Quote:
Originally Posted by TopHatter
Dread, can you tell us more about raising the guns, on what occasions, what is the "normal" elevation and how is it determined etc?
Personally I think the battleships look their most majestic when the guns are at a relatively high - not neccessarily full - elevation.
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Hey TH,
The guns are raised manually. We use a chain hoist and pipe wrenchs to turn a particular nut that (you can only get a half-three quarters grip on) i believe in a series of half turns spins a wormgear reduction so many turns. I have not been able to view the entire actual assembly but I would assume to to be worm gear reduction. Judging by how many turns it takes to give one degree in elevation this is where I assume it is a reduction assemby. But as we could imagine it must be a high degree of reduction There is a rifle elevation gauge/read out located against the forward bulkhead of the gun pit however on the gun house side of the bulkhead down low at about ankle level which tell us the degree of angle. It is located almost directly below the FPS valve group and the "Christmas tree" lights. This gauge works both in a "manual" and auto sense. In other words the readout works for both ways of raising the guns. We raise the guns basically for ceremony and display reasons unless ofcoarse the man in charge wishes us to raise or lower them at his descretion.
In older USN days im not so sure about these days from what I was told, normally when a U.S. battleship entered port a 30-35 degree elevation of the guns told the owners of said port/country of the ships intentions 30-35 degree (port call or friendly call. no hostility intended).
If she came in with the rifles anywhere between 0-10 degrees in elevation chances are there was going to be trouble or they were expecting there was to be trouble. 5 degrees was the automatic return elevation for the rifles after discharge (because the bore was aligned with the cradle tray at 5 degrees of elevation when the cradle lays horizontaly.) This would facilitate fast reloading of the guns in the case of any conflict.
I would certainly agree with Mr. L though as far as being in the down position during normal sailing conditions. It makes good sense. Less strain on the rifle mount/barrels from bobing up and down the waves and less strain on the machinery/hydraulics/gearing etc holding them at their postions.
I will try to get a good picture of the mechanism to post.
Other sources reported that when they came into questionable ports or anchorage atleast one pair (port/starboard) of the 5/38's were on stand by just in case.
We have been keeping them at approx 30-35 degrees as of lately (actually since summmer 2006)
It also makes for good pictures for people "under" the guns when viewed from the foc'sul looking aft at the superstructure.
