Calling all Iowa-class (BB-61) fans

[stevegallacci]

Steve: looks good, but is the convex portion of the pilot house supposed to be there? Certainly an interesting period to tackle!

Regards. Tom

No, as mentioned above, it is actually suppose to be a touch shorter and square. I've already removed it.

[James M]

Your build is looking good.
I don't remember anyone building the Iowa as comissioned with all the 20mm instead of the 40"s.

The curved structure on the the conning station should be rectangular.
The Iowa and New Jersey had the squared version and the Missouri and Wisconsin have the round version.
Also the ladder rungs shold be left and right of the structure. Going straight up the middle is going to be right where the helmsman is standing.
It looks like there are two sets of ladders rungs (left and right side) on this photo from Navsource.
http://www.navsource.org/archives/01/016178.jpg

James

[stevegallacci]

[quote="James M"]Your build is looking good.
I don't remember anyone building the Iowa as comissioned with all the 20mm instead of the 40"s.

The curved structure on the the conning station should be rectangular.
The Iowa and New Jersey had the squared version and the Missouri and Wisconsin have the round version.
Also the ladder rungs shold be left and right of the structure. Going straight up the middle is going to be right where the helmsman is standing.
It looks like there are two sets of ladders rungs (left and right side) on this photo from Navsource.
http://www.navsource.org/archives/01/016178.jpg

I've already reworked the main deck to remove the 40mm tubs and started in to scribe the 20mm galleries in the deck planking. No 20mm tubs on the bow also make for a very different look. The rungs above the conning can are a single row up the middle (a different shot shows that pretty clearly) but there ought to be a double row of rungs coming up from below, as shown in the referred shot. And as mentioned above, I've already removed the half-round conning can.

I wanted to do something other than an out-of-the-box build, originally going to do the New Jersey early on with her open bridge and overall blue scheme, but that seemed awfully "meh" for so big a model, so instead want to do the Iowa in her initial form. Plenty of mods to make, and she still had naked wood decks and appeared to have unpainted linoleum on other decks, making her much more interesting to paint.

[BB62vet]

Steve,

I believe that the 08 Level Conning Bridge in your build (early configuration) would be accessed by a watertight door on the forward facing bulkhead of the conning tower. From the photo you provided of IOWA in NY Navy Yard, it would appear that the door is on the starboard side of the tower. The access up/down in the conning tower of the IOWA's is an interior inclined ladder that goes between the levels with a watertight hatch on each level. So, the ladders are offset side by side (if memory serves me correctly) up to the 011 level (highest walkable level on the tower). I cannot say certainly that the ladder from the 010 level to the 011 level is inclined or straight up/down. Above that is the main battery optical fire control range finder. I've been up there quite a few times on NJ during our 68-69 cruise.

Hope this helps,

Hank

[2whl]

I'm a ship newbie and I want to build a late war Missouri. I have the 1/350 Tamiya kit(78008) and have purchased the Eduard p/e set. I have also read through most of Builder 2010's build on WAB. I have concerns regarding the breakage he had with the p/e. So my questions are:

1. Should I get another set of p/e? if so which one?
2. How is the Tom's Model works set? I am thinking of the deluxe set for the Missouri.
3. Gun barrels. Which set do I get?

I almost pulled the trigger on the Pontos set, but noticed the base kit recommended was the New Jersey and it was for a 80's version, so it didn't have the crane at the rear.

I also have a set of Pontos decks on the way.

All thoughts are appreciated.

No thoughts? or did this go unseen?

[William Smallshaw]

Iowa has a watertight door on either side of the 08 conning station to access the exterior conning platform. All access to these upper levels are interior sets of bidirectional inclined ladders. The last two levels, inclusive of the director are verticle ladders.

Bill

[Cliffy B]

Iowa has a watertight door on either side of the 08 conning station to access the exterior conning platform. All access to these upper levels are interior sets of bidirectional inclined ladders. The last two levels, inclusive of the director are vertical ladders.

Bill

I can confirm Wisconsin has the same setup with the doors directly to the sides of the interior conning station.

