Calling all Iowa-class (BB-61) fans

[Aur]

Thanks everyone for the help. I'll convert all the actual measurements into scale and determine how the design can be made.

@Hank, thanks for your help, and I would be happy to see some pics of your beautiful model, too!

I contacted Floating Drydock, and they do offer file sharing via email, so I'll probably get those drawings.

Aur

[BB62vet]

Aur,

The outer diameter of the outer shaft (as you indicated in your photo) is 0.2150" (5.46mm). Here is the stbd side of the model as it is today (w/o screws):

Inboard Shaft Alley:

Hope this helps,

Hank

[Aur]

Thanks for taking the time to measure these, Hank! At this diameter, the screw base will exceed the strut by 0.245 mm, which is absolutely fine. Now I should have all the necessary info to start working on the new 1/200 version.

Cheers,
Aur

[James M]

Hull Plating Detail

Reinforcement plates:


Last plates:




Shell plating reversed:

[James M]

Gun Tub Details:

Here are the actual dimensions of the stern gun tub from the Iowa:
1) Tallest part of the shield = 56" tall
2) The lower part of the shield = 39" tall
3) Distance from the floor to the main deck = 27"
4) Distance from main deck to the tallest part of the shield = 29"
5) Distance from the knuckle to the top of the foundation floor = 15"
6) Diameter of the gun tub = 18'

The passing scuttle opening is 42" tall x 45" wide.

Dimensions from the plan:
Center of gun tub:
Distance from centerline of ship to centerline of gun tub is 14' 9"
Distance forward from AP to centerline of gun tub is 78"

Cone is 9' 9" tall to the knuckle
Knuckle is 52' 3" above baseline.

Shield info from expanded elevation drawing: (Imagine the shield laid out flat in a straight line)
Overall length of shield is 56' 2 5/16"

Step down information:
Start at AP (frame 215)
Start of step down is 83 1/8" aft of AP
Step down is 110 13/16" starting at 56" in height, ending at 39" in height
Lower part of shield is 120" long at 3' 3" in height.
Step up 110 13/16" long starting at 39", ending at 56" in height

There is the step down cut into the shield for the crew to get in and out easier.
Cut out information:
Start of cutout is 8" forward of AP



James

[James M]

Waterline information:

Found the information about the WWII draft marks and boot topping. As close to fact as I can come up with.

This is from the Bu Ships plan 353608 / 8/18/41 / corrected working plan 5/15/43
Navy Yard, New York Plan BB616-2806AF

Measuring from the designed waterline:
Design Water Line (DWL) 34' 9 1/4"
Bow: Upper line of boot topping: 17" above DWL
Lower line of boot topping: 5' 6 1/2" below DWL

Stern: Upper line of boot topping: 17" above DWL
Lower line of boot topping: 12 1/2" below DWL


Measuring from the bottom of the hull / keel
Bow = Upper line of boot topping 36' 2 1/2" from keel / total height: 6' 10 3/4"
Stern = Upper line of boot topping 36' 2 1/2" from keel / total height: 2' 4 3/4"
(The upper line of the boot topping is parallel with the DWL/keel)

I haven't located the modernized version plan to know if there is any difference. If needed I can find out about it.

James

[Aop Aur]

Wow, this thread is very very informative! A treasure for all building the Iowas! This will be a very good reference when I build them!

Thanks!
Aop

[anj4de]

Hello all

I am sure a lot have seen the announcement of a new, to me soo far unknown company called Joy Yard to come out with a 1/350 Scale Missouri (1945). They have now added a new section to their page showing test shots. Plastic pics were also shown elsewhere on the web already. Is there anybody here who speaks/reads Chineese and can check if there is a delivery date mentioned already. To be quite honest, the pictures alone are breath taking...

http://www.joy-yard.com/newsdetail_818477.html

cheers
Uwe

[Builder 2010]

My oh my! If they're able to pull it off, it will be one heck of a model. I'm lookin forward to see their price point and delivery schedule. There's no doubt but the ability to go from 3D design, 3D print test and CNC mold production using the same data makes creating models like this a definite possibility. There is a point of diminishing returns with Styrene/resin in 1:350. At some point the parts no longer have the heft to support themselves and you end you end up breaking more than building. Just because something can be done, doesn't mean you should do it. I wish them luck.

[BB63Missouri]

I need help . Can any body give me the diameter of the tubing, making up the frame of the aircraft crane. I am building a 1/96 scale Missouri and need the diameter of the frame tubing so I can select the correct size of brass rod in order to make the crane. Just the diameter of the four main lengths of tubing making up the crane please. I can guestimate the cross pieces. Thanks.
David

[BB62vet]

David wrote:

I need help . Can any body give me the diameter of the tubing, making up the frame of the aircraft crane. I am building a 1/96 scale Missouri and need the diameter of the frame tubing so I can select the correct size of brass rod in order to make the crane. Just the diameter of the four main lengths of tubing making up the crane please. I can guestimate the cross pieces. Thanks.

