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

[MartinJQuinn]

Here is a photo of Roger's Maryland to Colorado build, courtesy of Mr. Torgeson himself:

[Atma]

Quick question before starting my USS Maryland 1941 in 1/700 by Trumpeter. Did she had 2 pairs of 1.1 inch AA or 1. Trumpeter and lot of profiles drawing I found on the net, show 1 pair on the superstructure and on the aft deck 2 single 7,6 cm AA guns.

In this picture a pair of 1.1 inch is showing instead of Trumpeter's suggestion. Im guessing the 1.1 AA quads are the correct answer and Trumpeter and everyong else on the net are based on a wrong sources ?

Thanks in advance.

[Jeff Sharp]

Ok, anyone care to guess what is going on with WV's hull and boat crane here?

[Timmy C]

My bet's on shadows - judging by the one cast by the tub on her forward spotting top onto the front of said foretop, the sun's on the portside forward, easily explaining the hull. The crane post is trickier, but could be shadow cast onto the crane by the forward spotting top - at the very least, going to need another photo to verify if it's not just shadows.

[Atma]

Hello, quick question, is this an optical rangefinder or some kind of aiming lookout hood on USS Colorado class battleships number 2# turret roof? Cant find clear picture of number 3# turret also USS West Virginia seems to be missing that after her major reconstruction after the Pearl Harbor attack. It was a removeable hood of somekind ? Only Maryland and Colorado seems to had that till the end of the career and only found on USS Colorado class and not on USS Tennessee class.
Anyone can provide some info or some clear pictures from the roofs of number 2# and 3# of Colorado class ? Trumpeter 1/700 Colorado class kits seems to miss these feature, but again is not that difficult to add/correct it.



Late war USS Colorado:

Post modernization USS West Virginia seems to miss these sighting hood:

Thanks in advance

[MartinJQuinn]

This is certainly welcome news for those who have any of the "Big 5" 1/350 resin kits in their stash: https://freetimehobbies.com/1-350-blue- ... attleship/

[GMG4RWF]

Hello, quick question, is this an optical rangefinder or some kind of aiming lookout hood on USS Colorado class battleships number 2# turret roof...

I don't think that's a "sighting hood". Her sights are on the sides of the turrets. This is a mounting base for an external Very-Long-Range, Range-finder.
http://orig04.deviantart.net/173d/f/200 ... s_nala.jpg
such as shown here.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... w_1932.jpg
and here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado- ... k_1932.jpg
That's what it looks like here.
These were regular features on US Battleships before radar. The idea was to have really good long-range range-finders to get the fist hit in before the enemy could, then abandon the mount and take cover when range dropped.

Post modernization USS West Virginia seems to miss these sighting hood:

after her rebuild, new equipment (radar) superseded the need for this exposed equipment, so the base was removed and plated over.



I'd post picks

[Atma]

Thanks for your answer, but you see in the USS Colorado picture I posted, something like openings are visible on the raised surface, and it seems a bit tall for just a base for Range Finders and a bit too far aft for that purpose. I notice this strange bump only in USS Colorado class battleships turret tops, and it seems to be removed from the post 1943 USS West Virginia. I cant find a good view of the number #3 turret top so I assume from the pictures that this seems to be a feature found only in number's 2# turret top(?).

[GMG4RWF]

Thanks for your answer, but you see in the USS Colorado picture I posted, something like openings are visible on the raised surface, and it seems a bit tall for just a base for Range Finders and a bit too far aft for that purpose. I notice this strange bump only in USS Colorado class battleships turret tops, and it seems to be removed from the post 1943 USS West Virginia. I cant find a good view of the number #3 turret top so I assume from the pictures that this seems to be a feature found only in number's 2# turret top(?).

No, I think that's just coloration. It's the right size for a range-finder base and they could be mounted anywhere on top of the turret (didn't penetrate inside)

but these images show nothing




It may just be an open escape hatch, that's what I think.

[Atma]

In the first picture of West Virginia, the strange "sighting hood" if you look at the top of the number 2# turret.
The next picture is USS Maryland in mid 1920. The "sighting hood" is still there just behind the ranger finder(red circle). Same with the second picture of USS Colorado, late 1920.



My point is that the "sighting hood" is clearly some sort of a sighting opening found only in Colorado class battleship( clearly removed from a post Pearl Harbor modernization USS West Virginia).

[InchHigh]

Interesting feature. I lean to the "sighting hood" theory, the hood may be an armored cover for the turret officer's periscope. However, it is much further back in the turret than I would expect if that was the case and I find it odd that turret one doesn't have one as well.

On the Iowa's the turret escape hatch was located under the turret overhang, right next to the regular turret access hatch. You entered the turrets by ducking under the overhang and stepping up from the main deck. A hatch on the top of the turret would constitute a weak area in the turret top armor.

[GMG4RWF]

In the first picture of West Virginia, the strange "sighting hood" if you look at the top of the number 2# turret.

I lean to the "sighting hood" theory, the hood may be an armored cover for the turret officer's periscope. However, it is much further back in the turret than I would expect if that was the case and I find it odd that turret one doesn't have one as well.