Plans of Missouri from 1950 AND plans of Wisconsin from 1956 both show one door to port of the interior conning station and one door to starboard (with a light lock) and AFT of the conning station in a small chart house IE only one exit from the interior conning station.

I can e-mail you the plans and/or take photos of BB-64's setup if either will help.

[Fliger747]

I believe Steve's query was about the original out of the shipyard configuration where it appears that the platform on the 08 level did not wrap around the sides and the lateral W/T doors not installed. It appears that a forward facing door to starboard of centerline allowed access to the platform. This configuration was changed after the initial shakedown runs.

T

[Fliger747]

Hank and I have a question about the spacing of the gusset plates on the hull abeam the length of the armored citadel. It looks as if these must follow a multiple of the 4 ft frame spacing, amidships abeam the 51 mount it appears the spacing is 32 feet. Is this correct and the same for all fore and aft?

Any drawings showing this?

Cheers. T

[Fliger747]

What color were the rafts aboard the late commission Iowa's. As packed on the racks topside.

Tom

[kiwi96]

New here. What a great forum. Love the information that is available.
Here are some photos of my Missouri which is under going a 15yr refit.

Before.


During.






Not completed yet but getting there slowly.
This is here in early days next to my Fletcher.


Not perfect compared to some I have seen but I'm happy with her.

.

[Fliger747]

Bgautiful, and love the Fletcher, but how scary, two models bobbing about next to each other.

Quite the overhaul.

Cheers. Tom

[BB62vet]

Nice looking model - is the hull Scale Shipyard?

Good luck on the refit!!! Keep the forum posted w/photos!!!

Hank

[BB62vet]

I found this link to the Pacifica Battleship Center's plans for the IOWA's upkeep and maintenance:

http://www.portoflosangeles.org/EIR/USS ... endixC.pdf

Quite lengthy, but gives lots of detail/photos on the ship as it is transitioning to a museum ship.

Hank

[kiwi96]

Thanks for the comments. I will keep posting upto date photos as things change.
On another note.
Can some one please give me the dimensions of the following as want to make a static set, so when at display shows, people can see what the 16" looked like.
Powder bag and AP projectile.
Looking at making rough polystyrene samples so people can see what went into delivering a 16" projectile.
Cheers.

[Cliffy B]

AP Mk-8s were 72" tall.

Look here for some info: http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_16-50_mk7.htm

Look about a 1/3 of the way down for a drawing of the HC and AP rounds: http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_16-50_mk7_pics.htm

I can take some photos of one of our rounds next week but I believe its an HC round. Let me know if it'll help. We have some powder bags as well that I can measure/photograph if someone doesn't beat me to it

[EJM]

For defense against smaller threats, did the modern IOWA battleships carry any .50 cal mounts and/or any Mk. 25/38 chain guns?
If so, how many of each and in what positions on the ship?

[Cliffy B]

They certainly had .50 cals spread out along the main deck and maybe even on the O1. BB-63 still has some of the mounts (all but the actual gun) on the main deck so look for photos of her as a museum ship. Other than that, just look at various 1980's photos.

Silly me...look at BB-62's plans on HNSA: http://www.hnsa.org/doc/plans/bb62.pdf

The .50 cals are denoted as little "+" signs and an arrow says "50 CAL MACH GUN POS P/S".

[Channell]

Sorry if this has been asked and/or answered already (this thread is getting huge!) but does anyone know where I can get information on the layout of the docking keels as well as intakes and other information for what's on the bottom of the Iowas? Although there is no shortage of drydocked Iowa photos/videos I'm only finding limited info with them when it comes to what lies beneath...

[Cliffy B]

Floating Drydock as a "docking plan" for the BB-61s that shows where the keel blocks goes. As for the locations of all of the inlets, outlets, sea chests, etc... you'll need a really detailed set of plans for those and someone more knowledgeable will need to field this part

EDIT: Take a look at BB-62's plans here: http://www.hnsa.org/doc/plans/bb62.pdf

Particularly Page 15 as it has all of the intakes, sea chests, discharges, etc... listed and drawn. Sorry I didn't mention these first but I didn't recall seeing these listed.