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  • Originally posted by Bbbppc View Post
    Are there any pictures or descriptions that show the current condition (or after the accident) of Iowas turret 2? What is actually inside?
    There are a very select few of us allowed inside Turret II and that is only for inspections of possible corrosion, loss of dehumidified air, etc. In my book I show some (very badly reproduced photos from the publisher) of the 47 bolts on the top of the turret that have been removed and replaced with water tight caps. The bolts were probably used to make up some memorial items. What, where, when and by whom is unknown to me.

    Turret II will remain a memorial to those lost crewmen and will never be opened to the public.

    Eventually we will have Turret I opened up for public view as the range finders in that turret of all four Iowa's were removed in WW II because they were very susceptible to green water damage in high seas.
    Able to leap tall tales in a single groan.

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    • Are there any plans to raise the barrels of Iowa's foward turrets?

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      • Originally posted by GrayGhost1975 View Post
        Are there any plans to raise the barrels of Iowa's foward turrets?
        We have already raised them a few times manually for special show or presentations. No problems with manual elevations and traverse.

        The 5"/38 mounts can be traversed manually but the dehumidification covers on the barrels prevent them from being elevated.
        Able to leap tall tales in a single groan.

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        • Of interest in yesterdays AP via Philadelphia Inquirer.......RIP.
          Attached Files
          Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

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          • Originally posted by RustyBattleship View Post
            We have already raised them a few times manually for special show or presentations. No problems with manual elevations and traverse.
            Are there plans to raise them more-or-less permanently? What about replacement gun bloomers?

            Originally posted by RustyBattleship View Post
            The 5"/38 mounts can be traversed manually but the dehumidification covers on the barrels prevent them from being elevated.
            Gah those things are so UGLY! Yes necessary (?) but they seriously detract from the guns.
            “He was the most prodigious personification of all human inferiorities. He was an utterly incapable, unadapted, irresponsible, psychopathic personality, full of empty, infantile fantasies, but cursed with the keen intuition of a rat or a guttersnipe. He represented the shadow, the inferior part of everybody’s personality, in an overwhelming degree, and this was another reason why they fell for him.”

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            • Rubbers, bucklers, bloomers....

              Originally posted by TopHatter View Post
              Are there plans to raise them more-or-less permanently? What about replacement gun bloomers?

              Gah those things are so UGLY! Yes necessary (?) but they seriously detract from the guns.
              Earlier on one of the BB threads a question was raised about the Iowa's restoration efforts.

              The discussion was something about the rubberized boots around the 16-inch barrels being replaced with a thinner rubber like material.
              While collecting material for a "tour" on another thread, a former Cleveland Class CL was anchored nearby.
              I am told this is the only 6-inch triple mount turret left ??? Anyone fill in the gaps as I know little about CL's.

              Anyway....... is the attached illustration representing what TopHatter is referring to as "bloomers" ??
              Attached Files
              Last edited by blidgepump; 15 Feb 13,, 05:42.

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              • Okay you maggots. Let's get things straight here. The rubber weather covers over the 16" guns are called BUCKLERS, not Bloomers. The rubber weather covers over the range finding arms of the 5"/38 range finders are called BLOOMERS. The 5"/38 guns never had any rubber covers over the guns as the shield was easier to install gaskets for weather protection.

                The "plugs" that go into the muzzles of the 16" guns are called TAMPIONS, not TAMPONS as for female hygiene as some people have claimed.

                To get actual BUCKLERS for the 16" guns would really be a budget buster but we were able to have some made up of a thinner material and it looks okay. Fortunately the bolting rings for the bucklers were still on board stowed in a 30-foot container on the helo deck.

                Hey guys, we just got the ship down here. Give us some money, some time, some money, some volunteer work, some money, some materials for tax write-offs (we ARE a 501-c3) and we can get the ship back into shape sooner. We don't have a 6,000 man shipyard and Naval Station anymore with experienced shipfitters, welders, pipefitters, riggers, insulators, machinists, electricians, electronic technicians, wood workers, painters, cranes, crane operators, riveters, etc. It's basically all volunteer work and it takes time.

                So if you got any gripes, get your butts down to berth 87 in San Pedro and sign up. But be careful of who is inspecting your work. It might be me.

                Oh, and I hope everybody had a happy Valentine's Day and I hope that Asteroid "misses" us as far out as our geeky astronomers think it will.

                Also I apologize for any misplaced humor I've tried here. Been a looooong day.
                Able to leap tall tales in a single groan.

