My Grandfather is still aboard the Arizona. McClellan Taylor Roberts CPHM (Chief Pharmacist Mate). I believe he was the senior enlisted shellback on board because he signed as Davy Jones for their last crossing the line ceremony.
I been to visit her twice...I saw a video when the guy said at 608 feet long Arizona can hold her own... she was upgraded to a superbattleship ... may your grandpa r.i.p. they would of been happy to knew the Pennsylvania sister of the Arizona fought proud in the pacific
My grandfather was also in that ceremony (also a shellback) in 1940. GM2c JJ Rooney. He got off Arizona in June of 1941 when his enlistment ended. Later he reenlisted and served as a chief turret captain on the Quincy. I have the “program” from the crossing. DAVY JONES………..M. T. ROBERTS
I'm Doug hickey my grandmother's brother my god father was a gunner on USS new jersey.her other 4 brothers 1army 2 marines and 1 more navy.they all made it back. Last name barajas.mexicans.this was before that Savin private Ryan law
Hey Ryan , your videos and channel is much better than other naval history videos . You're not trying to be funny or sarcastic, you are easy to understand, and the information you provide is obviously your intimate knowledge ...not read straight out of someone's else book. Keep up the great content!!
There is that wonderful picture of a Iowa class battleship tied up alongside USS Oklahoma near the end of WW2. Really shows what happened to battleship hulls between the 2 classes.
The Iowa class had a Armor scheme very similar to the South Dakota class. The South Dakota took a lot of shell hits during the second battle of savo island above the water line ranging from 14 inch to five inch and despite extensive superstructure damage she held up well. The Indiana was rammed on her starboard quarter by the uss Washington aft of the number 3 16 inch gun mount and nearly sank. The only thing that saved her was her aft armored bulkhead was not damaged and maintained water tight integrity.
We went to Oahu in 2014 and visited Pearl Harbor and the Arizona. For me, as a history buff, I found that the Arizona Memorial was one of the most moving experiences that I’ve ever had. Standing in front of the wall of names brings everything into perspective.
Me too! How did the post-Pearl Harbor rebuild of the Standard battleships USS Tennessee (BB-43), USS California (BB-44), and USS West Virginia (BB-48) compare to the USS New Jersey, and other modern battleships? Were they fully modernized by 1944 comparable in firepower, fire control, and armor to KGVs, Bismarks, and South Dakotas -- and just inferior in speed compare?
@@donkeyboy585 but I would point out that faster ships could be put off by the older battlewagons, Scharnhorst and her sister were put off by at least one of the ole R Class Battleships. I figure with modern fire control, West Virginia would have made life very hard for almost any battleship in the entire world, maybe not Yamato or Musashi, but still.
@@TEGRULZ That would entirely depend on the circumstances of the engagement. The reason the R Class could cause such problems for Scharnhorst was that Scharnhorst wanted to hit the convoy and the R class was fast enough to maneuver around the very slow merchant ships. The R class also carried guns sufficiently long ranged to force adversaries to travel a wider course around the convoy to change angles of attack, allowing the slower ship to interpose itself between the convoy and enemy. In other engagements the R class would be a decided underdog. For example, responding to an attack on a separate convoy, blockading/blockade running, etc.
@@TEGRULZ I'll note that I agree with you on the fire control system. Any other ship on the surface would have reason to pause. Radar is even more important for slower ships. Being able to see a target and begin reacting as soon as possible does a lot to reduce the handicap of being slow.
@Battleship New Jersey: I would love to see a video on all the different paint schemes the USS New Jersey and her other three Iowa-class sisters wore during World War 2. Might be an interesting topic that is not covered much on UA-cam.
I'm putting this question here just because this is the video I'm watching. Looking back on the pre-Dreadnaughts, some had turrets offset to one side on a sponson - like the Battleship Maine. Given the belowdeck component of the turrets, how did those work? It seems they couldn't be armored very well, either.
I would love a video on how the Iowas fit into 1980s blue water tactics. Was it just another harpoon launcher? Or, were there scenarios where the main guns could come into play. Can you imagine a 16" shell ripping through a Kirov or a Sverdlov?
Despite some laughably bad acting, Tora Tora Tora will always be the definitive movie about the attack. Pearl Harbor got bogged down in that whole love triangle.
A ship? HMS Hood. Fast, very good looking, huge. And sunk with one lucky shot. She was badly in need of a refit as at least one had been deferred. A good look at the the battlecrusier/fast battleship Hood . Thank you for presenting this ship in this way. I have been interested in these ships since I was a little kid. Especially Admiral Halsey's flagship, New Jersey.
Between the age difference and Arizona's lack of modern fire control any of the Iowas would have owned any of the Standards. Though to be fair, a 16" standard that actually got a lock on an Iowa would have torn it up pretty bad and pretty quick.
+Scott McDivitt I know the Iowa isn't designed to withstand 16" heavy shells, and heavily steered to the fast in 'fast battleship', but are you sure it is not able to witstand a normal 16"/45 shell, especially if you would take a '20s design Colorado shell instead? However, in the counter, an Iowa would still have the range advantage and,even if not sufficient, still superior deck armour against plunging fire at range. From my memory, ranges at which plunging fire would be the main threat weren't a design consideration at USS Colorado's period.
Arizona's fire control was nothing to sneeze at. She received several commendations in the interwar period during naval wargames exercises for her precision (Texas was also a highly accurate firing ship with honors.) Also... It's still a 14 inch gun. They're not pea shooters. Keep that in mind
@@InfiniteSith136 a "14 inch shell would hurt Iowia or New Jersey , but as their 14 inch belt is designed to resist that, it's chances of knocking her out of the fight is small. And while crew is a very important part of the battleship equation, I doubt Arizona's pre-war fire control would ever match up well against fire control radar, or the devastating ability to make hard maneuvers while maintaining fire.
@@scottmcdivitt2187 I'm not saying Arizona would fare that well against an Iowa class in strictly a gun duel... But she'd definitely put up one hell of a fight. And yeah Iowa has a thick belt, that's true. But who's to say Arizona would need to aim for it? There's separate machinery spaces in the bow and stern ends... The superstructure is relatively unprotected, and so on... That goes back to the war games. Arizona was proficient in those very aspects of gunnery you just listed. Of course, it is still difficult to compare with fire control radar. There'd be some hurting going on on both ends for sure, in any case.
