Battleships: Iowa Class; USS New Jersey

[Brian James]

USS New Jersey pictured fitting out.

[jbryce1437]

Awesome photos, quite a bit of fire power in all of the gun mountings

Jim

[ivorthediver]

Thanks Brian , Pic 1.... is that some form of Ariel array on top of the aft range finder or some other device please .

Pic... 2 are the railway lines aft of the turret for aircraft to facilitate aircraft launch ?

I agree with Jim , I cant remember seeing as many guns devoted to A/A with the possible exception of the IJN YAMAMOTO

[Brian James]

Ivor,I believe the 'railway lines' are for an inclination test...Regards Brian.

[designeraccd]

Pic 2: The railway lines were for the inclination testing. Pic 1: radar for the aft fire control director.

A excellent reference book @ the IOWA class is: IOWA CLASS BATTLESHIPS by the late Robert F. Sumrall. Many many photos, superb drawings of the ships at various times during their service. The NEW JERSEY carried 20 quad 40s from her commissioning, 49 single 20 mm, and the 20-5" 38 DP guns. Yamato did eventually carry more light AA, but they were 25 mm, mostly triples. It was not a very effective weapon; especially compared to quad 40 Bofors.

I saw her in 1968 at the Long Beach Navy Yard prior to her Viet Nam deployment. Unfortunately I still CANNOT add some of the numerous photos I have of her from launch to becoming a Museum in Camden, NJ.... DFO

[ivorthediver]

well lets hope that this is only a temporary problem Dennis eh ......watch tis space perhaps

[Brian James]

A 'New Jersey' broadside in Vietnam..
USS New Jersey remained on station until 0600 April 1st 1969 , finishing the deployment where she had begun it more than six months earlier. The last observed mission was fired on the evening of March 31st against an enemy bunker complex three-and-one-half miles northeast of Con Thien,Vietnam. The aerial observer reported seven bunkers destroyed. An additional 50 rounds of main battery and 815 rounds of secondary battery were fired unobserved that night.”
This brought the total ordnance expended to nearly 12,000,000 pounds… total rounds expended were 5,866 16-Inch, and 14,891 five inch. Main battery rounds expended during New Jersey’s deployment to Vietnam were only 1,500 short of the total she fired in World War II, two cruises to Korea, and several midshipman cruises.”

[ivorthediver]

Sobering photo Brian , better to be the right side of that lot eh

[Brian James]

Launch day stern view of USS New Jersey pictured at Philadelphia Navy Yard on December 7th 1942.

[designeraccd]

A pair of shots from 7 Dec '42! Curious @ that launch date, isn't it???! DFO