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USS Missouri 16" Gun work

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  • USS Missouri 16" Gun work

    I was told that when she went into dry dock for her maintenance that part of that was directed at the 16" guns.

    Anyone have any clue what that work was?

  • #2
    I cant imagine them needing drydock for working upon them unless they were changing the barrels. But they really dont need drydock for that either if you have a pierside crane thats rated for the lift, Im not sure how many exist in the US now days outside of a drydock Rusty may be able to answer this question.
    Mo was the the last to come out of service so her hydraulics should have been in good shape. She also probably had her turret training mechanism welded down like the other sisters (easily removed none the less).

    You can elevate the guns individually and manually via the 7-3/4" dia. elevating screw and oscilating bearing assembly. The actual nut for raising or depressing the barrels manually is located inside the oscilating bearing. By doing this, you dont have to charge the electric motor hydraulic "A" and "B" end output. So there is no need for power at all to the motor to adjust the barrels for display purposes.

    New Jerseys turret crew has done this a few times for display purposes since she has become a museum and replaced her "bucklers" as well without a drydocking or crane. All done manually by her appointed turret crew spending some long dirty days but well worth the effort, they look great and accent her turrets very nicely. Hats off to them for their hard work and efforts!:))

    I have not seen anything that mentions any barrel or turret work (i can understand paintwork etc) while Mo was in drydock unless it was greasing and preservation work. It wouldnt be worthwhile for them to have charged the hydraulics, they were already treated for long term storage (if comparible to the others) and to clear them would be time consuming and would more then likely require some minor replacement parts. But as I mentioned above, any of this could be done while shes moored pierside.

    It is not widely known what means they have used to insure Mo's turret cant train before her donation to Pearl (I believe it should be stated in the donation contract) but I would assume it is very much like the other sisters before their donations.
    Last edited by Dreadnought; 11 Apr 10,, 13:10.
    Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

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    • #3
      Well, though actual work on the guns does not need a dry dock, being perfectly level would give some old FC's practice to make sure the Level of Fire Plane between guns and directors was still aligned.

      But it would just be for education or record keeping as I doubt she is going to fire those guns again, except maybe for a movie company.

      "Ooops. Just knocked the top off of Diamond Head. Should have checked those alignments better".
      Able to leap tall tales in a single groan.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by RustyBattleship View Post
        Well, though actual work on the guns does not need a dry dock, being perfectly level would give some old FC's practice to make sure the Level of Fire Plane between guns and directors was still aligned.

        But it would just be for education or record keeping as I doubt she is going to fire those guns again, except maybe for a movie company.

        "Ooops. Just knocked the top off of Diamond Head. Should have checked those alignments better".
        I was thinking more im the area of her hydraulics. Flushing the old fluid repairing any leaks, checking the breaches.

        I remember reading somewhere that was a big issue with the Iowa, (leaking hydraulic fluid).

        Never heard that about Mo but who knows, age takes a toll.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by shadow01 View Post
          I was thinking more im the area of her hydraulics. Flushing the old fluid repairing any leaks, checking the breaches.

          I remember reading somewhere that was a big issue with the Iowa, (leaking hydraulic fluid).

          Never heard that about Mo but who knows, age takes a toll.
          *MO's hydraulic systems should be filled with a solution that would protect her system from deterioration and no doubt must be rubber (o-ring/seal) friendly. I dont think they are filled with hydraulic fluid, it may even be a solution including anti freeze. The climate that Mo is stored in (Hawaii) may dictate what they have used but none the less she should be in good order operations wise. She is the only one of the sisters I haven't been aboard but I do plan to sometime in the future. When I do, I hope to grab the ear of someone that would know so it would probably be during a week day instead of a weekend. The closest Mo ever appeared to Philadelphia was New York and Norfolk. She never visited Philadelphia Naval Yard as the others did for service/storage. Snob!:))

          It is my hope that I can revisit Iowa, havent seen her in a very long time but I have been aboard Whisky since she has left Philadelphia Navy Yard twice. Once before (actually several) while she was in storage here prior to reactivation and when she came out of service and one more time later since she has become a musuem at Nauticus.
          Last edited by Dreadnought; 11 Apr 10,, 14:03.
          Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

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          • #6
            Ooops. Just knocked the top off of Diamond Head. Should have checked those alignments better".

            :)) Priceless!
            Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

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            • #7
              I was not aware that they did any welding to keep the turrets from being able to be trained, I know the donation contract would specify that you are not allowed to do it.

              Are the New Jersey's welded?

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              • #8
                Originally posted by DreadnaughtHelper View Post
                I was not aware that they did any welding to keep the turrets from being able to be trained, I know the donation contract would specify that you are not allowed to do it.

                Are the New Jersey's welded?
                I have not seen this with my own eyes but from what I understand they are given this as minimal deterance from doing so. I would have to see it with my own eyes (the stops) before I believe it but more then likely probably so given her donation status. What I can say is this, shes in remarkable condition given her age. And the men and or women that helped prepare her did a wonderful job and it shows.:)
                Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

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