@@InfiniteSith136 especially if the commander of the Arazona realised his situation and switched to high explosive, it could probably get really bad. My guess is that, ( if it didn't turn into a one sided single broadside curb stomp) the final score would be Arazona sunk, Iowia six months to a year in drydock.
Keep up the good work with the videos! I can tell you’re getting more comfortable with presenting on each one. BTW, do you follow Dracinifel’s naval history? When he finally makes it over to the US for his ship tour you guys should do a collaboration.
I would like to see a more technical discussion of the relationship between waterline hull length, horsepower requirements, and ship speed, related to wave celerity.
Ship comparison: Connecticut vs NJ One of the last pre-dreadnoughts vs one of the last battleships Not like anyone could give a combat victory to Connecticut (much to my chagrin as a resident of Connecticut), but the differences in design philosophy reflected in how both ships were built and how they operated would be a nice little bit of insight into how America's changing take on international relations. Connecticut representing the time America first really started to stand up in the international scene, New Jersey representing the time when hegemony transitioned from the UK to the US. Two very different eras there.
The 'Connecticut Class' would be a very interesting video, I agree. One of my favorite battleship designs, too bad the first USN dreadnoughts were not stretched Connecticuts with superfiring 12-inch twin turrets and 7-inch guns in as secondary side turrets amidships like the French 🙂
I thought for sure that I was subscribed; but either I was not, or sneaky UA-cam unsubbed me. I choose to believe the latter, rather than blame my own incompetence lol. I love this type of content. The ship vs ship discussions are enlightening, and I love the tours through the interior spaces of these old warships.
There should be a mention of the fact that the fatal explosion lifted the entire superstructure 30 feet and then the mast, superstructure and decks collapsed in on themselves. The pressures experienced by the crew, the decks and bullkheads in that area were unimaginable. The explosion also blew the hull walls outward with such force that a large wave hit shore hundreds of feet away. Perhaps a clarification of triple gun turret as on the Arizona vs.three gun turret as on the New Jersey.
If you haven’t already done one; I would like to see a comparison between the Iowa’s, namely New Jersey, and the South Dakota’s, namely Alabama. I am very familiar with the later; having first been on her when she’s was still new to her home in Mobile.
How about a detailed comparison of the New Jersey with the proposed Montana class battleships. Being from New Hampshire I have tried researching my states ship but haven't found very much info other than their development was cancelled in favor of carrier production.
4:06 - Fuso and Yamashiro were both blown apart at the Battle of Suriago Strait in 1944 when Oldendorf's fleet of standard battleships, some equipped with radar, crossed the Japanese "T." The last battleship vs. battleship duel in history.
How did the post-Pearl Harbor rebuild of the Standard battleships USS Tennessee (BB-43), USS California (BB-44), and USS West Virginia (BB-48) compare to the USS New Jersey, and other modern battleships? Were they fully modernized by 1944 comparable in firepower, fire control, and armor to KGVs, Bismarks, and South Dakotas -- and just inferior in speed compare? -- Thanks Benjamin Turon 🙂
Really enjoy your videos they are very informative, keep up the good work! Any chance of doing one these, comparing New Jersey to the Tennessee class, especially with their heavy modernisation after pearl harbour.
The deck penetration of armour piercing bombs depends mostly on from witch height its been dropped (it need enough speed, to get enough kinetic energy), and less on its caliber or weight. An AP bomb made from a 15", 14" or 12" shell would penetrate the deck of Iowa, or any BB if coming with enough speed. Depending on where it hits, it might, or might not, destroy the ship in question !?
Don’t think that the Arizona was a small ship. I was on the memorial and the side remains of B turret were visible a long way away and the memorial vessel was placed at about 2/3 of the way down the sunken hull. Think of the ship’s beam, it takes time to walk 100 feet.
Imagine a farm boy from a rural state reporting aboard in 1916, when she was new. The biggest structure this kid has ever seen was some two-story building in Great Lakes, IL where he went for boot camp, or the grain silo back at the county co-op. He's never seen the ocean, nor any ship except in books. That battleship awes him the way you would be awed if an alien vessel 100 miles long appeared in the skies over your home town. It scares him, the thought of finding his way from where he berths to the outside of the hull, let alone to where he has to find if he ever wants to eat again.
Great videos, Ryan. I have a request regarding a topic you mentioned in this video. I have spent years trying to find pictures of the inside layout and operations of the fire control towers and the gunnery procedures for the main and secondary battery directors on the Arkansas, New York, and Pennsylvania class Battleships. I have been to the Battleship Texas many times and have marveled at the main fire control tower and the short tower amidships from afar. Unfortunately, both of those locations were not open to tours. It would be interesting to contrast the fire control procedures and capabilities between the beginning of WWII with the earlier battleships and the Iowas' capabilities later in the war.
C&R had a dozen designs that were rejected do to armor venerable designs and the poor metal quality was a major issue for both the Pennsylvania and Arizona.
I like the history you give on US battleships. I'm from Missouri and I am very partial to that ship. However with what's going on in the world right now I think newly designed and built battleships need to be made with long and short range missiles, updated big guns that uses smokeless powder, or the new hypersonic gun.. The US Navy needs to look into this.
Excellent Content. I do have a question about the Standard Type battleships 'no longer being front-line units' and 'relegated to shore bombardment.' Pennsylvania, West Virginia and others of the standard type held the line at Surigao Strait. My impression was that Kinkaid was on the front-line, as he used his battleships to defeat the southern force. Is that incorrect? I know Kinkaid's primary task was shore bombardment for the invasion. Were they not expecting the Southern Force under Shima? And, if so did that make Surigao Strait something of a surprise engagement for the USN?
I wouldn't mind seeing a comparison of the Colorado class vs. the Iowas. Also would be interesting to hear Ryan's thoughts on how US WW1 battleships would have fared had they been at Jutland.
