Calling all Iowa-class (BB-61) fans

[Fliger747]

An International flight would be any that went from shore in a foreign country to the NJ. Even if that aircraft is a USN or other service. It's not the nationality of the aircraft that makes an International flight but the start and stop points. Even a flight from the lower 48 to Alaska is International by FAA designation even though customs is not activated as points were both in the USA.

Cheers: Tom

[BB62vet]

So, with regards to "New Jersey International" is it safe to assume that a 'foreign helicopter' landed on that flight-deck? Some other admiral from some other navy that was taking part? Just curious as to the back-story on that one.

In addition to Tom's explanation regarding the "technical/regulatory" aspect, what I heard on board ship was that this deck label was a sort of "welcome" to visitors from other countries military forces who would be visiting the ship - and we DID have a fairly regular entourage of military guests from allied countries who, for whatever reasons or needs, did descend on the ship for visits and tours. Some of this was certainly on a military mission, others for political "photo ops", it didn't really matter.

Hope this is informative!

Hank

[BB61]

I haven't seen it in any of these pages, but does anyone have good photos or drawings of the 16" ammo hatches in the deck, specifically next to the #1 gun mount? I just received the Takom 1:72 turret, and want to add these items to the base. Thanks very much.

[Fliger747]

I'll have to look but I am pretty sure I have a photo somewhere. I photographed these to model them for my 1:192 Missouri. The hatches are pretty inconspicuous , being flush with the wooden deck and not all that large.

Tom

[BB61]

I'll have to look but I am pretty sure I have a photo somewhere. I photographed these to model them for my 1:192 Missouri. The hatches are pretty inconspicuous , being flush with the wooden deck and not all that large.

Tom

Thanks a bunch, Tom, I'd really appreciate that.

[Fliger747]

I'll keep looking for a better photo, the two I found were in shadow and not clear enough. I know I took one in the clear (I can picture it in my mind) but haven't found it yet. The hatch rim is circular and flush with the wooden decking. The actual hatch has three lifting eyes. I don't remember if there were hinges or not, the whole apparatus is not much more than 30" across including the rim. I expect that the hatch is 1 1/2 inch thick as is the main deck.

I'll keep looking! Tom

[BB61]

I'll keep looking for a better photo, the two I found were in shadow and not clear enough. I know I took one in the clear (I can picture it in my mind) but haven't found it yet. The hatch rim is circular and flush with the wooden decking. The actual hatch has three lifting eyes. I don't remember if there were hinges or not, the whole apparatus is not much more than 30" across including the rim. I expect that the hatch is 1 1/2 inch thick as is the main deck.

I'll keep looking! Tom

Thanks, Tom. It seems like I may have seen a photo in one of my Iowa class references, of which I have many, but I really don't recall.

[bigjimslade]

I know I have a more detailed plan somewhere but have not been able to locate it.

[Fliger747]

There is a photo in one of the Iowa books, or maybe a Battleship book showing them lowering a shell through the open hatch. I can see it in my mind but don't remember which book.

[James M]

There is a picture in Navsource showing them lowering a shell.

http://www.navsource.org/archives/01/016241.jpg

James

[Fliger747]

I don't think that's on an Iowa as they all have flush hatches fro the 16" shells, though that's a good illustration of the procedure. I do have a very clear photo of the hatch on the first deck...

Regards: Tom

[BB63Missouri]

Tom, the hatch is indeed flush with the deck. What is seen in the photo is the 9" watertight coaming that surrounds the hatch and cable outlet. This is to stop water from entering.

David

[Fliger747]

Interesting, the hatches currently as seen on Missouri at Pearl Harbor have no coaming, was this something that was fitted into the open hatch? As a young man I chipped a little paint on Missouri when she was in the Reserve Fleet and I don't remember any coamings, but memory that old can be quite unreliable. The hatches for turrets one and three reside under the overhangs of the back of the turret when positioned fore and aft.

Good luck in finding definitive data.

Cheers: Tom

[BB63Missouri]

Looking at the plan showing the hatch detail, the 9" coaming surrounds the 'F.W.T hatch 30" diameter' and the cable slot. With this in mind, the photo of loading the shell on USS New Jersey makes sense. The coaming would be welded to the deck with the wooden deck surrounding the outside of the coaming. The depth of the coaming is deeper inside where it attaches to the steel deck, with the thickness of the wood (4" ?) surrounding the coaming leaving less of the coaming exposed.
Hope this makes sense.

David

[Fliger747]

OK, a Crappy photo, which I had to lighten a lot in Photoshop to bring out the hatch which was in shadow. All the hatches are of this configuration, flush with the deck. I would opine that the WT coaming is 8" wide, not tall. A tall coaming would merely keep water trapped rather than out.

This is the stbd hatch for Turret two, USS Missouri, as currently configured at Pearl harbor. The earlier Navsource photo was definitely not taken aboard an Iowa as by way of the main battery the lifelines consist of heavy tapered I beams which are hinged at the bottom so as to fold down during main battery action.

Regards: Tom

[BB63Missouri]

Tom, I think the "Lifeline Stanchion" is in fact the pull rod for the trolly used for moving the heavy shells around the deck. At first glance it does look like one of the stanchions but it is clear and in focus where the life lines are blurred and in the background. The sailors are in front of the stanchion, however to the right of the photo a stanchion is just visible next to one of the sailors. Three small black spots, are visible on this stanchion which I think are the shadows of the curled retainers the lifelines are threaded through.
On Pinterest I discovered some photos of restoration work on Iowa. One photo showed the rusty before and after painting of the same loading hatch as your photo from Missouri. It has a coaming around it.

[BB63Missouri]

In the series of photos of New Jersey from the Navsource site there is a photo of some sailors under the rear turret.
"Enlisted men relax aboard New Jersey (BB-62) on December 1944"

On the right of the photo a sailor is sitting on the coaming for the loading hatch. The Floating Drydock Plan Book shows the hatch in this position on the Port side of the rear turret. The coaming has the same half round reinforcing ring welded to the top of it as is seen in the photo of the sailors loading a shell.

After WW2 the coaming may have been removed.

David

[bigjimslade]

I am well along on volume two of the Iowa-class. This one will be about armor.

The objective to be detailed enough that a read could build computer simulations.

I've done about 500 drawings like this one:

There will be computer renderings of things that are not visible and photographs of things that are.

The book will be as long as it needs to be to cover everything.

Just for the sake of completeness, I ask what you folks would like to know about the armer?

[Sean_the_Nailer]

Did I miss a memo... (or have I simply forgotten?) but where do we find Volume 1, and what's it called?

Thanks!!!!

[Sean_the_Nailer]

And as a completely different question, but does anyone here have the detail plan/sheet for the turret(s)?

Many years ago, I had held and looked at one (very large sheet) because of the IOWA explosion and the investigation therein. I sure would be interested in getting a copy of such, for any/either of the Iowa Class ships. And no, it is not included in my BOGP's.

Thanks.