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Incidentally, if the German pocket battleships were liquid-void, they'd be just as good, if not better, but apparently (although I'd love to be wrong), it was liquid-liquid.
The Bismark class were Void-liquid. With the void spaces being tanks used for counter flooding.
Both the Bismark and the Scharnhorst class used the same basic protection layout as the Bayern Clas of 1913.
The SPS-49 antenna you see on the Iowa now is actually a non-operational copy (and slightly undersized). But one of our "volunteers" found an SPS-10 antenna somewhere, trucked it down to berth 87, cleaned it up and got it to working again. It is now up on the mast and at least rotating. I don't know if they have replaced the wave guides or not. If not we eventually will.
There is an SPS-49 antenna on the hangar deck of an Aircraft Carrier up in Bremerton we can have. BUT. We have to supply the crane, supply barge and truck just to get it off the ship. And then transport it all the way down to San Pedro and hope it still works.
Now, if you're a buddy of Bill Gates (who lives not too far from Bremerton), remind him that the Pacific Battleship Center is a 501c3 and would be a great tax write-off if he wants to donate it to us.
RustyB,
Thanks, that answers my question. Sorry, but Mr. Gates and I have never been introduced, and sadly I've never heard of him donating to military museums, etc.
I hope to have some photos soon of progress on my NJ model and will email you accordingly.
German engineers consider a torpedodefensesystem on the Hippers as practically non existent. Due to weigth and space deployment for machinery, there was no explicit torpedobulkhead possible as for the Panzerschiffe.
German engineers consider a torpedodefensesystem on the Hippers as practically non existent. Due to weigth and space deployment for machinery, there was no explicit torpedobulkhead possible as for the Panzerschiffe.
As a general comment, cruisers weren't all that well armored, period. They wouldn't have been "cruisers" otherwise. I believe "straw bottomed" was a moniker used among people like my father who served in USS Augusta (CA 31) in Shanghai before the war. The USS Indianapolis tragedy is instructive on this point.
So, a friend of mine posts an article from a blog claiming the New Jersey had "swimming pools" and tags me in it. Of course these are just the fwd 40mm tubs with the guns removed (68-69 time period). But it made me wonder, why was the interior painted light blue? And shouldn't they have scuppers to prevent the collection of water in them?
The article has a link to the crew newsletter The Jerseyman with a couple of pictures of someone floating in it. There appears to be no tarp or canvas put in it as a liner (like a red neck pool in the back of a pick up) so maybe it's plugged up some other way?
Any thoughts as to whether this was a common use of the tubs?
The "swimming pools" you refer to are, in fact, the two 40mm empty gun tubs on the 01 Level just aft of Turret 2. They were painted light blue as are many home inground swimming pools. Other than welding up the personnel opening, I don't recall any other special prep done to seal the tubs (more than would have been done anywhere else to make the tubs watertight). The starboard "pool" was designated for the crew's use. It never was (used) to my knowledge and I was a crew member throughout the WestPac cruise of 68-69.
More than likely the picture of the man in the pool is the one day that Capt. Ed Snyder took a "swim" for all the press, etc. It was, to the best of my knowledge, the only time anyone was "in the pool" and the only time that the pools (either of them) were filled with water. Since these "pools" had no recirculation or filtration systems, they were deemed unfit for use as swiimming pools and that's where the story ends.
There was no plumbing, no liner, no filter, no nothing!!! Just two empty 40mm gun tubs painted light blue. FYI - you wouldn't have caught an enlisted man in either of the pools for anything; all a publicity stunt for the stupid press's consumption.
I hope this clears up any muddy waters regarding our "swimming pools". :Dancing-Banana:
The "swimming pools" you refer to are, in fact, the two 40mm empty gun tubs on the 01 Level just aft of Turret 2. They were painted light blue as are many home inground swimming pools. Other than welding up the personnel opening, I don't recall any other special prep done to seal the tubs (more than would have been done anywhere else to make the tubs watertight). The starboard "pool" was designated for the crew's use. It never was (used) to my knowledge and I was a crew member throughout the WestPac cruise of 68-69.
More than likely the picture of the man in the pool is the one day that Capt. Ed Snyder took a "swim" for all the press, etc. It was, to the best of my knowledge, the only time anyone was "in the pool" and the only time that the pools (either of them) were filled with water. Since these "pools" had no recirculation or filtration systems, they were deemed unfit for use as swiimming pools and that's where the story ends.
There was no plumbing, no liner, no filter, no nothing!!! Just two empty 40mm gun tubs painted light blue. FYI - you wouldn't have caught an enlisted man in either of the pools for anything; all a publicity stunt for the stupid press's consumption.
I hope this clears up any muddy waters regarding our "swimming pools". :Dancing-Banana:
Hank
All of the above is exactly correct. As a matter of fact, the two forward 40mm tubs on the Main Deck and well forward of Turret I were completely cut off at Long Beach Naval Shipyard only a couple of days before New Jersey's deployment to Viet Nam in 1968.
Now. all the tubs had to have a deck drain in them (if they were 01 level or above or the aft tubs at the fantail) and those on the Main Deck had side "scuppers" (cutouts) at the deck to allow green water to flush out when going through heavy seas. Machine guns don't work very well when under water.
Also, the blue paint was not a special order. At that time the Navy was just beginning to cancel using "Red Lead" and "Yellow Chromate" as primer coats for steel and aluminum. Red Lead for steel and Yellow Chormate for Aluminum (sometimes with a deep penetrating, horrible smelling and icky green sub-primer formula 117). But EPA studies were now demanding primers not to have certain hazardous elements in them and the Navy came out with a medium blue primer that seemed to meet all the specifications.
So while there were a few gallons laying around in the ship 71 warehouse, some was used aboard New Jersey and used to paint those two gun tubs --- as well as prime other areas of the ship where the old paint was scaled off for repainting anyway.
