Calling all Iowa-class (BB-61) fans

[Ian Roberts]

I annotated that photo back in 2014 -- curiously my name is no longer on the image attached.

It was labeled based on lighting plans available on the Researcher@Large website as well as notations in the Floating Drydock plans of BB-55, but may not be 100% accurate. For instance I still have no idea what COLOR the "man overboard & breakdown lights" are, or what color the truck lights would be. The purpose of towing and anchor lights seem obvious but I've never found a source that describes their exact use or specific color. Any info from the gents in this thread on this would be great.

[Fliger747]

The annotations are quite useful, though I didn't build this ship, it is a good description of typical gear aloft on a modern ship of that era. I don't remember where I found this image, there was no attribution attached when I saw it.

Thank you for your work on this!

[Fliger747]

Here some interesting info from HMCS Haida: http://www.jproc.ca/rrp/rrp2/visual_lights.html

Looks as if the breakdown and truck light being vertical, were used together to indicate a breakdown and flashing if for man overboard.

[BB63Missouri]

I found this site http://navyadministration.tpub.com/1406 ... hts-36.htm

It has some helpful information as to the colour and position of lights. It may be of use. Just keep following to the next or previous page for what you are looking for.

[Dick J]

I believe you are referring to the "truck lights" on the mast? My recollection is that the Red and Green (Port and Starboard) lights are mounted on the exterior of the navigation bridge wings. Somewhere I have photos onboard Missouri that show these, but being in the middle of Siberia at the moment... On my eye pad I do have a photo detailing the forward mast arrangements of North Carolina, labeling all sorts of small items. In this photo the truck lights as labeled are on a small horizontal extension aft the mast, near the top and are (WAG) a little larger than a mans head as an assembly. Below this and similar in appearance (-10') is the "man Overboard and Breakdown light".

Not to nit pick too much, but in your photo, the wind baffles on the air defense position at the top of the tower make this Washington rather than North Carolina.

[Fliger747]

I don't claim any expertise for the North Carolina's at all. Just a WAG as the photo, purloined from who knows where happened to be on my eye pad while I am traveling in Siberia. Not labeled.

Cheers: T

[chuck]

Does anyone know where I can find drawings or clear photos of the Nancy infrared signaling light arrays carried outboard of missouri�s Air defence platform?

[BB63Missouri]

Chuck. Page 81 of The Floating Drydock Plan Handbook shows the Infra Red signal assembly in reasonable detail, enough for a model. Once you know the location on the ship, you can see them in photos, but I have not found any close up photos.
I read somewhere that the term "Nancy Hanks" was used as code when they were about to send signals via the Infra Red system.

[Fliger747]

There is a brief discussion of the Nancy Hanks usage in the HMCS Haida link I posted yesterday. At home I have a "key" for sending morse code via truck lights and such. Looks just like a fairly heavy duty telegraphic key, these were fairly low wattage lamps.

[chuck]

Chuck. Page 81 of The Floating Drydock Plan Handbook shows the Infra Red signal assembly in reasonable detail, enough for a model. Once you know the location on the ship, you can see them in photos, but I have not found any close up photos.
I read somewhere that the term "Nancy Hanks" was used as code when they were about to send signals via the Infra Red system.

Hmmm, in my e-book version, page 81 shows Fr 98 - 112 MAIN DECK. I did not find anything on the IR Light assembly.

[BB62vet]

Chuck,

Not knowing WHAT ERA your MO is going to be, I can't say what anything but the older (post WWII/Korea) NANCY Beacon's dimensions/details may be. While drawing up plans for my 1:44 scale FLETCHER class DD model, I did some research into the various navigational/communications devices commonly used by the USN in the 1950's/'60s. The NANCY Infared Beacon (port/stbd side) were common on FLETCHER/GEARING Class DDs and I would also think the IOWA class BB's. But without complete knowledge of these items on this class, I'm taking a guess:

1) Here is a photo of NEW JERSEY in the '50s with NANCY beacons (I think) highlighted:

Here is a clip of my CAD file showing the lamp in detail:

NANCY Beacon Close-up.JPG (18.21 KiB) Viewed 2745 times

Here is a illustrative diagram of the overall NANCY system as used by the USN:

And a photo of the lamp itself:

The dimensions for the lamp (only - without the metal framework) are approx. 4 1/2" wide X 10 1/2" high - at least that's a ballpark figure subject to someone else's interpretation.