You're building a 1/96 scale MISSIOURI and you DON'T have either a print copy or an e-plan version of The Floating Drydock USS MISSOURI Plan Book??????? By now EVERYONE should know that this is THE BIBLE for drawings concerning the IOWA class battleship when trying to build a model - regardless of scale. And....it's drawings are all 1/8" scale (1/96).

Now, if I'm wrong and you DO have a version of this book then you should have the drawing of the A/C Crane in hand. While it's inadvisable to dimension real items from a drawing (dimensions not withstanding) in this case - it being a model - I would think that would be acceptable.

If you're going thru all the pains of building a 1/96 scale MO, then I would think that "guesstimating" the other parts of the crane would be counter-productive. Why not get it ALL correct?

You could also go to Floating Drydock and purchase a copy of the USS MASSECHEUSETTS Air Craft Crane blueprints as it was similar. Whether or not the main frame sizes are in the Bill of Materials I can't confirm, but it's the only plan I've seen available for the newer U.S. battleships. I would suspect that the cranes were constructed from the same plans.

Keep in mind that the IOWAs had the A/C cranes modified/rebuilt in the 1950s with gusset plates that had triangular shaped cutouts in the metal. BB62/BB63 had theirs modified (I think) 1953-54; BB-61 had hers done 1951/52. BB-64 - ukn. This is shown clearly in the photo of IOWA in 05/52:

Hope this helps,

[BB63Missouri]

Thanks for your reply and help BB62vet.

In my research I have been unable to find any dimensions of the crane frame parts.

Yes, I do have the Floating Drydock Plan Book. I purchased it in the mid nineties when I made my 1/192 scale USS Missouri. For that model I estimated the size of brass rod for construction of the crane. I reduced the crane plan in the handbook by half, to 1/192 scale and made the crane from that.
I have the blueprint of the crane from the USS Massachusetts BB-59 but the dimensions are not shown.
In the scale I am working on, 1/16" brass rod works out to 6" diameter full size, and 2mm brass rod works out to 7 1/2" full size. I am NOT a rivet counter, but just wondered if someone could give me the diameter of the main frame tubes I can make a judgement on what size to use and yes, guestimate the size on the other parts from photos. I do not expect any one to climb all over the crane to measure all the other pieces.
I live in Melbourne, Australia and can't just pop over to check out the cranes that are still remaining on ships in the US, so I thought someone on here may be close enough to actually measure the diameter. In my searches of the internet I have discovered that USS Alabama and USS North Carolina still have their cranes in position. I realise that they have the cranes with the later reinforcing gussets welded on them.
Thanks again for your help.
David

[BB62vet]

David,

No, it would be hard to "pop over" to one of the museum ships for a survey from your location. But - you could inquire from the ship's staff and ask for THEM to measure the crane and send you their findings. Here are the links to the BB-55, BB-59, and BB-60 websites:
USS NORTH CAROLINA - http://www.battleshipnc.com/contact/
USS MASSECHEUSETTS - http://battleshipcove.org/
USS ALABAMA - http://www.ussalabama.com/staff-listing/

I would think that one of the staff could help you out if you explain what your doing and what you need. If you do contact them (especially NORTH CAROLINA) - ask if they have any engineering drawings on file and whether they could make a copy of the appropriate sheet and mail it to you.

The other alternative is to simply use the dimensions you've already mentioned or if your BB-59 crane blueprint is printed out TO SCALE, then you could use that information.

Hope this helps,

[BB63Missouri]

Thank you very much for this information BB62vet.

I spent some time today attempting to obtain a contact for the USS North Carolina to ask if they could do a measurement as you suggest. Unfortunately I was unable to access their site due to some malfunction. So again thanks for giving me the websites. That is a fantastic help.
David

[BB62vet]

David,

I forgot to mention - The NORTH CAROLINA has an extensive technical library either on board or in the adjacent museum building and I would have to think that they would be the one of the three to contact that might still have the engineering drawings of the crane.

Hope this helps,

[BB63Missouri]

Thanks again for your help, I really appreciate it.

Unfortunately when I attempt to log on to the North Carolina site I get "Your access to this site has been limited", This is the same message I got when I tried earlier today.

I will try again later.
David

[Martocticvs]

Would anyone happen to know what diameter of rod is used for the hanging ladder rungs on the outsides of the secondary gun turrets?

[lgmccauley]

Did the Missouri carry a 35' plane rearming boat on the after deck when she entered Toyko Bay? Tom's FDD plans indicate a "33 ft aircraft boat", but according to his publication "Boats of the US Navy 1960", there was no 33 footer only the 35 footer I mentioned previously.

Larry

[Jasonmusashi]

BB63missouri (david)
Still think you should have built Missouri in 1/72. Look forward to seeing your progress.

Jason

[Builder 2010]

You do realize that's a model over 12 feet long. Besides the challenge of building it, you better not do it in a basement. It would look like Jethro Gibbs (NCIS) perennially building his boats in his basement with no apparent way of getting them out... it's a running gag since the show started. The Gibbs and Cox model is 1:48 and is almost 20 feet long. I swear I saw that model being moved on a flatbed trailer many, many years ago, but in thinking about it can't imagine moving it with it out in the open, so it must have been something else. If I built something that big, which I can't, it would simply lie where I finished it, never to move again.