@@NET-POSITIVE No, he does mean the Colorado Class (USS Colorado, USS Maryland and USS West Virginia) unlike the t Pennsylvania class, the Colorados had 16 in guns (16/45cal ) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado-class_battleship
Very informative video. I am very interested in warships from world war 1 and 2. Thanks for sharing your videos. You just Earned Another sub. Looking forward for the next video.
You can get a good idea of how good her armor was, just look at the Pennsylvania's last days when she was torpedoed she almost went down,but this sealed her fate as a target ship.later tow out an sunk.
Amazing that Arizona really only spent one day in battle in her career and it didn't go very well. The Arizona was kept along the US coast during WW I because it was oil driven and they couldn't resupply it very well yet.
I was wondering if it’s correct / traditional to refer to the Arizona in past tense even tho she still exists? I was a bit confused at first wondering if the past tense meant that armour had been changed between now and then. Love the videos :)
You mentioned the Arizona had saluting guns, I saw that the Taney also has them. My question is did they have a purpose other than ceremonial use? Is there an equivalent still used today?
Ships still have saluting guns, they are purely ceremonial. Ours is a 2 pounder with a 40mm barrel. Fun fact: we let guests fire ours on certain days for $50. Right now its most saturdays, we do broadcast it on our facebook page if you want to see it and can't come out in person.
Rumor has it that the USN is planning on doubling the hitting power of the zumwalts by adding a pair of 3lb saluting guns..:) (this may or may not be fake news lol)
Please review the Colorado class 16” standard battleships. I would especially like to hear more about West Virginia post refitting. It would be very interesting to hear a comparison of WeeVee to Maryland and Colorado, compared to North Carolinas, South Dakotas, and Iowas. Third, how the technical advantages of WeeVee made her effective in Surigao Strait vs Maryland and others.
Arizona's fire control was nothing to sneeze at. She received several commendations in the interwar period during naval wargames exercises for her precision (Texas was also a highly accurate firing ship with honors.) Also... It's still a 14 inch gun. They're not pea shooters. Keep that in mind. I'm not saying Arizona would fare that well against an Iowa class in strictly a gun duel... But she'd definitely put up one hell of a fight.
I was in the US Navy in the early to mid-80s with President Reagan rock all for battleships back into service one of my buddies that went to Boot Camp was station all the New Jersey and when it came to Pearl Harbor that’s why I was stationed on the USS Davison one of its guns weighed more than my whole ship weighed I think that’s interesting
Great video, thanks. I look forward to visiting when the current unpleasantness is ameliorated. The US contribution to the Grand Fleet became its Sixth Battle Squadron. You misspoke and said Fifth in the video. The Fifth Battle Squadron were the Queen Elizabeths that ran amok at Jutland.
Arizona was laid down in 1914 vs 1942 for New Jersey, compare a 1914 Ford vs a 1942 Ford. A ship of 1914 was probably riveted and according to the USS Texas site an equivalent welded hull weighs roughly 30% as much with more strength.
@@BattleshipNewJersey I hope you guys can go abroad her. I would recommend joining the Battleship Texas Foundation Group on Facebook. She is getting ready to be moved to dry dock in Mobile Alabama
@@Tuning3434 The actual procedure for removing powder & projectile without firing. Then how they are returned to the magazines. I saw the video on the tool you found, but the actual procedure would be interesting. My Brother was the #2 turret officer on BB61. I can get more information from you if you need it.
Couldn't finish typing my comparison suggestion before the Live Chat ended. LOL Britain's Nelson Class compared to the Iowa Class. I expect the tactics for engagement would be different due to how the Nelson's main armament is arranged.
I realise this video is 2 years old now. But as an English person could I ask a question. Are there any parts of Arizona on display anywhere as a remembrance item? Like some of the guns, a mast or anything? Obviously you have the memorial over the grave (it's not a wreck it's a grave for many brave men) but does for instance, Arizona itself have a memorial for her? I hope this gets picked up and answered. Thank you for your work and commitment. Rip those brave men and women who lost their lives on Dec 7th.
I don't know that his comparison of a bomb converted from a 16" shell and a 16” shell fired from a gun made much sense. At all. I should think that the fired round would be traveling many times the speed of the dropped one. Also, a shell arcing in and hitting the deck is contacting it at quite an angle, making less armor acceptably resilient as opposed to belt or turret armor which needs to be much thicker as it will be hit more squarely. A dropped bomb however will hit the deck more squarely than what at that time ships were designed for as what naval air combat would become was not yet envisioned. Just my two cents, good video overall though.
16:00 - on the note of British Coal - “Admiralty Coal” was and is absolutely about the most energy dense there is - hard, heavy, and dark black. Just the thing for a coal burning battle wagon.
minor point- the peeps who mined it would point out it was Welsh coal, not British coal- that was the finest coal (UK internal sniping, the welsh are proud their coal and stuff.... for yanks, Wales is that lump that points towards Ireland. on the side the UK..)
It's true that the energy *density* of coal is higher, but the *specific energy* of petroleum fuels is unmatched by essentially any viable fuel other than nuclear. (For those not familiar with the difference, energy density is energy per unit volume, while specific energy is energy per unit mass.) The specific energy of petro fuels ranges from almost 2 to more than 3 times that of coal, depending on exactly which petro fuel and type of coal you're comparing. While volume occupied matters, mass tends to matter more for transportation applications. Which is why we won't be seeing long-haul airliners powered by lithium batteries any time soon (or probably ever) as those require about 50x as much weight to supply the same energy as petroleum fuels.
I know this is thought to have been beaten to death, but under developement was a 700 mile scramjet projectile for the 16"/50 guns. Why are they so impossible today? Considering all the upgrades in technology, I would think they are still cheaper to fire than cruise missles...
@@BattleshipNewJersey The only live testing was with HC-ER rounds i think. 39 miles? I had a coworker that was a former Watervliet employee. Good stories.
cos a scramjet boosted shell thingy from a 16¨/50 cannot deliver a warhead of worthwhile size compared to hypersonic or supersonic missile options that are not constrained at basic design stage by having to fit into the breach of the 16¨/50.. whereas missile can be scaled up to carry beeeeeeg warhead, more boom on target.