As you know, all sailors are highly experienced artists. They just never seem to get out of their "Grey Period" though.
Yes, saw this on Foxtrot Alpha this morning; if anyone else is interested, here are links to the Foxtrot Alpha blog spot, and to "The Jerseyman" article:
"There is never enough time to do or say all the things that we would wish. The thing is to try to do as much as you can in the time that you have. Remember Scrooge, time is short, and suddenly, you're not there any more." -Ghost of Christmas Present, Scrooge
Yes, saw this on Foxtrot Alpha this morning; if anyone else is interested, here are links to the Foxtrot Alpha blog spot, and to "The Jerseyman" article:
We can go on forever on this. Such as what Battleship(s?) had a bathtub and what Battleship(s?) had a wood burning fireplace?
How about a vote for the worlds's most UNlucky Battleship? I vote for the USSR Marat that was pounded several times by dive bombers. sort of sunk once, had three different names and wound up as a useless shore battery before being scrapped.
Thanks for filling in the details re. the lt. blue paint - I wasn't aware of its significance, etc. as to being a replacement for red lead/zinc chromate. And the drain details...spot on!
Speaking of bathtubs - Some of us are aware of the IOWA's Roosevelt Tub but how many people know about Ed Snyder's bathtub aboard NEW JERSEY? He had one (a nice renovated clawfoot) installed in Phily in 67-68 and his daughter (an artist) did a mural (of sorts) on the bulkhead over the spigots. This was adjacent to his reg. cabin. I don't know whether it survived the 82 refit or not. Just another bit of BB trivia to pass along.
Looking for information on a couple items on NEW JERSEY's After Stack
There are a couple items on the after stack of NEW JERSEY that I need further information about - they are circled in red on the attached photo of the ship in 1968. This is the time period I'm concerned with, not the 82 refit.
1 - the mag. compass platform on the after side of the stack. If anyone has any dimensions, drawings, specific info re. the located equipment, that would be helpful. Also, was the platform brass and unpainted as one of my color photos kind of indicates - this could have been due to the magnetic compass that was mounted on the platf. Note - this was unique to NEW JERSEY - the other 3 IOWAs did not have this platform.
2 - the top end of the stack ladder. If anyone has any info, pictures, drawings, etc. of the top of the stack - such as a close up plan view, that would help. The stack, as far as I have been able to determine, is NOT located on the stack centerlline, but slightly to the stbd. side of the stack. I need info on how it's mounted at the top and whether there is a asmall platform with railing that encloses the top of the ladder.
RustyB, Dreadnaught, Battleship IOWA - this might be something that one of you might know about.
There are a couple items on the after stack of NEW JERSEY that I need further information about - they are circled in red on the attached photo of the ship in 1968. This is the time period I'm concerned with, not the 82 refit.
1 - the mag. compass platform on the after side of the stack. If anyone has any dimensions, drawings, specific info re. the located equipment, that would be helpful. Also, was the platform brass and unpainted as one of my color photos kind of indicates - this could have been due to the magnetic compass that was mounted on the platf. Note - this was unique to NEW JERSEY - the other 3 IOWAs did not have this platform.
2 - the top end of the stack ladder. If anyone has any info, pictures, drawings, etc. of the top of the stack - such as a close up plan view, that would help. The stack, as far as I have been able to determine, is NOT located on the stack centerlline, but slightly to the stbd. side of the stack. I need info on how it's mounted at the top and whether there is a asmall platform with railing that encloses the top of the ladder.
[ATTACH]38034[/ATTACH]
RustyB, Dreadnaught, Battleship IOWA - this might be something that one of you might know about.
Thanks,
Hank
Unless they ran two together, she should have four "a*s*s*holes" as they are colloquially known, per stack; one for each of the eight total boilers spread between the forward, and after propulsion plants. In addition you'll have auxiliary exhaust steam vent pipes and possibly whistle drains up there as well. It's preferred that they be disaggregated like that so that it can readily be seen by the smoke watch, which boiler if any, is smoking white or black. Neither of which is good, but white is much worse.
There are a couple items on the after stack of NEW JERSEY that I need further information about - they are circled in red on the attached photo of the ship in 1968. This is the time period I'm concerned with, not the 82 refit.
1 - the mag. compass platform on the after side of the stack. If anyone has any dimensions, drawings, specific info re. the located equipment, that would be helpful. Also, was the platform brass and unpainted as one of my color photos kind of indicates - this could have been due to the magnetic compass that was mounted on the platf. Note - this was unique to NEW JERSEY - the other 3 IOWAs did not have this platform.
2 - the top end of the stack ladder. If anyone has any info, pictures, drawings, etc. of the top of the stack - such as a close up plan view, that would help. The stack, as far as I have been able to determine, is NOT located on the stack centerlline, but slightly to the stbd. side of the stack. I need info on how it's mounted at the top and whether there is a asmall platform with railing that encloses the top of the ladder.
[ATTACH]38034[/ATTACH]
RustyB, Dreadnaught, Battleship IOWA - this might be something that one of you might know about.
Thanks,
Hank
Hank: I do have some photos taken of NJ when she was first towed into LBNSY for modernization. One of our shipyard photographers, Sophie Chase, balanced herself in a personnel box and lifted by crane so she could take some good overall shots. Also, somewhere in this back room stacked with books, manuals, plans, family photos, IRS records, model trains, raincoats, paper towels, GI rolls and central heating and air unit --- oh yeah my computer too --- I think I have a 1968 Booklet of General Plans.
But I have a "minor" back surgery coming up this week and early next month a couple more heart "procedures". So I'm not going to be straining myself digging those items up right now. So unless I have nothing else better to do please remind me next week by email preferably.
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