Mk37 Director Question

[Sean Hert]

Can anyone tell me what the difference between the earlier and later mk37's are? Is there a designator I am unaware of?

What I mean is, the later ones have the external observation bump for the slewing sight that isn't present on the early ones.

Mk37comp2.jpg

[Werner]

Although the quality of my intelligence has been called into question, I believe what you see (from Friedman) is replacement of the director officer's hatch and telescope position with a blister which contains an open slewing sight.

This was necessary because of the late war need to shift rapidly from one high-speed target to another.

(Friedman, 1985, p.83)

[Sean Hert]

Although the quality of my intelligence has been called into question, I believe what you see (from Friedman) is replacement of the director officer's hatch and telescope position with a blister which contains an open slewing sight.

This was necessary because of the late war need to shift rapidly from one high-speed target to another.

(Friedman, 1985, p.83)

Great! Do you know if this had a different mod number or anything to tell one from the other?

I've never questioned the quality of your intelligence.

[Werner]

I have not been able to find the mod number right off-hand. I believe the telescope removed was Mk39. It possibly was a return to factory refit, because I don't see pictures of ships being modified with the director in place.

Ships like the Sumner DMs completed with them; DD-661 had one but 680 & 691 don't at VE Day. Seems like Iowa didn't get the change until the '80s, but some of the other BBs have them in the '50s. Many have a boat cover over the sight and manhole.

[Sean Hert]

Ships like the Sumner DMs completed with them; DD-661 had one but 680 & 691 don't at VE Day.

Odd you should mention that, as that is what I am working on....

[Werner]

When I said "boat awning", I meant a hemispherical covering of canvas with several transverse ribs that remind me of a boat awning.

These looked like you could fold them back like a knight's visor rather than the circumferential ribs of, for example, the mothball cocoon of an 40mm twin or quad.

It's a shame that they had to wait 40 years to make an anti-Kamikaze update to Iowa. It seems the USN has always been the exact opposite of Jackie Fisher's comment "The RN always travels first class".

Even today.

[Werner]

I found out through a little more searching that the original mark was not liked because it relied on a conducting ring for the slewing sight to control the director, and the ring would burn out after a short period of heavy use. Replacement put the director out of operation for a significant number of hours. I get the impression it was a brush or roller which acted against a metallic ring which was nearly the inside diameter of the director. Therefore, many captains ordered it disconnected to save on maintenance.