For our Squids/Swabbies/Pussers

Vince · Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2008 6:00 am Post subject: For our Squids/Swabbies/Pussers

Something to warm the hearts of our resident "old" sailors.

Battle Wagon Barrage

Enjoy.

Cheers, Vince

Pumpkinslinger

Now you gotta love that!

When Desert Storm was in the works some reporter was asking a US Navy officer about using the old battleships in modern combat. The reporter asked something to the effect of "What would happen to one of these old ships if it got hit by an Exocet missle?" The officer answered "Well, it would probably scorch the paint..."

popgun

All of the Big Guns were in the Navy. Now they sit idle on Museum Ships.

A17Shooter

I believe that the Iowa is still in the reserve fleet at Benicia, CA.

Just waiting for one more chance.

Bushmaster

All of the Battle Wagons have been mothballed at this time...Unfortunatly...Now days with the new technology in weapons all the battle ships would be is good P R and have a phsycological effect on the enemy. Which, I believe, would be worth it to keep one on the west coast and east coast active and underway...But who am I to say??

A17Shooter

Well, the BB's were retrofitted with Thomahawk & Harpoon missles. The 16" got some updated projectiles, over the years, with rocket assist, cluster bombs and who knows what else. They can still ruin your day from afar. Very Happy

Bushmaster

Oh no doubt that they can...definately give you a #36 Accedrin head ache...

keetoowah

my god how does that not rock the boat more than that??

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5946

It displaces 45,000 tons when empty and can carry a additional 12,000 tons worth of personal, equipment and supplies.

Its a 2,700 pound AP shell being fired at about 2700 feet per second, so that means that when all 9 barrels are firing there is a velocity of 0.99 feet per second on the battle ship, with 1378018.79 foot pounds of energy being applied.

Now consider a 9 pound rifle shooting a 150gr bullet out of a 300 Weatherby Mag has a recoil velocity of 14.3 feet per second. Laughing

Dimitri

keetoowah

what keeps it from flipping over with that much power exploding on one side of the ship?
how long is that keel?

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5946

Its sheer weight Keetoowah,

With displacements of 45,000 tons empty and 57,000 tons fully loaded, its not going to move much under recoil because it absorbs the majority of the energy thats why it only wants to move at a foot a second when its firing all 9 guns. Smile

However let it be known generally they fired them in stages, 3 guns (one per turret) then the other 3 then the other 3 so they can do sustained fire on a target. So the recoil is cut by a 2/3rds when shelling a target for any length of time each time as its shooting. Smile

Dimitri

A17Shooter

The projectiles are only 2700 lbs and the MV is just 2600 fps. It was rumored that a nine gun salvo, off the beam, would move the ship 50 ft sideways. that may be a sea story but, it is what I heard from crew members of the New Jersey.

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5946

A17Shooter wrote:

The projectiles are only 2700 lbs and the MV is just 2600 fps.

You make it sound like the projectiles its shooting are small. Very Happy

Dimitri

A17Shooter

keetoowah wrote:

what keeps it from flipping over with that much power exploding on one side of the ship?
how long is that keel?

The keel would be about 860 ft. Total length about 890 ft. Across the beam she was 108 ft.

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

Those ships might be mothballed, but that doesn't mean they cant return to duty quickly. Back in the early 80's I got to tour the Missouri when it was stationed in Seattle. Then during Desert Storm they quickly brought it up to battle ready status and was there in the gulf war. I don't doubt if there was a need they could do it again.

Look at this muzzleblast on the water:

-DallanC