Administrators Rabbi Posted July 8, 2018 Administrators Share Posted July 8, 2018 The last Iowa. The Battleship Wisconsin. Commissioned toward the end of WWII, in 1944. She was the ultimate example of Battleship design. She floated 9 16 inch guns and could rain hate from 23 miles. Decommissioned for the final time in 1992, she was the last Battleship to ever fire in anger (GW1) Even as a museum ship, she was required by law to be kept in a state of readiness, so she could be called back to the gun line again. This state of readiness continued until 2009. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cubdriver Posted July 8, 2018 Share Posted July 8, 2018 Beautiful in a very menacing sort of way. They were truly amazing ships. I would hate to be on the receiving end of those 16" 50s that could basically fling Volkswagens at you all day. -Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMyers Posted July 8, 2018 Share Posted July 8, 2018 We visited the USS Alabama. Living in the middle of the country, we don't see big ocean going ships. It was impressive the size of the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aomagrat Posted July 8, 2018 Share Posted July 8, 2018 To go along with America's last dreadnought, here's a picture of America's first dreadnought, USS South Carolina. Eight 12 inch guns. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haldor Posted July 8, 2018 Share Posted July 8, 2018 12 hours ago, Rabbi said: The last Iowa. The Battleship Wisconsin. Commissioned toward the end of WWII, in 1944. She was the ultimate example of Battleship design. She floated 9 16 inch guns and could rain hate from 23 miles. Decommissioned for the final time in 1992, she was the last Battleship to ever fire in anger (GW1) Even as a museum ship, she was required by law to be kept in a state of readiness, so she could be called back to the gun line again. This state of readiness continued until 2009. Got to ask, what the hell was turret 2 firing at? Shore bombardment? Ship to ship action? Just trying to look cool? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Eric Posted July 8, 2018 Administrators Share Posted July 8, 2018 12 hours ago, Rabbi said: The last Iowa. The Battleship Wisconsin. Commissioned toward the end of WWII, in 1944. She was the ultimate example of Battleship design. She floated 9 16 inch guns and could rain hate from 23 miles. Decommissioned for the final time in 1992, she was the last Battleship to ever fire in anger (GW1) Even as a museum ship, she was required by law to be kept in a state of readiness, so she could be called back to the gun line again. This state of readiness continued until 2009. Tell them about the USS Montana. I wish she had been built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Rabbi Posted July 8, 2018 Author Administrators Share Posted July 8, 2018 40 minutes ago, Haldor said: Got to ask, what the hell was turret 2 firing at? Shore bombardment? Ship to ship action? Just trying to look cool? Just a staged photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Rabbi Posted July 8, 2018 Author Administrators Share Posted July 8, 2018 1 hour ago, Eric said: Tell them about the USS Montana. I wish she had been built. The Montana class was the class that was to follow the Iowa’s. They would have been over 900 feet long and had 12 16 inch guns.....but, a lot of folks get stuck on the fact of how large and powerful they would have been and how they would have been “super Iowa’s”. That is simply not true. The Montana’s would have been very different from the Iowa’s. As a Battleship, the Iowa’s would still have been a better ship. The Iowa’s were designed as “fast battleships”. The Montana’s would have returned to something much more dreadnought like. They would have been slower and more armored. Besides the fact that the battleship was functionally obsolete by this time, the Montana really represented a step backwards in battleship design, while The Iowa was forward thinking. As the ultimate ship hunter. (The role of a battleship) the Iowa’s, with their incredible speed, never had a rival. That would have included the Montana’s and certainly included the Japanese Yamatos. The role that the battleship ship eventually evolved into, (and kept the Iowa’s serving into modern times as the worlds last battleships) was that of fire support. In this role, Montana’s would have been superior. The Montana’s would have been the most survivable ships ever built and with 12 16 inch guns, would have been formidable on the gun line. While battleships are one of the coolest things man ever made, when the Ostfriesland got Billy Mitchelled, the battleship became obsolete. Oddly enough, just like the HMS Dreadnought, the first modern battleship, made every war ship in the world obsolete overnight. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holyjohnson Posted July 8, 2018 Share Posted July 8, 2018 1 hour ago, Haldor said: Got to ask, what the hell was turret 2 firing at? Shore bombardment? Ship to ship action? Just trying to look cool? just clearing her throat.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Citra47 Posted July 8, 2018 Share Posted July 8, 2018 Just changed my mind from I use my handgun to get to my rifle to......................I use my handgun to get to my BATTLESHIP!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger123 Posted July 8, 2018 Share Posted July 8, 2018 (edited) Here’s some BB64 porn for you, these are from my boat. She’s tied up here in Norfolk. I tie up near her every now and then and contemplate what it was like to be a Sailor in the Big One. Edited July 8, 2018 by Roger123 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cubdriver Posted July 8, 2018 Share Posted July 8, 2018 Nice photos, Roger. -Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tous Posted July 8, 2018 Share Posted July 8, 2018 Thanks for the pictures, 123 of Roger. Keep in mind, if you are on the biggest, baddest ship in the battle, you are also target #1 for the other guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Rabbi Posted July 8, 2018 Author Administrators Share Posted July 8, 2018 8 minutes ago, tous said: Thanks for the pictures, 123 of Roger. Keep in mind, if you are on the biggest, baddest ship in the battle, you are also target #1 for the other guy. The interesting thing about that, is the philosophy behind battleships means you were safe from all but other battleships (in a world without carriers and submarines) American ships worked on the philosophy of “balanced armor” meaning a given US Battleship could take the same punch she delivered. The Iowas were no exception. With a 23 mile range no ship ever built could range an Iowa except the Yamato and her sister. However the Iowa was significantly faster and (we did not know that at the time) was much better gunned. The Yamato’s 18 inch guns were bigger but not better than Iowa’s 16s. We also learned that Iowa guns would have devastated Yamato’s armor. Of course, the airplane mostly made such things academic debates. With the sole exception of Jutland in WWI, great armadas of Dreadnoughts never clashed. But there were a few smaller clashes and Yamato did sink a US carrier with her guns. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Rabbi Posted July 8, 2018 Author Administrators Share Posted July 8, 2018 A fantastic read about the second to last Battleship on Battleship engagement. The mighty Battleship Washington, alone, took A Japanese battleship and her support shines and her guns won the day. https://bremolympicnlus.wordpress.com/2017/11/14/guadalcanal-battleship-vs-battleship-the-battle-of-14-15-nov-1942/amp/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tous Posted July 8, 2018 Share Posted July 8, 2018 35 minutes ago, Rabbi said: The interesting thing about that, is the philosophy behind battleships means you were safe from all but other battleships (in a world without carriers and submarines) American ships worked on the philosophy of “balanced armor” meaning a given US Battleship could take the same punch she delivered. The Iowas were no exception. With a 23 mile range no ship ever built could range an Iowa except the Yamato and her sister. However the Iowa was significantly faster and (we did not know that at the time) was much better gunned. The Yamato’s 18 inch guns were bigger but not better than Iowa’s 16s. We also learned that Iowa guns would have devastated Yamato’s armor. Of course, the airplane mostly made such things academic debates. With the sole exception of Jutland in WWI, great armadas of Dreadnoughts never clashed. But there were a few smaller clashes and Yamato did sink a US carrier with her guns. Indeed. Battleships didn't go into battle alone. They were screened by many less ships: cruisers, destroyers and submarines all designed to keep things that hurt away from the big boys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Rabbi Posted July 8, 2018 Author Administrators Share Posted July 8, 2018 Yamato would have ate **** in the face of an Iowa. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now