Ask An Expert- Battleships

[Gun Grape]

This is probably a really easy question, but I couldn't locate an answer with the search function here. I'm building a 1/350 scale model of the USS New Jersey and using Eduards PE. This includes rails that go around the top edge of each turret. However, I can't find any pictures of the actual New Jersey with these rails. Were they in fact there or only on the other Iowa's?

Brett M

The big question is during what era are you building her?

If you read this link ( Builders WW2 Mo with eduard) you will see where at different times of her career Mo had them other times she didn't.

http://www.worldaffairsboard.com/mod...tailing-6.html

here is another good link with pic of NJ throughout her career. WW2 pics show her as having rails on turret #2 only

http://www.navsource.org/archives/01/62a.htm

[Brett M]

The big question is during what era are you building her?

If you read this link ( Builders WW2 Mo with eduard) you will see where at different times of her career Mo had them other times she didn't.

http://www.worldaffairsboard.com/mod...tailing-6.html

here is another good link with pic of NJ throughout her career. WW2 pics show her as having rails on turret #2 only

Battleship Photo Index BB-62 USS NEW JERSEY

This will be an 80's refit era build for her.

I'll browse through the links, thanks :)

[Dreadnought]

This is probably a really easy question, but I couldn't locate an answer with the search function here. I'm building a 1/350 scale model of the USS New Jersey and using Eduards PE. This includes rails that go around the top edge of each turret. However, I can't find any pictures of the actual New Jersey with these rails. Were they in fact there or only on the other Iowa's?

Brett M

Hi Brett and welcome to the WAB. Most modlers I have encountered here usually choose an "era" in which to model their ships in since in many cases design changes, mast, radar, missles hull color schemes etc. For the New Jersey you could pic four different "eras" as she had four different commisionings. WWII, Korea, Vietnam or the 1980's overhaul.

When New Jersey was brand new during WWII and joined the Fleet (1943) she had the rails on Turret #2. Such as in this photo if you zoom it.http://navsource.org/archives/01/062/016211.jpg

She kept this same rail atop of Turret #2 only during the Korea and Vietnam commisionings. But lost that railing during the 1980's as pictures show.

Presently, that particular railing is no longer in place.

That is unless you are speaking of the rail along the lower edges and upper edges. These were hand/foot rails for painting /servicing the Turrets.

Hope that helps.

[Brett M]

Hi Brett and welcome to the WAB. Most modlers I have encountered here usually choose an "era" in which to model their ships in since in many cases design changes, mast, radar, missles hull color schemes etc. For the New Jersey you could pic four different "eras" as she had four different commisionings. WWII, Korea, Vietnam or the 1980's overhaul.

When New Jersey was brand new during WWII and joined the Fleet (1943) she had the rails on Turret #2. Such as in this photo if you zoom it.http://navsource.org/archives/01/062/016211.jpg

She kept this same rail atop of Turret #2 only during the Korea and Vietnam commisionings. But lost that railing during the 1980's as pictures show.

Presently, that particular railing is no longer in place.

That is unless you are speaking of the rail along the lower edges and upper edges. These were hand/foot rails for painting /servicing the Turrets.

Hope that helps.

That helps perfectly, thanks! Those were the rails that I was referring to. I guess Eduard just figured they would add them to the PE set, even if they don't exist for the version I'm doing.

I'll probably be back with more question, this board is impressive with the amount of information it has. Bad for work, good for knowledge!

Thanks again

Brett

[Gun Grape]

the Eduard set is designed for the 1945 version of the Tamiya USS Missouri.

I will assume you bought the 1980s USS New Jersey. The photoetch set for it is by Pontos. Includes all the updates for a 1982 NJ. It sells for about $150.

[Brett M]

the Eduard set is designed for the 1945 version of the Tamiya USS Missouri.

I will assume you bought the 1980s USS New Jersey. The photoetch set for it is by Pontos. Includes all the updates for a 1982 NJ. It sells for about $150.
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Eduard also has a PE set for the New Jersey as well. Probably took a lot of the stuff for Missouri and rolled it over to the New Jersey! I wish that Pontos has had that set when I start buying stuff, it has everything included that I bought seperately (and for more money.)

[Gun Grape]

You could post pictures, do a build log over in the modelers section of the WAB. We would love to see it.

[Brett M]

You could post pictures, do a build log over in the modelers section of the WAB. We would love to see it.

Will do....guess I have to hit 25 posts first. Here's what I've put up elsewhere, which I'll add here later on.

Tamiya 1/350 U.S.S. New Jersey - ARC Discussion Forums

[Alpha1]

where can i find these models in pakistan! I mean i want to buy those!