Hope this helps,

[chuck]

Thanks.

I am building Missouri as she was around August 1945, before the removal of deck vents for the surrender ceremony and subsequent removal of some 20mm mounts on the way back to the states.

The Nancy beacon she carried at that time appear to be X-2A model, which were mounted on a frame bolted to the bulwarks around her air defence platform. From blurry photos blown up many times the x-2A beacon seems to be a metal cylinder or half cylinder about 3 feet tall and 1 foot in diameter. There seems to be at least 6 circular IR lamps embedded in two diagonal columns in the wall of the cylinder, arranged to give about 180 degree coverage. There are some pipes or cable conduits sticking out near the bottom.

But for some reason clear drawings or photos of this beacon is very hard to come by. The only reason I think it is X-2A is I found a scan of an Dec 1945 office of Chief of Naval Operations Combat Information Center pamphlet that contained a small photo of it labeled X-2A and a verbal passage confirming that is the model number of the Omni-direction IR signaling beacon mounted on larger ships. The beacon appears to match the beacon on the Missouri to the extent possible to determine from comparing small blurry photos of the beacon to a small detail on the image of the ship blown up many times.

[steinerman]

Chuck. Page 81 of The Floating Drydock Plan Handbook shows the Infra Red signal assembly in reasonable detail, enough for a model. Once you know the location on the ship, you can see them in photos, but I have not found any close up photos.
I read somewhere that the term "Nancy Hanks" was used as code when they were about to send signals via the Infra Red system.

Hmmm, in my e-book version, page 81 shows Fr 98 - 112 MAIN DECK. I did not find anything on the IR Light assembly.

Same here. Would it be possible to provide more detail so we can locate the picture?

[BB63Missouri]

Chuck and Larry. Page 81 in the Plans Handbook shows the following:

- Whistle Platform
- Forward Surface Lookout Station
- "TDY" Antenna
- Steering Station - Top of Steering Station
- Air Defence Station - The Infra Red Device is attached to the Port & Starboard sides of the Air Defence Station.

Page 85 shows the starboard and aft side of the Tower and Forward Stack. Although the Infra Red Devices are clearly shown they are not labelled and are drawn in 1/96 scale so only show limited detail, but enough to build on a model.

I have seen photos of USS Missouri taken during the Japanese surrender while she was in Tokyo Bay and you can see the IRD on the sides of the Air Defence Station.

I think the X-2A Chuck describes looks exactly what is drawn in the plans Handbook. They are about 3/8" high so in 1/96 scale this would make them 3 feet in height. They are a half cylinder in plan view.

Hope this helps, David

[chuck]

I believe I found a clearer picture of X2A. The shot is taken from the Quincy. The ship on the right is the Boston. The X2A is on the extreme left of the photo, near the man looking out over the bulwark. It looks like the body of the beacon is actually a complete cylinder, not a half cylinder:

[BB63Missouri]

Thanks for posting that chuck, that is the best photo by far that I have seen and clearly shows the multiple lights. The housing could still be a half cylinder shape but perhaps it was possible to move it through 180 degrees?

[BB62vet]

My guess is that this is a stationary unit - the various IR lamps are positioned so that the unit would be able to be seen from various angles by a receiving ship thru a 180� arc parallel to the hull of the ship. From the photo it appears that there are 3 lamps at 3 different heights with a 2nd set (bottom to top) arranged in the same order on the back half of the unit (only the bottom lamp is partially visible).

I will check this out in my BB63 Plan Book tonight. Thanks, Chuck for posting the photo - much clearer what this exactly is.

[BB62vet]

Going over the various class of battleships (photos), I've been able to find several versions of these IR lamp units on both BB-56 & BB-56. I did not find any located on BBs-57-60, nor BB-61 or BB-64. Here are a few photos incl. NORTH CAROLINAs, which is still in place:

Here are a couple more shots of BB63 at various dates:
1945 -

1951 During Korean War -

You can note the difference in mounting hardware between BB-55 & BB-56 and different again for BB-63. I think BB-62 had a version but I have yet to verify that with a photo.

Hope this helps,

[Ian Roberts]

For what it's worth, same light arrangement is seen on CB-1 in 1944 (see below). The fighting lights are right above the beacons. I can't confirm if CB-2 received them or not (no good closeups I could find).

[Fliger747]

Thanks for the photo, a few items I can add to my CB1!