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MJones: Been on the U.S.S. Missouri battleship MANY times both in Bremerton and in Hawaii.
I was absolutely stunned to learn that some of the "bullets" the U.S.S. Missouri's 16" "guns" could fire weighed 2,700 pounds (two thousand seven hundred pounds!)!
Whilst the U.S.S. Missouri was in Bremerton they had some of those "bullets" (shells) on deck - they weighed more than a Volkswagen Beetle and I forget how many miles they could be slung - something like 27 miles. And if needed to fly further the Captain could flood some ballast tanks on the other side of the ship so they could get some more degrees of elevation for the "guns".
I was told that technique was used on multiple occasions in the Persian Gulf (IIRC).
Will not lie - I shed a tear or two each time I stood under those huge guns on the U.S.S. Missouri.
Worth seeing if ever in Hawaii.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

My Dad was on the USS Evans (DD552) in the South Pacific during WWII. Supporting the Marines at Iwo Jima, they fired a total of 1889 rounds of 5"/38 shells in 12 hours.

A few years ago, I watched an old black and white training film on YouTube on firing those 16 inch guns.
Those turrets consisted of several stories and took around 40 men at that time working together to make those guns fire.
Pretty amazing for late 30’s, early 40’s technology.

I toured the North Carolina a while back. Mind blowing doesn’t even begin to describe the logistics involved in supporting those 16” guns..

400+lbs of powder per shot

That’s part of the disaster. What a mess of incompetence.

The USS New Jersey (BB-62) was the only battleship to see duty in Vietnam.

"USS New Jersey was the only battleship recalled to duty during the Vietnam War. She recommissioned in April 1968 and arrived off Southeast Asia in September. From then until April 1969, she conducted frequent bombardments along the South Vietnamese coast. While preparing for a second Vietnam tour, she was ordered inactivated and decommissioned in December 1969."
https://www.history.navy.mil/our-co...-ships/battleships/new-jersey-bb-62.html

When I was stationed at Hickam AFB, lived in quarters that were right on the ship channel to Pearl Harbor. Carriers were impressive, but seeing the New Jersey coming down the channel was the best of sightings. Interesting factoid is that when firing all the 16 inch guns at one time in a broadside, the ship was pushed some 15 feet broadside through the water from the recoil.

Yep the Showboat is impressive.

It doesn’t move an inch in reality……doesn’t even heel.

7.74 inch seconds if the guns were fired horizontally…..which they seldom are….if the ship was on ice….

Considering it is pushing a wall of water 850’ by 38’…….. it is a fraction of a millimeter

This from the navy

If the battleship suddenly moved 15 feet when a broadside is fired, every member of the crew would be knocked off his feet and many of them would be severely injured or killed. Every piece of equipment not solidly attached to a bulkhead would fall to the deck and be smashed. Every piece of china in the wardroom would be broken, and most of the radars and other electronics would be disabled by the shock.

But it doesn't:

http://www.navweaps.com/index_tech/tech-022.php

Craigster
My dad was also on the USS Evans in the Pacific during WW2.
He wouldn’t talk much about it until late in life, but had some amazing stories.

Most everything on a ship is secured one way or another so it won’t fall in heavy seas. Tables in the galley and/or wardroom are usually made with ~ a 1/4” lip so dishes, etc won’t slide off the table. Most file cabinets have a bar that can be secured to the deck and the top to hold the drawers in rough weather. You won’t find too many rolling office chairs either.

It appears that the ship is moving with the recoil in this picture. Seems to be fairly dramatic.

Maybe the wind is from starboard???

It appears that way.

But it is just the high pressure washing against the side of the ship on top of the water…..like a stiff breeze.

By actual calculation…….less than a millimeter

12.15 tons(9x2700) at 2300 fps against 57,000 tons ……4691:1……..against 850’ x 35’ in water

60 gr bullet at 2300 against a 40 lb rifle …… 4666:1……sliding on a leather bag

Doesn’t move 15’……..and the guns are seldom fired horizontally

Just an end point analysis to show scale

Yes…..it is a tremendous amount of energy……….but a battleship is quite the Fat Bottom Girl

Fat bottomed girl? Got pics?

Need a wide angle lens…..

😂

'
16-inch Gun Turret




source: https://www.history.navy.mil/resear...7/illustrations/sixteen-inch-turret.html

also see: http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_16-50_mk7.php

The Battleship Texas Foundation
https://battleshiptexas.org/


USS Texas (BB-35)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Texas_(BB-35)


Cheers! Bob F.