At 1:29 what are the structures at the top of each mast? They look like lookout decks or something. Also what is at the halfway mark on the mast? It almost looks like a bridge or something.
Both questions are answered in the video: 1: The structures on top are for directing the main battery/spotting fall of shot 2: the structures halfway up are searchlight platforms
Is it true, as a result of Arizona, battleships were unloaded at port, then loaded from a supply ship after leaving dock? This to prevent another catastrophic event. How long does loading take? Can you do a video on how to unload, and reload a ship? At port or underway.
Ships are traditionally loaded and unloaded when leaving and entering port because who wants a powder keg that close to a city or whatever. Generally the process is pretty simple, there are hatches in the deck that form a trunk and its lifted down or back up through the hatches with a crane.
Staccato presentation, smooth it out for better reception. Good info though! (ex USN instructor) "30 knots no smoke, 31 knots no fantail" - anecdotal saying from an ex USS Bainbridge sailor I worked with. :D And while I am critical on style, accolades for putting this presentation together! {I was never a "curriculum standards" guy} ... though I did have my run-ins with CSCO.
So we see in the Nevada class both twin and triple gun turrets. Why didn't they just simply go all triple? We did they go back to twin turrets in the Colorado Class when introduced the 16 inch guns?
Just seen the divers going down. Not a job I'd want seeing fellow sailers in there. Plenty of Jim Beam for that job. Ryan I can tell you feel the pain. You are a decent guy.
Well... in fact the 30 year design gap it is very important, yes, but to be fair by 1920's there were already some designs pretty close to Iowas. Specifically talking the IJN Nagato class was a battleship designed in late 1910s and completed at the begining of 1920s that had been an allied ship, it might have survived the war and up until the 50's like many battleships did. USNavy Standard design battleships, despite how well protected they were and how massive broadside they had, weren't as flexible as other nation's designs like the Japanese Ise, Nagato or British Queen Elizabeth. By the end of WW2 the faster battleship was the less obsolete, in that regard, even the Italian Andrea Doria class, despite being less armored and having lesser guns, were more suitable for the postwar requirements
The navy had a very large storehouse with at least 15,000 rounds stored in it. They were looking for a company to dismantle the rounds as late as 2016. I'm not sure if that has progressed at all.
Suggestions The six Tillman maximum battleship designs You could do it as one video or several The Tillman IV-2 comparison video is the one I would most want to see but all six would be interesting
i have been trying for a long time to find out what happened to uss arizona bb39's forward tripod mast after it was removed during salvage ops after the dec 7th 41 attack does it still exist perhaps lying somewhere overgrown by foliage or some other fate noone has ever been able to answer this satisfactory with definite proof the last footage i have seen of it was on a barge heading somewhere where was this barge heading to this tripod mast blackened and leaning foreward is perhaps the most reckognizable object of the second world war if it still exist it needs to be located and preserved it would be a most sacred piece of us navy history so im asking battleship new jersey to help me find the answer definitively the disposition of uss arizona's forward and after tripod masts thank you
My Grandfather is still aboard the Arizona. McClellan Taylor Roberts CPHM (Chief Pharmacist Mate). I believe he was the senior enlisted shellback on board because he signed as Davy Jones for their last crossing the line ceremony.
Mad respect from one shellback, to you.
cvn-72
I been to visit her twice...I saw a video when the guy said at 608 feet long Arizona can hold her own... she was upgraded to a superbattleship ... may your grandpa r.i.p. they would of been happy to knew the Pennsylvania sister of the Arizona fought proud in the pacific
My grandfather was also in that ceremony (also a shellback) in 1940. GM2c JJ Rooney. He got off Arizona in June of 1941 when his enlistment ended. Later he reenlisted and served as a chief turret captain on the Quincy. I have the “program” from the crossing.
DAVY JONES………..M. T. ROBERTS
You can see Ryan getting emotional and voice cracking as he was talking about the Arizona's bomb hit, I felt it through the screen.
Regardless of our age, many of us still get emotional when we see
pictures of, and remember what happened on that terrible day.
U.S.S. New Jersey was launched on Dec 7, 1942.
I'm Doug hickey my grandmother's brother my god father was a gunner on USS new jersey.her other 4 brothers 1army 2 marines and 1 more navy.they all made it back. Last name barajas.mexicans.this was before that Savin private Ryan law
He's clearly a "shikikan" of culture
Yes I can ryan
Hey Ryan , your videos and channel is much better than other naval history videos . You're not trying to be funny or sarcastic, you are easy to understand, and the information you provide is obviously your intimate knowledge ...not read straight out of someone's else book. Keep up the great content!!
agreed so much!
There is that wonderful picture of a Iowa class battleship tied up alongside USS Oklahoma near the end of WW2. Really shows what happened to battleship hulls between the 2 classes.
The Iowa class had a Armor scheme very similar to the South Dakota class. The South Dakota took a lot of shell hits during the second battle of savo island above the water line ranging from 14 inch to five inch and despite extensive superstructure damage she held up well. The Indiana was rammed on her starboard quarter by the uss Washington aft of the number 3 16 inch gun mount and nearly sank. The only thing that saved her was her aft armored bulkhead was not damaged and maintained water tight integrity.
We went to Oahu in 2014 and visited Pearl Harbor and the Arizona. For me, as a history buff, I found that the Arizona Memorial was one of the most moving experiences that I’ve ever had. Standing in front of the wall of names brings everything into perspective.
What a great description of the evolution of our Battleships. Your video contains a wealth of information I was not aware of. Thank you.
I definitely would love to see the last of the standard Battleships versus the New Jersey, including the heavy refit done to West Virginia.
Me too! How did the post-Pearl Harbor rebuild of the Standard battleships USS Tennessee (BB-43), USS California (BB-44), and USS West Virginia (BB-48) compare to the USS New Jersey, and other modern battleships? Were they fully modernized by 1944 comparable in firepower, fire control, and armor to KGVs, Bismarks, and South Dakotas -- and just inferior in speed compare?
