Battleships: Iowa Class; USS New Jersey

[DonBoyer]

Re that third shell -- the center gun always fired a few thousandths of a second behind the other two to create some separation that prevented the shells from interfering with each other in fight. Either this was a two gun shot or the third shell hasn't poked out of flames yet.

[designeraccd]

Hmmm...could be, but all 3 16" are up; 3 gun tubes can be seen elevated!! Upon CLOSE look, with clean glasses, must say only 2 shells are visible. Don's probably correct: 3rd shell hasn't cleared yet.... DFO

[ivorthediver]

Ahhhhhhh ....now that I do understand and accept as plausible , thanks Don .

[Brian James]

USS New Jersey pictured on September 7th 1943.

[Brian James]

USS New Jersey pictured at Puget Sound Navy Yard,June 24th 1945.

[designeraccd]

Nice shots Brian! I didn't realize she still had the rounded bridge front in 45. Looks like she was about ready for inclining tests.

Here she is getting updated in 1967. DFO

[DonBoyer]

The photo of the enclosed round bridge on New Jersey is dated 23 Oct 1943. She was the only one to get that shape of bridge, which was updated to the squared off version during her '45 refit.

[Brian James]

USS New Jersey pictured on September 7th 1943.

[DonBoyer]

Nice second photo of New Jersey. I did some checking -- Wisconsin and Missouri both had the squared off bridge from the start. Iowa and New Jersey both had the open bridges to start (with Iowa having one more deck level to the conning tower). New Jersey was fitted with the rounded bridge in '43 as the pictures show, and Iowa retained the open bridge until at least May of 1945.

Iowa's bridge until mid-1945 when she was refitted with the square bridge.

USS IOWA.MAIN BRIDGE ORIGINAL FIT.jpg

USS Wisconsin with the squared off bridge, taken from AO Taluga in 1945.

USS WISCONSIN FROM AO TALUGA.1945.jpg

[Brian James]

USS New Jersey pictured on launch day at Philadelphia Navy Yard,December 7th 1942