Calling all Iowa-class (BB-61) fans

[RandyM]

Ok... taking all the input you all have provided, I think I have a reasonable approximation of the director/cupola structure. I still need to complete the hatch between the gun tub and rotating hatch, but that's what I consider a secondary detail. I used some artistic license and put the floor of the "passing hatch" above the deck. If that is incorrect it is simple to change.

Thanks to all.

[Fliger747]

I did find one photo that suggests that the outboard (from the tub) cylinder is lower by maybe 6".

T

[RandyM]

That would make sense: it would bring what I'm calling the "passing hatch" up to the top level of the gun tub shield. Also the drawing (the one I posted earlier) does show two distinct circles, with the passing hatch the "complete" circle (indicating the cupola is lower???).

[RandyM]

ok, last one for the day... increased the height of the passing hatch, added the empty shell chute. Thanks for all the help.

[BB62vet]

Randy,

Based on your last photo, I would say that you've got it pretty well in hand at this point! It matches the blueprint blow-up that you provided yesterday. If I can find any other photos of consequence for this area I will post.

Hank

[Fliger747]

As you can see the cupola reaches the deck! On Missouri the Tubs were removed prior to Jan 1 1945 and probably just after shakedown, though possibly in either in San Francisco or Pearl Harbor in late 1944. The bottles on the bulkhead apparently persisted through July 1945.

Cheers: Tom

[RandyM]

This is a great photo - where do you find these? I spend an inordinate amount of time - time which I would much rather spend creating actual models - on thinking up ways to search, then combing thru the results for usable data (I suspect all of us fall into this trap), and I have never seen this photo.

[Fliger747]

Photo was out of a Stillwell Mo Book. Many of the more interesting photos are in these books. One just has to plow through them, though a memory sometimes leads one to the right book.

Cheers. Tom

[James M]

Here is a picture of the passing scuttle door. Its from the New Jersey's stern tub, it is the same as the one your working on.
http://navsource.org/archives/01/062/016246g.jpg

[ModelMonkey]

Brilliant work. Inspirational stuff!

[Jon C Ryckert]

What I find interesting about that photo is the pattern of the non skid on the floor of the 40mm gun tubs.

[James M]

There is a lot of small details in the photo.
There is a lot of the crane and catapult details that show up nice.
And it shows the brackets for securing the life rafts down.

James

[RandyM]

James... please don't interpret my tardy reply for lack of interest - lots going in at the office: that pesky old thing.

There is so much going on in this photo that when I make my way to the fantail, it will take me days to incorporate all these excellent details: THANK YOU.

Do you know the purpose is of the transverse tracks? It almost appears they have carts on them with ballast weight, but I can't believe that could be the case.

[Cliffy B]

The tracks do have weights on them. They are aboard for the inclining experiment to test the stability of the ship.

[Timmy C]

The tracks are indeed carrying weights, as part of the inclining experiment procedure. From the Navsource caption for the series of photos:

The rails carried inclining weights. By measuring the changing list of the ship as the weights were moved, naval architects could calculate the ship's percise displacement & stability

[James M]

No problem Randy. I just want to get you information so you can use it and not redo things.
The photo is just one of a whole bunch of the New Jersey near the end of the war.
Most are published in Steve Wipers New Jersey book. Very useful book.

James

[RandyM]

Current state... I've got the 40mm tub done, started on the 01-deck waterway, built the first 44-inch mushroom vent, started the process of creating the 20mm mounts, and added turnbuckles to the railings.

I've promised myself I'm working on the hull this weekend, so hopefully I'll have some updates on the state of the correction "kit."

Aside from the challenge of the virtual modeling stuff, I'm finding it useful to determine the feasibility of what details can be added in 1/200 based on the item's dimensions calibrated to my modeling skills. My Boston build thoroughly tested my patience, so I think I've got that criterion down

[William Smallshaw]

Randy,

Nice work! A couple of observations. The acetaline tanks sit on a rack, roughly a foot off the deck. Not sure about the ladder you have coming up from the main deck aft of the vent. The forward ladders from the main deck to the 01 level are all exterior to the superstructure. The one in your isometric appears to come up from the interior of the main deck structure.

Bill

[Fliger747]

There is indeed a hatchway on the "surrender deck" though the coming must be something like 10-12" high and all the way around. The ladder comes off passage A103L stbd side just fwd of the wardroom and inboard of the exec officers office. The hatch below on the main deck has a quick acting scuttle, the one on the main deck did not. The ladder rails do not protrude through the hatches though I am looking for a photo of the exact arrangement.

Cheers: Tom

[Fliger747]

Currently on BB63 this hatch has been boxed over and a display case installed above. Probably so some turon won't trip and do a nose dive over it.

T