The speed advantage IS a big deal though. (And it’s a huge speed advantage) It pretty much lets the Iowa’s dictate the fight
@@donkeyboy585 but I would point out that faster ships could be put off by the older battlewagons, Scharnhorst and her sister were put off by at least one of the ole R Class Battleships. I figure with modern fire control, West Virginia would have made life very hard for almost any battleship in the entire world, maybe not Yamato or Musashi, but still.
@@TEGRULZ That would entirely depend on the circumstances of the engagement. The reason the R Class could cause such problems for Scharnhorst was that Scharnhorst wanted to hit the convoy and the R class was fast enough to maneuver around the very slow merchant ships. The R class also carried guns sufficiently long ranged to force adversaries to travel a wider course around the convoy to change angles of attack, allowing the slower ship to interpose itself between the convoy and enemy. In other engagements the R class would be a decided underdog. For example, responding to an attack on a separate convoy, blockading/blockade running, etc.
@@TEGRULZ I'll note that I agree with you on the fire control system. Any other ship on the surface would have reason to pause. Radar is even more important for slower ships. Being able to see a target and begin reacting as soon as possible does a lot to reduce the handicap of being slow.
I was in Camden a few months ago and wanted to visit the ship. Such a beautiful outline.
@Battleship New Jersey: I would love to see a video on all the different paint schemes the USS New Jersey and her other three Iowa-class sisters wore during World War 2. Might be an interesting topic that is not covered much on UA-cam.
I'm putting this question here just because this is the video I'm watching. Looking back on the pre-Dreadnaughts, some had turrets offset to one side on a sponson - like the Battleship Maine. Given the belowdeck component of the turrets, how did those work? It seems they couldn't be armored very well, either.
I would love a video on how the Iowas fit into 1980s blue water tactics. Was it just another harpoon launcher? Or, were there scenarios where the main guns could come into play. Can you imagine a 16" shell ripping through a Kirov or a Sverdlov?
A video that you guys could do is talk about how the Battle of Jutland influenced battleship design
Despite some laughably bad acting, Tora Tora Tora will always be the definitive movie about the attack. Pearl Harbor got bogged down in that whole love triangle.
I am still waiting for $9 back from Michael Bay.
@@markwilliams2620 I concur. I wasted over two hours of my life that day. Give me Tora Tora Tora or Midway (1976) any day.
Contemporary review of 'Pearl Harbor': Snora Snora Snora.
What love Triangle? I admit it has been over 40 years since I saw the movie, but I don't remember such a thing.
@@johnklar5131 He's talking about the NEWER film from 2001. It was a vehicle for Kate Beckinsdale and Ben Affleck.
So is the ship trying to tell us something with all the banging / popping / creaking at the end of the video? Such as at 31:40
A ship? HMS Hood. Fast, very good looking, huge. And sunk with one lucky shot. She was badly in need of a refit as at least one had been deferred. A good look at the the battlecrusier/fast battleship Hood .
Thank you for presenting this ship in this way. I have been interested in these ships since I was a little kid. Especially Admiral Halsey's flagship, New Jersey.
These talks are extremely informative. Many thanks.
Between the age difference and Arizona's lack of modern fire control any of the Iowas would have owned any of the Standards.
Though to be fair, a 16" standard that actually got a lock on an Iowa would have torn it up pretty bad and pretty quick.
+Scott McDivitt
I know the Iowa isn't designed to withstand 16" heavy shells, and heavily steered to the fast in 'fast battleship', but are you sure it is not able to witstand a normal 16"/45 shell, especially if you would take a '20s design Colorado shell instead? However, in the counter, an Iowa would still have the range advantage and,even if not sufficient, still superior deck armour against plunging fire at range.
From my memory, ranges at which plunging fire would be the main threat weren't a design consideration at USS Colorado's period.
Arizona's fire control was nothing to sneeze at. She received several commendations in the interwar period during naval wargames exercises for her precision (Texas was also a highly accurate firing ship with honors.) Also... It's still a 14 inch gun. They're not pea shooters. Keep that in mind
@@InfiniteSith136 a "14 inch shell would hurt Iowia or New Jersey , but as their 14 inch belt is designed to resist that, it's chances of knocking her out of the fight is small.
And while crew is a very important part of the battleship equation, I doubt Arizona's pre-war fire control would ever match up well against fire control radar, or the devastating ability to make hard maneuvers while maintaining fire.
@@scottmcdivitt2187 I'm not saying Arizona would fare that well against an Iowa class in strictly a gun duel... But she'd definitely put up one hell of a fight. And yeah Iowa has a thick belt, that's true. But who's to say Arizona would need to aim for it? There's separate machinery spaces in the bow and stern ends... The superstructure is relatively unprotected, and so on... That goes back to the war games. Arizona was proficient in those very aspects of gunnery you just listed. Of course, it is still difficult to compare with fire control radar. There'd be some hurting going on on both ends for sure, in any case.
@@InfiniteSith136 especially if the commander of the Arazona realised his situation and switched to high explosive, it could probably get really bad.
My guess is that, ( if it didn't turn into a one sided single broadside curb stomp) the final score would be Arazona sunk, Iowia six months to a year in drydock.
That’s the first time I’ve heard a rational explanation for the cage masts. Thanks!
Keep up the good work with the videos! I can tell you’re getting more comfortable with presenting on each one. BTW, do you follow Dracinifel’s naval history? When he finally makes it over to the US for his ship tour you guys should do a collaboration.
We were supposed to do a video with him this spring
@@BattleshipNewJersey Make sure you do the talking...that guy's monotone puts me to sleep every time.
@@lancejensen9328 last time I complained about Drach's monotonous voice the fanboys fell all over me about it lol
@@lancejensen9328 but you must admit Drach's jokes are more hilarious in the monotone voice he carries lol
I would like to see a more technical discussion of the relationship between waterline hull length, horsepower requirements, and ship speed, related to wave celerity.
I recently discovered this channel and I love it!! I've been watching as many videos as I can..love it
Ship comparison: Connecticut vs NJ
One of the last pre-dreadnoughts vs one of the last battleships
Not like anyone could give a combat victory to Connecticut (much to my chagrin as a resident of Connecticut), but the differences in design philosophy reflected in how both ships were built and how they operated would be a nice little bit of insight into how America's changing take on international relations.