On the Iowa's the turret escape hatch was located under the turret overhang, right next to the regular turret access hatch. You entered the turrets by ducking under the overhang and stepping up from the main deck. A hatch on the top of the turret would constitute a weak area in the turret top armor.

I'm quited certain its not a 'sighting hood' the US Navy didn't place sights on top of turrets (that's what the things on the sides are). This pic does show the large range finder with something behind it - which would rule out a sight (the range finder is in the way) - escape hatches can be armored and would be no more a breach of protection than a hood. I think it's the access hatch for the large range finder, I think the Rangefinder was removed but not the hatch (until repairs were needed) it was likely used during the fire and evacuation by the turret crews in the upper rear of the turret.
lower rear overhang is the standard place for main turret access but not necessarily the only place. If you were the exposed crew of that large range finder wouldn't you want quick access to the inside of the turret when enemy shells start falling around you?

[Atma]

The range finders on top of the number 2# turret, dont penetrate the roof, all you see above the roof is the whole range finder, the whole "device". If its a true a "sighting hood" it can be used for training reasons. It can be for various calibration methods or something similar, dont have to be a range finder device.
This type of range finder was used for example on board a USS Tennessee class battleship, no such a an access hatch was required for the same type of range finders used on older battleships.And in any case it can be a access point but im 100% is unrelated the range finders on top of the turret roof.
Penetrating a turret roof is was not a preferable idea for any navy that was building heavy gun turrets that needed immense protection and tons of iron.It looses its integrity, it was general avoided.

[Atma]

When I mean that the range finder does not penetrate the roof of the turret I mean the structure of the range finder -the base its not below the roof-. So by that the "sighting hood" cant be a stump from a removed range finder or a point access to the range finder.
I'm sure someone with official drawings of the turrets can clarify what the so called "sighting hood" actually is.

[GMG4RWF]

The range finders on top of the number 2# turret, dont penetrate the roof, all you see above the roof is the whole range finder, the whole "device". If its a true a "sighting hood" it can be used for training reasons. It can be for various calibration methods or something similar, dont have to be a range finder device.
This type of range finder was used for example on board a USS Tennessee class battleship, no such a an access hatch was required for the same type of range finders used on older battleships.And in any case it can be a access point but im 100% is unrelated the range finders on top of the turret roof.
Penetrating a turret roof is was not a preferable idea for any navy that was building heavy gun turrets that needed immense protection and tons of iron.It looses its integrity, it was general avoided.

I'm aware that the Rangefinder doesn't penetrate the roof, I said that earlier, but they would have direct access to it, to allow the crew to abandon the position once range dropped. It's certainly not a 'sighting hood' or the rangefinder wouldn't be mounted in-front of it. the turret roofs were actually quite thin (as shown on the Tennessee - http://www.researcheratlarge.com/Ships/ ... eport.html Photos 3-6 - note: the bomb (actually a 14" AP shell with fins added) did not detonate. It fell about 10,000' at about 75deg, hit the Yard arm of the main mast, then slammed into the turret roof and catapult, and still did this kind of damage - not that much armor) WWI British Battleships had "sighting hoods" on most of their turrets (I've heard unsubstantiated reports that these prevented superimposed turrets from actually firing over the top of lower turrets but am not convinced.)

Anyway, there is one other possibility, Battleships at this time did not always practice with their main guns. to reduce wear and tear on gun tubes, they would be fitted with small (3" or so) practice guns on the turret roofs (unable to locate picks now but they're there.) which would be fired instead of the actual main guns during practice. this could be one of those mountings - the gun having been removed but the mounting remaining for future use - that never came.

[GMG4RWF]

GMG4RWF, I remember seeing a picture of a practice gun mounted on top of 1 of the main barrels of a battleship turret & I think it was smaller then a 3" gun.

I believe they are 3," the mountings don't penetrate though.

[Jeff Sharp]

A few shots of Weevee's salvage

[docidle]

Now here is Colorado at Puget Sound Dec. '41. Too bad we can't see more of her. Is that a torpedo bulge or just the armor plating still?

I know this picture was posted almost two years ago and I don�t want to sound nitpicking but this is a photo of a British Queen Elizabeth class battleship. Note the forward curved bow which is the opposite of the clipper bow that the Big 5 had. Also the superstructure, turrets and aircraft cranes of this British class. Maybe I missed the correction in the thread. Just my two cents worth.

Steve

[MartinJQuinn]

Now here is Colorado at Puget Sound Dec. '41. Too bad we can't see more of her. Is that a torpedo bulge or just the armor plating still?

I know this picture was posted almost two years ago and I don�t want to sound nitpicking but this is a photo of a British Queen Elizabeth class battleship. Note the forward curved bow which is the opposite of the clipper bow that the Big 5 had. Also the superstructure, turrets and aircraft cranes of this British class. Maybe I missed the correction in the thread. Just my two cents worth.

Steve

Look behind Warspite's bow, on the left of the photo.

[docidle]

Okay, I see it now.... sorry I was on the iPad last night and completely missed it. In the memorable words of Homer Simpson....DOH!

Steve