Calling all Iowa-class (BB-61) fans

[Thomas E. Johnson]

I have acquired the 1/350 1991 version of the Missouri by Tamiya, as well as the Pontos super detailing set for it. I have noted that details on the 5 inch gun houses and on the secondary battery director units which are newly tooled parts in the kit by Tamiya, are different than on the resin parts included by Pontos which I believe are made by Veteran Models, to replace the older stock kit parts.

I have only found one good photo that shows the rear of the gun houses in Stillwell's book, and from that photo, The resin parts by Pontos are correct, but the photo is from the World War II era, and not from the 80s & 90s. I find it difficult to see how Tamiya could make such an error in details on their (Brand-new) parts, so I am wondering if the gun houses and directors were modified during the reactivation?

If not, who's parts should I trust for accuracy?

[Fliger747]

I have hundreds of photos that I took of Missouri at Pearl for my 1:192 scratch project. What is your part of the mount that you think is different?

Cheers. Tom

[Fliger747]

To my knowledge the shields for the Mo's 5" twin mounts were not modified. Have you checked the HNSA turret catalog for dimensions? If you post a photo of the two mounts side by side, perhaps I can post some photos of the ship in it's current iteration. There is some divergence in the Mk 37 and Mk 38 directors from ship to ship n the class. Missouri has the "seven sided" Mk 38 for instance.

Cheers: tom

[Cliffy B]

The Mk-37s were modified with a roof extension to add more interior headroom when they were brought back in the 1980s. No aftermarket or kit exists with these modifications reflected save for the 1/700 Trumpy offerings that I know of. Don't know of any other ships that received this upgrade though so that may explain it. Other than that there are no external differences to the directors from the 50s to the 80s. The 5"/38s were unmodified save for possible removal of the sighting hoods from the forward mounts. Those seem to appear and reappear between photos over the years.

[Thomas E. Johnson]

I have hundreds of photos that I took of Missouri at Pearl for my 1:192 scratch project. What is your part of the mount that you think is different?

Cheers. Tom

Here is the rear of the 5 inch gun house, both stock kit parts and the resin veterans model part.
https://goo.gl/photos/hJgNBMqSpwSSjNwa8

And here are the mark 37 fire control directors, both the stock kit part and the resin version.
https://goo.gl/photos/vUM7CHv17sitvmzW6

[Fliger747]

The depth of field is of course small, so a bit hard to evaluate the resin pieces as they are a little in front of the focal plane. One comment off the bat is in the kit rear there should be no line running down the back of the hold open for the mount captains hatch. The back of the MK 37 is where some variation occurs.

I will see if I can find any current photos of the back of the mounts.

Cheers. Tom

[Thomas E. Johnson]

The depth of field is of course small, so a bit hard to evaluate the resin pieces as they are a little in front of the focal plane. One comment off the bat is in the kit rear there should be no line running down the back of the hold open for the mount captains hatch. The back of the MK 37 is where some variation occurs.

I will see if I can find any current photos of the back of the mounts.

Cheers. Tom

The stock kit parts for the gun houses have larger hatches on them over the smaller ones that flank the centerline of the housing. Also a few other details are more pronounced.

On the front right of the Mark 37's, the small protruding platform where an additional detail is mounted is different on the stock part vs. the resin one. On the stock kit part, it is more like a solid horseshoe extending out from the angled edge. On the resin part, it is just a cilindrical projection sticking up from the angled front edge. Other surface details are also more pronounced on the resin version.

[Fliger747]

Hope these help a little: On the 5" mounts, the holdopen cylinder for the mount captains hatch is missing for some reason. Note the boxy covers on the MK 37 rangefinder wings are a post decomissioning protective addition.

Cheers: T

[Thomas E. Johnson]

From the pictures, it looks like the Tamiya parts are more correct.....

[Harquebus]

Seeking to learn the size and exact location of BB-62's Mk.49 director tubs aft of the bridge circa 1943-44.

I wonder when they were removed from the New Jersey because I'm trying to decide if they were held over and remained on the ship in the immediate post war period or not. What is interesting about the tubs on the 1943 BB-62 is that they bisect the deck that they are mounted on. Pretty unique.

Not much is known about the director and schematic drawings are hard to find. Found this site--no info on New Jersey's director tubs but some nice info. http://www.researcheratlarge.com/Ships/Misc/Mk49/

[Fliger747]

USN ord book I have mentions that they weren't very good, which might explain all else.

T

[ModelMonkey]

Thanks, Harq and Tom!

Probably their short life and disappointing performance is why info about them is so hard to find.

[Plastic Habit]

I'm hoping those in the know will be able to help me out.

I have recently started building the 1/200 USS Missouri for late 1945, well for the surrender ceremony.
But I also want to open some of the hatches on both sides of the 01 deck level to be able to see through
the structure. Trumpy has them molded on the diagonal bulkhead next to a vertical ladder. The Booklet
of General Plans I have viewed have plans for three different Iowa Class battleships that show the hatch
on the aft facing bulkhead. There is also a picture posted by Fliger747 on page 96 on this thread that shows
the hatch on the aft facing bulkhead. Is this another Trumpy mistake or were there changes in the hatch
placement?

[Fliger747]

I can't answer as to whether or not the hatch was moved, but it seems unlikely. It would appear from the photo if this area remained unmodified that the undercut area should be larger and the bulkhead wider.

The only areas that offhand I know of where one could see all the way across was in the wardroom, an awarthships passage midships and a short passageway under the aft Mk 38 tower.

Cheers: Tom

[Cliffy B]

The more you look over the ships with a fine tooth comb the more you'll find all sorts of sundry little things different with all of them!!! Best bet is if you have the plans and/or photos from a certain date for your ship then run with it. If not make an educated guess from the info at hand. Different shipyards do different things, sailor-alts occur, changes never get recorded, plans never get amended, so on and so forth. I have a set of plans for BB-64 from 1988 and walking around the ship inside and out I can find all sorts of little changes that never made it onto paper and I'm not talking about the mods made for the museum. Just saying, you can go nuts trying to accuratize these things.

Every set of plans I have for BB-62 through 64 from the 40's, 50s, and 80s show the door as the photo reflects and NOT how Trumpy reflects. Go with the plans in this case I'd say

[Plastic Habit]

Thanks Tom and Cliffy B

I hadn't seen any good photos of that area until I can across Tom's. It coincides with all
three BGP for the Iowa class. And, it doesn't seem like it would be a necessary mod.
But now that I've seem Tom's pic I'm going to roll with that layout.

I also noticed I have to block off my aft passage as it does not go all the way through
but hits the bulkhead for the uptake space. I still want to show those hatches open and
have the passages leading fore and aft

[James M]

Here a photo of the Missouri at Bremerton before she was modernized.

No door on the angled bulkhead


As she is today in Hawaii.
Door installed on bulkhead:


James

[Plastic Habit]

Thanks for the pics James M

Looks like that confirms that the hatch should be on the aft facing bulkhead.

[William Smallshaw]

Same location on Iowa. The hatch leads to a blackout area before a door into officers country. Admirals cabin and Captain's galley is just forward of this door.

Bill

[Cliffy B]

Concur with Bill, its the same on the Wisky. Walk by it every time I give a tour. The little space outboard of the door (port side anyway) is a nondescript storage locker. BGPs labels it as a 20mm or 40mm RSL or Gun Gear Locker during the 40's and 50s depending on which set of plans.