Connecticut representing the time America first really started to stand up in the international scene, New Jersey representing the time when hegemony transitioned from the UK to the US. Two very different eras there.
The 'Connecticut Class' would be a very interesting video, I agree. One of my favorite battleship designs, too bad the first USN dreadnoughts were not stretched Connecticuts with superfiring 12-inch twin turrets and 7-inch guns in as secondary side turrets amidships like the French 🙂
I thought for sure that I was subscribed; but either I was not, or sneaky UA-cam unsubbed me. I choose to believe the latter, rather than blame my own incompetence lol. I love this type of content. The ship vs ship discussions are enlightening, and I love the tours through the interior spaces of these old warships.
There should be a mention of the fact that the fatal explosion lifted the entire superstructure 30 feet and then the mast, superstructure and decks collapsed in on themselves. The pressures experienced by the crew, the decks and bullkheads in that area were unimaginable. The explosion also blew the hull walls outward with such force that a large wave hit shore hundreds of feet away. Perhaps a clarification of triple gun turret as on the Arizona vs.three gun turret as on the New Jersey.
If you haven’t already done one; I would like to see a comparison between the Iowa’s, namely New Jersey, and the South Dakota’s, namely Alabama.
I am very familiar with the later; having first been on her when she’s was still new to her home in Mobile.
Check this out ua-cam.com/video/SHdPl9IRcGg/v-deo.html
How about a detailed comparison of the New Jersey with the proposed Montana class battleships. Being from New Hampshire I have tried researching my states ship but haven't found very much info other than their development was cancelled in favor of carrier production.
Check this out: ua-cam.com/video/qtoLnOGMDSU/v-deo.html
4:06 - Fuso and Yamashiro were both blown apart at the Battle of Suriago Strait in 1944 when Oldendorf's fleet of standard battleships, some equipped with radar, crossed the Japanese "T." The last battleship vs. battleship duel in history.
Thanks to you and the wonderful Battleship Team for another great video.
Love from Trailer Park USA
Ryan,
Why are older war ships covered with port holes? Are port holes big compromises in the armor?
Great comments on Dec. 7, '41. Very educational and entertaining. Thanks.
How did the post-Pearl Harbor rebuild of the Standard battleships USS Tennessee (BB-43), USS California (BB-44), and USS West Virginia (BB-48) compare to the USS New Jersey, and other modern battleships? Were they fully modernized by 1944 comparable in firepower, fire control, and armor to KGVs, Bismarks, and South Dakotas -- and just inferior in speed compare? -- Thanks Benjamin Turon 🙂
Awesome video. You are a great narrator.
Really enjoy your videos they are very informative, keep up the good work! Any chance of doing one these, comparing New Jersey to the Tennessee class, especially with their heavy modernisation after pearl harbour.
The deck penetration of armour piercing bombs depends mostly on from witch height its been dropped (it need enough speed, to get enough kinetic energy), and less on its caliber or weight. An AP bomb made from a 15", 14" or 12" shell would penetrate the deck of Iowa, or any BB if coming with enough speed. Depending on where it hits, it might, or might not, destroy the ship in question !?
Don’t think that the Arizona was a small ship. I was on the memorial and the side remains of B turret were visible a long way away and the memorial vessel was placed at about 2/3 of the way down the sunken hull. Think of the ship’s beam, it takes time to walk 100 feet.
Imagine a farm boy from a rural state reporting aboard in 1916, when she was new. The biggest structure this kid has ever seen was some two-story building in Great Lakes, IL where he went for boot camp, or the grain silo back at the county co-op. He's never seen the ocean, nor any ship except in books. That battleship awes him the way you would be awed if an alien vessel 100 miles long appeared in the skies over your home town. It scares him, the thought of finding his way from where he berths to the outside of the hull, let alone to where he has to find if he ever wants to eat again.
Enjoyed this history lesson very much.
Great videos, Ryan. I have a request regarding a topic you mentioned in this video. I have spent years trying to find pictures of the inside layout and operations of the fire control towers and the gunnery procedures for the main and secondary battery directors on the Arkansas, New York, and Pennsylvania class Battleships. I have been to the Battleship Texas many times and have marveled at the main fire control tower and the short tower amidships from afar. Unfortunately, both of those locations were not open to tours. It would be interesting to contrast the fire control procedures and capabilities between the beginning of WWII with the earlier battleships and the Iowas' capabilities later in the war.
C&R had a dozen designs that were rejected do to armor venerable designs and the poor metal quality was a major issue for both the Pennsylvania and Arizona.
I really really love this Channel!!!
I like the history you give on US battleships. I'm from Missouri and I am very partial to that ship. However with what's going on in the world right now I think newly designed and built battleships need to be made with long and short range missiles, updated big guns that uses smokeless powder, or the new hypersonic gun.. The US Navy needs to look into this.
Excellent Content.
I do have a question about the Standard Type battleships 'no longer being front-line units' and 'relegated to shore bombardment.' Pennsylvania, West Virginia and others of the standard type held the line at Surigao Strait. My impression was that Kinkaid was on the front-line, as he used his battleships to defeat the southern force. Is that incorrect? I know Kinkaid's primary task was shore bombardment for the invasion. Were they not expecting the Southern Force under Shima? And, if so did that make Surigao Strait something of a surprise engagement for the USN?
I wouldn't mind seeing a comparison of the Colorado class vs. the Iowas. Also would be interesting to hear Ryan's thoughts on how US WW1 battleships would have fared had they been at Jutland.
Do you mean the Pennsylvania class? That is what the Arizona was.
@@NET-POSITIVE No, he does mean the Colorado Class (USS Colorado, USS Maryland and USS West Virginia) unlike the t Pennsylvania class, the Colorados had 16 in guns (16/45cal )
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado-class_battleship
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Battleship_Division_Nine_(World_War_I)
Very informative video. I am very interested in warships from world war 1 and 2. Thanks for sharing your videos. You just Earned Another sub. Looking forward for the next video.
You can get a good idea of how good her armor was, just look at the Pennsylvania's last days when she was torpedoed she almost went down,but this sealed her fate as a target ship.later tow out an sunk.
