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Iowa-class vibration problems

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  • Iowa-class vibration problems

    i heard from someone that iowa suffered serious vibration problems and cannot use their main armaments at high speed. have iowa ever changed their screws?if true,how were their initial performance at high speed? was their vibration really a big problem?thx

  • #2
    Originally posted by ssvcrtfi View Post
    i heard from someone that iowa suffered serious vibration problems and cannot use their main armaments at high speed. have iowa ever changed their screws?if true,how were their initial performance at high speed? was their vibration really a big problem?thx
    I was aboard the Wisconsin in 1991, and her vibration was not very substantial at maximum speed. She made about 32 knots while crewmembers calmly worked and guests sat on the fantail - she did throw a tremendous rooster tail. I didn't hear about any serious problems with the other Iowa's either. The South Dakota's did have some serious issues which required a lot of changes and were never fully rectified. I beleive some of our experts here could elaborate more.
    sigpic"If your plan is for one year, plant rice. If your plan is for ten years, plant trees.
    If your plan is for one hundred years, educate children."

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    • #3
      It is rumored that during New Jerseys Vietnam era cruise (where she achieved her fastest speed) that Capt Snyder would slow the ship down during mealtime so the Chiefs could eat in the CPO country.
      Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Dreadnought View Post
        It is rumored that during New Jerseys Vietnam era cruise (where she achieved her fastest speed) that Capt Snyder would slow the ship down during mealtime so the Chiefs could eat in the CPO country.
        That sounds about right. Also the CPO's never spilled a drop of coffee as they never put a cup down that seems to be permantly grafted to their fingers.

        As for the vibrations. I know for a fact that both New Jersy and Missouri got new (or rather, reconditioned) propellers. I also know the Wisconsin had newer ones when I inspected the ship while in Dry Dock at Philly.

        I've walked the decks of both NJ and Mo during their high speed runs. After getting up to full rev (betwwen 200 and 210 rpm) they would have to hold that speed for two hours before exercising their hard turns and crash backs.

        Aft of frame 166 the deck vibrations could be felt in the mess decks, but the armored steering gear room below helped dampen that.

        But once you got past frame 203, it was like standing on a huge vibrator (after the ship hit 26 to 28 knots).

        This was NOT due to any structural weakness of the ship's stern. Rather it was the extreme cavitation/turbulence of those huge props.
        Able to leap tall tales in a single groan.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by USSWisconsin View Post
          I was aboard the Wisconsin in 1991, and her vibration was not very substantial at maximum speed. She made about 32 knots while crewmembers calmly worked and guests sat on the fantail - she did throw a tremendous rooster tail. I didn't hear about any serious problems with the other Iowa's either. The South Dakota's did have some serious issues which required a lot of changes and were never fully rectified. I beleive some of our experts here could elaborate more.
          I believe that was the North Carolinas with the vibration at high speed. Test runs in and out of New York while trying to repair the vibration is what garnered BB55 her nickname, The Showboat.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Pacfanweb View Post
            I believe that was the North Carolinas with the vibration at high speed. Test runs in and out of New York while trying to repair the vibration is what garnered BB55 her nickname, The Showboat.
            It was her blue paint scheme that earned the title of "The Showboat". Yes, she had a number of test runs after commissioning. They ALL did.

            The machinery/mechanical Configuration Manager in our Battleship office (Don Wollcot) was a Marine serving on the NC (and also on the Maryland for a while) in WW II. He said all ships vibrate at the stern from the propeller action. The most violent vibration he ever felt on the NC was when the Japanese torpedo hit her.

            But she kept on going.

            Also, it was the North Carolina which was the first Battleship to enter Pearl Harbor some time after the attack. Several of my co-workers who were employed there (or just living there as normal civilians) said that her appearance was a terrific morale booster.
            Able to leap tall tales in a single groan.

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            • #7
              I remember reading about North Carolina's entry into Pearl Harbor (wish I could remember the book). It wasn't long after Dec. 7 and the harbor was still a wreck. The reaction of salvage crews, and shore personnel was an insane eruption of joy, but the mood aboard the NC was all together different. Few details and almost no photos had been released at the time and despite being able to clearly hear the spontaneous celebrations the new battleship's arrival had inspired the crewmen manning the rails stood in stunned silence, amazed at the level of destruction around them.

              Like I said, I don't remember what book I read that in but that's how I remember it. I can only imagine the conflicting emotions of that moment.

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