more soil and apparently it acts like a fabric holding things together. Maybe like this stuff ?

Gary

[fishhook]

AM2 matting is the modern stuff they use.

[mbsyvers]

some of the ramp areas at CuChi were made of aluminum. They were covered with a green paint. I don't remember if it was a non skid material. The panels were a few feet wide (3?) and probably 10-12 feet long, they joined at the edges and ends like the new flooring materials. when we could find some we would find some wooden blocks to lay under a panel and use them for a sidewalk to the hootch.