And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
One thing I have wondered about naval guns is the smoke coming frm the main guns when they are fired, as opposed to land-based weapons small arms etc, which emit very little smoke when fired. Did the navy not get the message about using smokeless gunpowder?
In Sept. 1968, when my US Marine M-67A2 Flame-thrower tank was assigned to the "C-4" outpost just south of the DMZ in Vietnam, we looked out to the east, into the ocean and saw a large US Navy vessel on the horizon. The ship turned and fired its main guns and the blast from those guns was a wide as the ship. It was the USS New Jersey (battleship) that had just come on station. What a thrill...!!!
The video seems to show otherwise. The ship does appear to heel a little in response to the recoil, and it also looks like there is a push-wave generated on the lee side of the firing. Any ex-sailors out there?
If any of you ever visit one of the US Navy battleship museums, they almost always have a 16" round on display. Each round is taller and wider than the average American. Can you imagine three of those rounds being fired out of two or three gun turrets all at the same time? Yes, the ship rocks from the recoil.
And by the by, back in the day, I was told that one three shell salvo will cover a grid square. That is a 1,000 meter square.
I believe that video was taken in the Gulf of Mexico after the ship's refit at Ingalls shipyard in the late 1980's. My dad got an all-but-the-magazines tour while it was there.
It's my understanding that when the main batteries fire, the crew does not stay on deck lest the concussion kills them.
ReplyDeleteTotal waste of ammo unless they are firing on DC
ReplyDeleteOne thing I have wondered about naval guns is the smoke coming frm the main guns when they are fired, as opposed to land-based weapons small arms etc, which emit very little smoke when fired. Did the navy not get the message about using smokeless gunpowder?
ReplyDeleteThe big navy guns used black powder.
DeleteIn Sept. 1968, when my US Marine M-67A2 Flame-thrower tank was assigned to the "C-4" outpost just south of the DMZ in Vietnam, we looked out to the east, into the ocean and saw a large US Navy vessel on the horizon. The ship turned and fired its main guns and the blast from those guns was a wide as the ship. It was the USS New Jersey (battleship) that had just come on station. What a thrill...!!!
ReplyDeleteLooks like the ship rocks or moves back but read; http://www.navweaps.com/index_tech/tech-022.php
ReplyDeleteThat's so interesting I bookmarked it. Thanks!
DeleteThe video seems to show otherwise. The ship does appear to heel a little in response to the recoil, and it also looks like there is a push-wave generated on the lee side of the firing. Any ex-sailors out there?
ReplyDeleteThat is just an effect of the recoil being transmitted through the hull.
DeleteIf any of you ever visit one of the US Navy battleship museums, they almost always have a 16" round on display. Each round is taller and wider than the average American. Can you imagine three of those rounds being fired out of two or three gun turrets all at the same time? Yes, the ship rocks from the recoil.
ReplyDeleteAnd by the by, back in the day, I was told that one three shell salvo will cover a grid square. That is a 1,000 meter square.
They say when those rounds come in to shore it sounds like a runaway freight train doing about 100mph.
DeleteI believe that video was taken in the Gulf of Mexico after the ship's refit at Ingalls shipyard in the late 1980's. My dad got an all-but-the-magazines tour while it was there.
ReplyDelete