| Author | Message | ||
     Ducbsa |
I thought this might be of interest: http://www.businessinsider.com/this-is-what-it-tak es-to-fire-the-biggest-gun-on-the-destroyer-uss-ba rry-2012-8# | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
fun stuff. wish the battleships could've been kept. i know the numbers weren't aren't there but they sure looked cool | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
The sad truth is that the mightiest battleships of WW2 were sunk mostly by airplanes. Our Iowas made it out alive though. My dad served on the New Jersey during Vietnam. He said that every round of ammo that he saw going by was stamped from the 1940's. It was silly to use an Iowa class against jungle fighters. Sledge hammer vs fruit flies. He said the only actual return fire they got from shore was some guy with a field gun was taking shots at the ship. I guess he didn't even have armor piercing rounds. To repair the damage from that attack: apply fresh coat of grey paint. | ||
| Fast1075 |
It is my understanding that the 16" guns were used mainly to clear LZ's. One round HE = large clearing. | ||
| Akbuell |
DO NOT miss the chance to go by the USS North Carolina in Wilmington. Emotional experience for me, esp after realizing that !Everything! on the ship is designed to get those 16in guns within range of their targets. From the mechanical 'computer' that helped aim the guns to the optical backups in the turrets to the fact that 30 people lived in a space the size of a living room. And don't forget to bring the kids and grandkids. | ||
| Hughlysses |
I read a long dissertation back in the 80's about how battleships were still effective psychological weapons. The author made the point that a SSN 688 class sub equipped with cruise missiles was probably a much more effective weapon when it came to putting massive explosions on target. OTOH, when you've got some insurgent holed up in a bombed out building near the coast, you can't really use a submarine to intimidate him. Conversely, nine 16 inch guns parked a couple of miles off the coast are VISIBLE and AUDIBLE and he can relate to the devastation those rounds will cause him. | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
Akbuell Thank you I didn't know she was there. not to far a trip to make on the weekend | ||
| Oldog |
DO NOT miss the chance to go by the USS North Carolina in Wilmington.  From where she sits in Wilmington, she can hurl a VW (1600 lbs) to Southport over 23 miles away and put the shell in south port while in moving water I would not want that parked off of my coast, and in a hostile mood  what the greatest generation did is truly amazing..... | ||
| Ducbsa |
I read a long dissertation back in the 80's about how battleships were still effective psychological weapons. The author made the point that a SSN 688 class sub equipped with cruise missiles was probably a much more effective weapon when it came to putting massive explosions on target. OTOH, when you've got some insurgent holed up in a bombed out building near the coast, you can't really use a submarine to intimidate him. Conversely, nine 16 inch guns parked a couple of miles off the coast are VISIBLE and AUDIBLE and he can relate to the devastation those rounds will cause him. During the invasion of Sicily, an Airborne or Ranger officer sent word to some enemy strongpoint that he was going to call in fire on them from a battleship that could be seen firing inland. They didn't know he couldn't do that and surrendered a couple hundred men to a squad! | ||
| Kenm123t |
My grandfather made the barrels for those guns and many other naval guns. My dad 's father was a master tool and die maker and worked on the rifling machine. | ||
| Bluzm2 |
I had the opportunity to do the extended USS Missouri tour a few years back. Man that was a once in a lifetime experience. I got to go into the 16" turrets and even "pull the trigger". The old analog aiming computers were beyond cool. The Mighty Mo had a very unique smell to that permeated your clothing. It was a combination of bunker fuel, machine oil, steel, old paint and other such things. The engine room was too cool. All the hand painted sailor art was still there from the first Gulf War. Got to walk down broad way and even go into the old mans quarters. If you are ever in Pearl Harbor, you must do the tour. I'll dig up some pics and post them. Brad | ||
| Just_ziptab |
How do you fire the big guns? Pretty cool! How do you make those big barrels? Look up "autofretted". Still amazes me how they built this kind of stuff over 70 years ago............../ | ||
| Cityxslicker |
launching a vw bug over the horizon... many times over ? The next best thing to being there. | ||
| Oldog |
The grand old lady can take it 16" at a time  when the NAVY says "GET SOME" they mean it! | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
oldog you aint right man! i think i nearly fainted trying to not bust a gut here in the office | ||
| Oldog |
MIND OUT OF GUTTER yeah I caught it right after I posted it glad some one else is sick too   | ||
| Ferris_von_bueller |
I predict the return of the battleship only they wont be using gunpowder to fire a projectile but electricity in the form of a railgun. |