[navydavesor]

Rusty, I just back landside from a TAGOS SCS deployment, and what was waiting for me? I have a new copy of your book! I look forward to dogging back into it.

Also, Rusty, to your knowledge, was there any weapons payload listed for the Des Moines/Salem CAH conversion? Harpoons, CIWS, SRBOC, etc in addition to the Sea Sparrow missiles?

[Brett M]

where can i find these models in pakistan! I mean i want to buy those!

I bought mine here. They might ship to Pakistan?

TAM78028 1:350 Tamiya USS New Jersey BB-62

[RustyBattleship]

Rusty, I just back landside from a TAGOS SCS deployment, and what was waiting for me? I have a new copy of your book! I look forward to dogging back into it.

Also, Rusty, to your knowledge, was there any weapons payload listed for the Des Moines/Salem CAH conversion? Harpoons, CIWS, SRBOC, etc in addition to the Sea Sparrow missiles?

As I recall, (from the mysteriously vanished drawings) there were to be two CIWS mounts, two active ECM antennas and (I think) four SRBOC launchers. Naturally the 8" ammo load would have been reduced about one-third with the removal of Turret III. But the forward turrets would retain their full ammo loads. As for secondary guns, I'm afraid I don't recall noting them on the drawings. They were only an air-view and a side-view profile drawings. No other details as with the BB VLS drawings I still have access to (but in a secure place guarded by a pack of Sasquach in full Viking style body armor with shield, broadsword and battle axe -- those weapons will be replaced with M-1 Garands with fixed bayonets as soon as they make their fingers nimble enough to field strip them).

And thank you for buying that book. That was the only one sold that month but 3 sold last month.

[blidgepump]

BB-63 tour guide....

Interestingly I acquired a tour guide hand out for BB-63.

With the Iowa-class BB's all museum ships it will another avenue of study in the months ahead.

[desertswo]

This is directed toward Rusty and Dreadnought for perhaps not so obvious reasons, but I've been reading whatever I can find about the passenger liner SS United States, and I'm fascinated by its history of design, construction and operation. Now some would ask, "What the hell does a passenger liner have to do with battleships?" Nothing . . . until you go below the waterline, and there you find a very different story. It seems the Navy fronted the bulk of the construction cost for United States so that it would be built to then BUSHIPS standards, and if you squint just a little bit, she begins to look a lot like one of the Iowa-class or perhaps more accurately, a Forestall-class CVs below the waterline. The idea being that in the event of a major theater war, she could be pressed into service as a high speed troop transport, able to make the crossing from the US to the UK in just a shade over three days, bringing an entire infantry division, its personal weapons, most of its crew served weapons, and some of its rolling stock, then turn around and go back for more, basically arriving in the theater every ten days or less with more of the same.



Here is my point of fascination, and inquiry; she had a classified top end of 38 knots, that was kept secret until 1977, a full eight years after she was taken out of service. Not only that, but she could sustain that speed for days on end. How could she do that? Well, that's where she really starts looking like one of the Iowas or the Forestall: eight B&W boilers and four Westinghouse geared turbine engines and corresponding screws. Passenger liner my ass, that's a warship's engineering plant. She operated at 1000 PSIG and 975 degrees; that little tidbit tells me that she was actually what is known in the Navy engineering world as a "de-tuned twelve." In other words, a 1200 PSIG boiler that has it's automatic combustion control (ACC) system dialed down to something less; in this case 1000. The Australians successfully operated Adams-class DDGs with a lot less hassles than we did but observing this same principle, as I recall, operating at around 800 PSIG. A boiler is a pretty stupid piece of gear in that it will do whatever you tell it to so long as it doesn't violate some law of thermodynamics. The pressure at which one operates is solely a function of the set points in that ACC system. Mate all that power up with 45,000 tons vice the 80,000 or more it was designed to push, and you get a very fast ship, and you all know how much I love speed. She wouldn't need escorts because her speed WAS her defense.


Anyway, I could definitely see me punching an engineer's ticket aboard that beauty, but as I sit here, I am really bothered by there not being a good set of prints for me to look at and really understand the plant layout. If either Rusty or Dreadnought could give me a steer, I'd really appreciate it.

[blidgepump]

.... a USN navy ship in civilian clothing!

Sir you have sold me on the concept that the SS United States was a heavy breathing speed demo!. :)

The power plant you describe is awesome but.... "The ballroom's grand piano was of a rare, fire-resistant wood species—although originally specified in aluminum—and accepted only after a demonstration in which gasoline was poured upon the wood and ignited, without the wood itself igniting." :confu:

If its touted 38-knot speed was it's best defense, why worry if Jerry Lee Lewis was at the keyboard?

But I am looking forward to your recital on the powerplant if sources become available ;)