Amazing that Arizona really only spent one day in battle in her career and it didn't go very well. The Arizona was kept along the US coast during WW I because it was oil driven and they couldn't resupply it very well yet.
I was wondering if it’s correct / traditional to refer to the Arizona in past tense even tho she still exists?
I was a bit confused at first wondering if the past tense meant that armour had been changed between now and then.
Love the videos :)
We didn't really think about it. There is a new Arizona though so it makes sense to do that.
You mentioned the Arizona had saluting guns, I saw that the Taney also has them. My question is did they have a purpose other than ceremonial use? Is there an equivalent still used today?
Ships still have saluting guns, they are purely ceremonial. Ours is a 2 pounder with a 40mm barrel. Fun fact: we let guests fire ours on certain days for $50. Right now its most saturdays, we do broadcast it on our facebook page if you want to see it and can't come out in person.
Rumor has it that the USN is planning on doubling the hitting power of the zumwalts by adding a pair of 3lb saluting guns..:)
(this may or may not be fake news lol)
As always, very interesting and informative.
i really enjoy hearing experts talk what they know.
As a kid my old man neighbor Lenny Walsh from Cazenovia WIS told me story's of his time on "BATTLESHIP" NJ. loved them. Always BATTLESHIP
once again Awesome video awesome content
Please review the Colorado class 16” standard battleships. I would especially like to hear more about West Virginia post refitting. It would be very interesting to hear a comparison of WeeVee to Maryland and Colorado, compared to North Carolinas, South Dakotas, and Iowas. Third, how the technical advantages of WeeVee made her effective in Surigao Strait vs Maryland and others.
You can look up most of the questions by doing a search of USS West Virginia. You'll be able to read up on what happened.
Texas is in critical need of repair. Have you been keeping up on the progress of preparing her to be moved to dry dock for the necessary repairs?
We have. Shes getting a lot of love right now, she's going be extra beautiful by the time she's done.
Arizona's fire control was nothing to sneeze at. She received several commendations in the interwar period during naval wargames exercises for her precision (Texas was also a highly accurate firing ship with honors.) Also... It's still a 14 inch gun. They're not pea shooters. Keep that in mind. I'm not saying Arizona would fare that well against an Iowa class in strictly a gun duel... But she'd definitely put up one hell of a fight.
I was in the US Navy in the early to mid-80s with President Reagan rock all for battleships back into service one of my buddies that went to Boot Camp was station all the New Jersey and when it came to Pearl Harbor that’s why I was stationed on the USS Davison one of its guns weighed more than my whole ship weighed I think that’s interesting
Great video, thanks. I look forward to visiting when the current unpleasantness is ameliorated.
The US contribution to the Grand Fleet became its Sixth Battle Squadron. You misspoke and said Fifth in the video. The Fifth Battle Squadron were the Queen Elizabeths that ran amok at Jutland.
Except without QE.... but HMS Warspite was setting up for a long life of shenanigans, so I guess that evens out.
Fun Fact is the Arizona's 14 inch gun is stored aboard the USS Mizzurah to remember the beginning and the end of WWII for the US
Arizona was laid down in 1914 vs 1942 for New Jersey, compare a 1914 Ford vs a 1942 Ford. A ship of 1914 was probably riveted and according to the USS Texas site an equivalent welded hull weighs roughly 30% as much with more strength.
I would have to recommend you guys do a video comparison of the New Jersey vs Texas
We're saving Texas in hopes that we get to take a trip there next year. Stay tuned!
@@BattleshipNewJersey I hope you guys can go abroad her. I would recommend joining the Battleship Texas Foundation Group on Facebook. She is getting ready to be moved to dry dock in Mobile Alabama
VERY WELL DONE...THX
Love to see a video on how the Iowa class 16" guns were unloaded...
+Phillip Leighton
You fire them, or do you mean removing the guns: there was a vid earlier this week covering the turret construction of the Iowa's.
@@Tuning3434 The actual procedure for removing powder & projectile without firing. Then how they are returned to the magazines. I saw the video on the tool you found, but the actual procedure would be interesting. My Brother was the #2 turret officer on BB61. I can get more information from you if you need it.
I would like you to do is show on the uscis Colorado BB45 because my dad served On it for 3 years stream World War II
Couldn't finish typing my comparison suggestion before the Live Chat ended. LOL
Britain's Nelson Class compared to the Iowa Class. I expect the tactics for engagement would be different due to how the Nelson's main armament is arranged.
And them being almost ten knots slower than the Iowas.
Have you ever done a comparison of the New Jersey to the HMS Hood?
Check this out ua-cam.com/video/dvwDrPiBy_Q/v-deo.html
I realise this video is 2 years old now. But as an English person could I ask a question. Are there any parts of Arizona on display anywhere as a remembrance item? Like some of the guns, a mast or anything? Obviously you have the memorial over the grave (it's not a wreck it's a grave for many brave men) but does for instance, Arizona itself have a memorial for her? I hope this gets picked up and answered. Thank you for your work and commitment. Rip those brave men and women who lost their lives on Dec 7th.
Thanks for the informative videos. I'd like to see one done on UNREP.
Great video! Thanks!
Please do a special on each of the Iowa's especially the Whiskey. If I join patreon does that get it done?
Check these out
ua-cam.com/video/QADg9svj5Co/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/xsCyTInjNno/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/nEkmwuUMCBw/v-deo.html
As always , Thank You
How about the Colorado's and the Nelson's? Two treaty era battleships.
Which was the best of the standard battleships?
I don't know that his comparison of a bomb converted from a 16" shell and a 16” shell fired from a gun made much sense. At all. I should think that the fired round would be traveling many times the speed of the dropped one. Also, a shell arcing in and hitting the deck is contacting it at quite an angle, making less armor acceptably resilient as opposed to belt or turret armor which needs to be much thicker as it will be hit more squarely. A dropped bomb however will hit the deck more squarely than what at that time ships were designed for as what naval air combat would become was not yet envisioned. Just my two cents, good video overall though.