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                • One can definitely get all excited about getting a ship for a museum. Once you have it, and the excitement wears off a little bit, and you take stock of what you have then...reality sets in and you realize you are in for a long haul.

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                  • Bloomers and bucklers, I probably knew the difference and typed the wrong thing anyway
                    “He was the most prodigious personification of all human inferiorities. He was an utterly incapable, unadapted, irresponsible, psychopathic personality, full of empty, infantile fantasies, but cursed with the keen intuition of a rat or a guttersnipe. He represented the shadow, the inferior part of everybody’s personality, in an overwhelming degree, and this was another reason why they fell for him.”

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                    • Field- Gunnery

                      I have a question about the 5 Inch 38-caliber twin mounts. I think after firing the hot shell casings would be pushed out the back of the gun and pile up on the deck of the battleship. My question is what happens to them after that?

                      When I was touring a battleship I noticed what looked like chutes that would fit these casings just below the main deck. There seemed to be placed at random locations and one was even right above the head (toilet). Would the crew empty the deck through these chutes?

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                      • ok i was watching the USS Missouri movie "call to arms" & i noticed them practicing with a 1 barrel weapon that was swivel mounted & it looked like anti personal weapon or close quarters weaponto shoot mine, that is the first time i have seen it , question what caliber & how many & purpose , thanks
                        Last edited by blackzz28; 08 Apr 13,, 13:05.

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                        • Originally posted by Research View Post
                          Field- Gunnery

                          I have a question about the 5 Inch 38-caliber twin mounts. I think after firing the hot shell casings would be pushed out the back of the gun and pile up on the deck of the battleship. My question is what happens to them after that?

                          When I was touring a battleship I noticed what looked like chutes that would fit these casings just below the main deck. There seemed to be placed at random locations and one was even right above the head (toilet). Would the crew empty the deck through these chutes?
                          The 5" ammo is transferred from the magazines on 3rd deck up to the upper handling rooms by way of two ammo hoists (3/4" thick STS armor plated sides). The upper handling rooms on Main deck and 01 level are 2 1/2" thick STS armor plate. The propellent cases are actually inside aluminum stowage cannisters all the way up to that handling room. Then they are "de-canned" and the case passed on up through another hoist to the gun mount. The projectile's fuse is set in the handling room and passed up through another hoist. The case is hand loaded on the gun tray first and then the projectile hand loaded in front of it.

                          The breech of the gun is closed, fires and ejects the powder case out through a chute (looks like an air vent) in the back of the mount onto the deck.

                          In the meantime, the crew in the upper handling room "dump" the aluminum cannisters down through a scuttle in the deck into the compartment below.

                          After gunnery is done, one of two things can happen to the brass cases and aluminum cannisters. They can be collected, have the brass put into the cannister and passed on down to the magazine to be marked as "USED" for recycling later. Or, as during WW II when you didn't have all that time or a supply ship to take your spent brass, you just dumped everything overboard to make room and save time for the next load out.

                          To do this on a small scale, next time you are on a target range (or preferably in a private area) use an M1 Garand rifle and fire it single shot. Way behind you is an ammo handler that takes one round out of the box. He slides it down a long piece of PVC pipe to another handler who makes sure there is no tape or pieces of cardboard stuck to it. He then slides it down a short piece of PVC pipe to another handler who hands it yet to another handler who loads it into the chamber of your Garand. You then close the bolt and fire the gun. The case ejects and lays on the ground and not picked up until it is cool enough to go back through the above procedure in reverse so it can be re-boxed and hand loaded at home.
                          Able to leap tall tales in a single groan.

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                          • Two Questions:

                            Been reading about the role of South American Navys in WWII. Was there any thought of having the US navy purchase and refiting the Brazilian battleships or the Argentine's Navy's ?

                            Why was the USS New York (BB-34) not used at Normandy?
                            Last edited by Archdude; 08 Apr 13,, 01:31. Reason: add second aquestion

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                            • Originally posted by Archdude View Post
                              Two Questions:

                              Been reading about the role of South American Navys in WWII. Was there any thought of having the US navy purchase and refiting the Brazilian battleships or the Argentine's Navy's ?

                              The Argentine battleships were discussed, they were US built, but their age and condition, and the need to use ship yards for carriers, not battleship rebuilds the idea was dismissed. These were old 12" gun ships with wing turrets, and they we're ready to use like BB-33.

                              Why was the USS New York (BB-34) not used at Normandy?

                              She was being used for training at the time. Does anyone else have more info on this?
                              see above
                              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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                              • And ashtrays.
                                Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

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