Calling all "Big 5" Tennessee-class & Colorado-class fans

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Expand view Topic review: Calling all "Big 5" Tennessee-class & Colorado-class fans

Re: Calling all Pre-war "Big 5" (TN/CO class) fans

by MartinJQuinn » Sat Mar 21, 2026 1:33 pm

Comparing the picture that Jeff posted (left) to the 1937 shot I posted (right), it does seem like that pipe from the incinerator to the funnel was modified at some point.
BB48 West Virginia 01.jpg

Re: Calling all Pre-war "Big 5" (TN/CO class) fans

by MartinJQuinn » Sat Mar 21, 2026 9:41 am

Found some additional photos, cropped them to show the forward funnel piping arrangement on BB-48. First one is from 1937, the second from 1939. Photos are from NARA II, via Roger Torgeson.
BB48 West Virginia 6Apr1937 80-G-466160_crop.jpg
BB48 West Virginia 6Apr1937 80-G-466160_crop.jpg (45.52 KiB) Viewed 148 times
BB48 West Virginia 9Feb1939 80-G-466161-crop.jpg
BB48 West Virginia 9Feb1939 80-G-466161-crop.jpg (71.32 KiB) Viewed 148 times

Re: Calling all Pre-war "Big 5" (TN/CO class) fans

by MartinJQuinn » Thu Mar 19, 2026 8:04 pm

Thanks Jeff. I guess it was the incinerator then. From the port side it looked like the pipe went much farther forward.

Re: Calling all Pre-war "Big 5" (TN/CO class) fans

by Jeff Sharp » Tue Mar 17, 2026 9:53 pm

Here's a look at it.
Image

Re: Calling all Pre-war "Big 5" (TN/CO class) fans

by FFG-7 » Tue Mar 17, 2026 7:06 pm

the pipe in the photo is in the same location as on the plans & is the pipes on the other battleships the same od as the upper part of the pipe near the top of Wee Vee's funnel?

Re: Calling all Pre-war "Big 5" (TN/CO class) fans

by MartinJQuinn » Tue Mar 17, 2026 6:47 pm

I saw that too. You may be right, but this seems to go farther forward, and the pipe is larger than the incinerators found on other battleships.

Re: Calling all Pre-war "Big 5" (TN/CO class) fans

by FFG-7 » Tue Mar 17, 2026 2:14 pm

1939 Sheet 6 - Upper & Superstructure Decks shows the garbage incinerator was located there.
Attachments
Sheet 6 - Upper & Superstructure Decks.jpg

Re: Calling all Pre-war "Big 5" (TN/CO class) fans

by MartinJQuinn » Tue Mar 17, 2026 12:38 pm

Question about West Virginia's forward funnel. I am going to guess that the item circled is a pipe venting from the crew's galley, which was located just forward and below the funnel. Trying to figure out where it connects, as it's obviously been severed in these photos.
WestVirginia01a.jpg
WestVirginia02a.jpg

Re: Calling all Pre-war "Big 5" (TN/CO class) fans

by Jeff Sharp » Sun Mar 08, 2026 12:41 pm

Hi Martin,
Those were indeed dumpsters in the 2nd photo. Here is a look at Maryland's from above.
Image

Also worth noting in the 1st photo, notice that the life lines (railing) are only two bar, not 3 bar on the upper deck and they are painted light gray.
I suspect they were a lower profile to accommodate clearance for the casemate guns.

Re: Calling all Pre-war "Big 5" (TN/CO class) fans

by Jon C Ryckert » Sun Mar 08, 2026 12:14 pm

Dan K wrote: Sun Mar 08, 2026 10:41 am I concur with the ID of the garbage dumpster, raft, pelorus, voice tube and signal light.

I do think those are 3 sailors handling a pole of some sort. I don't see that as a permanent fixture.
I don't have plans for this ship, but could that be a saluting gun? Just a WAG.

Re: Calling all Pre-war "Big 5" (TN/CO class) fans

by MartinJQuinn » Sun Mar 08, 2026 11:37 am

Thank you gentleman

Re: Calling all Pre-war "Big 5" (TN/CO class) fans

by Dan K » Sun Mar 08, 2026 10:41 am

I concur with the ID of the garbage dumpster, raft, pelorus, voice tube and signal light.

I do think those are 3 sailors handling a pole of some sort. I don't see that as a permanent fixture.

Re: Calling all Pre-war "Big 5" (TN/CO class) fans

by Jon C Ryckert » Sun Mar 08, 2026 7:20 am

I believe we are seeing dumpsters in the second photo. Arizona had them also.
Arizona pic from 10-13-1941 001.jpg
Arizona , Aug 41.jpg

Re: Calling all Pre-war "Big 5" (TN/CO class) fans

by Timmy C » Sat Mar 07, 2026 8:40 pm

Agree on the raft.

Left circle seems to be a lookout platform (follow the deck line and it seems to jut out, with the dropping chain suggesting it can be removed).

Thing between pelorus and light is probably a speaking tube.

The three things in the square on the right are three sailors, but they may be around a thing.

For the second photo, wouldn't be surprising if they are dumpsters that swivel to dump their load onto a barge. It'd make sense to put them near the garbage chute as everyone's familiar with the location.

Re: Calling all Pre-war "Big 5" (TN/CO class) fans

by MartinJQuinn » Sat Mar 07, 2026 8:24 pm

Trying to figure out some details on California. Thoughts on what is inside the circles in the first picture?

Looks like there is maybe a raft tied up under the bridge wings? And I see what is probably a pelorus and a 12" signal lamp about the raft. What is between them?
bb-44-001_details.jpg
I see a garbage chute inside the rectangle (ignore the arrow, I am reusing a photo sent to me), but what are the two dumpter looking things to the left of that?
USS California BB-44, sunk closeup 12-7 or 8 -1941 80-G33948 C_DETAILS.jpg
Any thoughts?

Re: Calling all Pre-war "Big 5" (TN/CO class) fans

by Dan K » Thu Mar 05, 2026 12:40 pm

Understood. Thx, Jeff.

Re: Calling all Pre-war "Big 5" (TN/CO class) fans

by Jeff Sharp » Wed Mar 04, 2026 6:27 pm

Panama Canal 1939. I can't answer when the MK19's were raised.

Re: Calling all Pre-war "Big 5" (TN/CO class) fans

by Dan K » Wed Mar 04, 2026 4:49 pm

Those are some great pics, Jeff. Thx. Are those dated, by any chance?

And would her MK19 directors been raised a deck to the same position as Maryland's before her late '41 refit on the West COast?

Re: Calling all Pre-war "Big 5" (TN/CO class) fans

by Jeff Sharp » Wed Mar 04, 2026 3:45 pm

Hi Dan!
Superstructure wise, Colorado resembled Maryland more than West Virginia.

Image
Image

There is a photo of the battleships at Pearl on 6/18/41. All of them except West Virginia is painted MS1. Colorado has a false bow wave.
Exact dates of the painting of the battleships at Pearl still remains a mystery but it all started in mid to late May.

USS Tennessee wrote in her deck logs that they "Painted ship" on 5/28/41.

Re: Calling all Pre-war "Big 5" (TN/CO class) fans

by Dan K » Tue Mar 03, 2026 4:25 pm

Does anyone know how closely Colorado would have resembled West Virginia in the 1940-early 1941 timeframe? Plus, when would Colorado have been repainted into MS1?

thx,

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