30 years between hulls is a lifetime in Battleship development time lines. They should be very different
16:00 - on the note of British Coal - “Admiralty Coal” was and is absolutely about the most energy dense there is - hard, heavy, and dark black. Just the thing for a coal burning battle wagon.
minor point- the peeps who mined it would point out it was Welsh coal, not British coal- that was the finest coal (UK internal sniping, the welsh are proud their coal and stuff.... for yanks, Wales is that lump that points towards Ireland. on the side the UK..)
It's true that the energy *density* of coal is higher, but the *specific energy* of petroleum fuels is unmatched by essentially any viable fuel other than nuclear. (For those not familiar with the difference, energy density is energy per unit volume, while specific energy is energy per unit mass.) The specific energy of petro fuels ranges from almost 2 to more than 3 times that of coal, depending on exactly which petro fuel and type of coal you're comparing. While volume occupied matters, mass tends to matter more for transportation applications. Which is why we won't be seeing long-haul airliners powered by lithium batteries any time soon (or probably ever) as those require about 50x as much weight to supply the same energy as petroleum fuels.
I know this is thought to have been beaten to death, but under developement was a 700 mile scramjet projectile for the 16"/50 guns. Why are they so impossible today? Considering all the upgrades in technology, I would think they are still cheaper to fire than cruise missles...
We have cruise missiles, we never actually developed those rounds
Watervliet had been developing long range ammunition in the 80s. The longest range projectile they were working on was about 100 miles.
Our thing though is they never actually completed it or got it to work
@@BattleshipNewJersey The only live testing was with HC-ER rounds i think. 39 miles? I had a coworker that was a former Watervliet employee. Good stories.
cos a scramjet boosted shell thingy from a 16¨/50 cannot deliver a warhead of worthwhile size compared to hypersonic or supersonic missile options that are not constrained at basic design stage by having to fit into the breach of the 16¨/50.. whereas missile can be scaled up to carry beeeeeeg warhead, more boom on target.
Fabulous as ever.
Good morning,
Why couldn’t the 21 knt increased?
In the Royal Navy Grand Fleet the US Battleships were Battle Squadron 6 not 5 Battle Squadron 5 were the Queen Elizabeth Class
At 1:29 what are the structures at the top of each mast? They look like lookout decks or something. Also what is at the halfway mark on the mast? It almost looks like a bridge or something.
Both questions are answered in the video:
1: The structures on top are for directing the main battery/spotting fall of shot
2: the structures halfway up are searchlight platforms
U.S.S Arizona and U.S.S. New Jersey two different class of battleships. Comparing both are like comparing lemons to apples.
Had the warnings been taken seriously, and a timely emergency sortie order issued, could any of the ships have left Pearl Harbor?
Is it true, as a result of Arizona, battleships were unloaded at port, then loaded from a supply ship after leaving dock? This to prevent another catastrophic event. How long does loading take? Can you do a video on how to unload, and reload a ship? At port or underway.
Ships are traditionally loaded and unloaded when leaving and entering port because who wants a powder keg that close to a city or whatever. Generally the process is pretty simple, there are hatches in the deck that form a trunk and its lifted down or back up through the hatches with a crane.
Staccato presentation, smooth it out for better reception. Good info though!
(ex USN instructor)
"30 knots no smoke, 31 knots no fantail" - anecdotal saying from an ex USS Bainbridge sailor I worked with. :D
And while I am critical on style, accolades for putting this presentation together! {I was never a "curriculum standards" guy} ... though I did have my run-ins with CSCO.
How did they keep ammo supplied to the upper AA? I’ve seen some of the placements on the Texas, and it looks like someone did a lot of climbing.
I've wondered the same thing
How about Battleship New Jersey vs. PT-109..?!
So we see in the Nevada class both twin and triple gun turrets. Why didn't they just simply go all triple? We did they go back to twin turrets in the Colorado Class when introduced the 16 inch guns?
easy answer - weight
Outstanding video
Just seen the divers going down. Not a job I'd want seeing fellow sailers in there. Plenty of Jim Beam for that job. Ryan I can tell you feel the pain. You are a decent guy.
I believe the USA Forces were referred to as the 6th Battle Squadron.
good video , great info
Well... in fact the 30 year design gap it is very important, yes, but to be fair by 1920's there were already some designs pretty close to Iowas. Specifically talking the IJN Nagato class was a battleship designed in late 1910s and completed at the begining of 1920s that had been an allied ship, it might have survived the war and up until the 50's like many battleships did.
USNavy Standard design battleships, despite how well protected they were and how massive broadside they had, weren't as flexible as other nation's designs like the Japanese Ise, Nagato or British Queen Elizabeth.
By the end of WW2 the faster battleship was the less obsolete, in that regard, even the Italian Andrea Doria class, despite being less armored and having lesser guns, were more suitable for the postwar requirements
Is there any ordinance left for the 16” guns?
The navy had a very large storehouse with at least 15,000 rounds stored in it. They were looking for a company to dismantle the rounds as late as 2016. I'm not sure if that has progressed at all.
Suggestions
The six Tillman maximum battleship designs
You could do it as one video or several
The Tillman IV-2 comparison video is the one I would most want to see but all six would be interesting
I’d love to hear of DE-415, Sammy B
What about the USS Iowa in San Pedro , CA Mary Babiec
Heres an episode about our sister Iowa
ua-cam.com/video/QADg9svj5Co/v-deo.html
*Ryan gulping as he begins this video* "The Arizona fans are going to come after me."
The Iowa's was belt was inclined inwards
Giving it a practical thickness of 18 in
no it had an effective thickness of just under 15 inches not 18
i have been trying for a long time to find out what happened to uss arizona bb39's forward tripod mast after it was removed during salvage ops after the dec 7th 41 attack does it still exist perhaps lying somewhere overgrown by foliage or some other fate noone has ever been able to answer this satisfactory with definite proof the last footage i have seen of it was on a barge heading somewhere where was this barge heading to this tripod mast blackened and leaning foreward is perhaps the most reckognizable object of the second world war if it still exist it needs to be located and preserved it would be a most sacred piece of us navy history so im asking battleship new jersey to help me find the answer definitively the disposition of uss arizona's forward and after tripod masts thank you
Since you did a comparison with Arizona, how about the Texas?