Can Battleship NJ Still Move Under Her Own Power?
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- Опубліковано 9 чер 2024
- This episode is a close look at the battleship engines.
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I am a licensed USCG Engineer, near 70 years old. One of the steamboats I was on was built during WW2, (the SS Green Forest). The very high steam pressure and temperatures that are on the main steam lines would at a minimum require many hp gaskets to be replaced after sitting for so many years. And you would need an experienced er crew that knew how to startup, and operate 8 boilers simultaneously 24/7. That said, the US Navy should keep at least one of these mighty steamships running, and moving on goodwill tours.
I wish I knew you I bet you have some awesome stories. Im a volunteer radio operator on the USS cod and 52 years old. That whole era facinates me. Your generation had a purpose. mine.. not so much.. my 25 year old kids.. ehhhh... their world seems even worse. (as far as being boring.. Undoubtedly we live in very very safe times where we all are getting REALLY soft)
Very big battleships are probably useless in today’s era of sea skimming missiles and carriers with supersonic aircraft and extremely destructive weapons. A large number of smaller ships is (more) defendable.
And this is the problem today, you should be teaching younger peaople your skills and knowledge ,people like you should be paid lots of money to share the knowlege to those who can continue to preserve these fine ships ,I'm sure that these old Battleships when fitted with new radars ,guns etc could still show their power
Sitting still is expensive enough. Maintaining it to movable level would be real expensive. Would be cool though
big battleships became obsolete the moment the world began focusing on aircraft carriers instead of the bulky monsters
I think there's really small print that allows them to reactivate the ships if the world is about to be destroyed by aliens. (I know Ryan hates that movie, but the battle scene is SO cool, especially the actual veterans manning their stations.)
The movie REALLY wasn't that bad IF you turned your brain off and watched it as a total popcorn-action-flick. C'mon Ryan! That scene with Thunderstruck was AWESOME. 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸
OR Godzilla 😮
@@TheTransporter007I love when the big dude throws over a vending machine for no apparent reason 😆 it looks so epic and it's set to AC/DC but I've watched it a dozen times and I can't find any discernible NEED for him to have destroyed a vending machine, it doesn't appear to have been blocking anything, wonder if he was just super amped up
@@cleverusername9369 it was blocking a door, but you are right that he didn't need to destroy it
Silly movie, but the.... scenery was stunning.
I found your channel because my husband was a sailor on the battleship New Jersey in the late 80's, he died two years ago, but he loved his ship so much that he had it tattooed on his right arm. Timothy always wanted to take me to see his boat and I followed the news about it, which continues to reach what was his email account, so I found the news of this event that I would like to be able to go and witness. I wish you the best, thank you for preserving this wonderful piece of history of the country that my husband served and loved.
I feel honored to have been on the New Jerseys last West Pac deployment and to have seen her fire her 16 inch cannons from a mile away. BM2 Cox USS Wabash AOR-5 1984-88
I was on an LST out of SD and was privileged to see the New Jersey, off the coast of San Clemente.
I landed my CH-46D on New Jersey during RIMPAC 88. We had to orbit aft of her while she fired her main battery. What a sight! One of the high points of my time as a CH-46 pilot.
@@philsalvatore3902 How bad did it rattle the bird? Our ship got hit pretty hard from the percussion, was truly something I'll never forget.
@@Blaze_1961 We stayed far enough away that we didn't feel any concussion. Still an impressive sight and one of those things you never forget.
The people who know how to operate the ship are now 50 years old or older. When New Jersey was last returned to service there was a call for sailors who served on the ship during Vietnam and Korea. Institutional knowledge, the stuff that isn't in the instructions, is disappearing fast.
I don't even think Ryan was even born yet the last time the ship steamed under her own power.
Would figure since they had that happen the first time already they’d be prepared and have records on what to do and all that.. idk id kinda figure they do right?
More like 60.
@@roaklin As far as I know, the last combat operation for an Iowa class ship was Operation Desert Storm, 32 years ago. The younger sailors would still be in their 50s, but many of the officers and POs would be in their 60s.
Not really….the crew that served on her during the 1990s is still around and they would still have the knowledge and skills to operate her and get her back into fighting trim
Has the navy expressed interest in inspecting the ship while in drydock? New Jersey could be a good test subject to see what mothballing work has been successful over the last 30 years, and apply that to ships in the active fleet going into mothballs in the future.
Interesting question!
I think there's a video here somewhere that explains there's a Navy guy that can come around to inspect the ship to verify compliance with the contract. I think most of the time they're just observing whether the museum is keeping it looking respectable. I suspect NAVSEA will ask to have a look in dry dock or the museum will offer it up to them just out of curiosity. Or maybe NAVSEA will just ask for the report afterwards.
Actually, it could be seen with the Texas. It's been noted and videoed by multiple sources. Apart of it was to show the public what was being done. The biggest part was to show the problem areas and what needs to be done to fix the issues plus the cost of which.
Being how the New Jersey could be taken over by the Navy, they do have a direct interest in preserving the battleship. They might tell them what they can do. They may be there. They could stay back and watch videos that Ryan creates.
Furthermore, the dry dock will probably be the same one as used for commissioned warships. They are also within driving distance from Washington DC and the Pentagon. In short, it would be very easy without any inconvenience for Naval officials to check on the New Jersey in dry dock.
Navy never lets anything go a 100%, I remember when people first started pulling old ww2 planes out of lake Michigan, they had to give them up because they hadn’t been stricken from the navy’s inventory and they came looking for them. Maybe it’s different now, or the navy just wanted to make sure there wasn’t a death involved with the crash.
I imagine the navy will have some kind of presence with the event, as to what capacity I don't know. Could be a simple routine NAVSEA inspection or a crew visit from SSN796 USS New Jersey. To the core of what you are asking possible but I doubt the navy wants to spend resources on that. Realistically, I could see the navy requesting copies of any data the museum collects or asking them to collect data on certain things. Another reply brings up a point that the crew for Battleship Texas may be able to offer insight. Texas has been high and dry for around a year plus and hadn't been in dry dock for about the same time as NJ.
That was a GREAT talk!!! 👍 Thank you!
I was an engineer on nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and served on the GW during Operation Southern Watch. I really enjoy any solid Navy-related nostalgia! These “museum ships” have such purpose that it truly cannot be understated! I will never forget the very first time that I got to tour the USS Intrepid in NYC when I was a young boy. I also still remember that day maybe a decade-or-so later when I got my first orders to a carrier and “went up” to just look around and appreciate it! I was on the catwalk and in awe thinking “Wow! Now, I made it!” 😊
There are certain people that will simply be sailors for life as you just can’t take the Navy out of them. 25 years after my honorable discharge, I still talk about it as if it was yesterday. Much of that awe was instilled in me during that tour of the Intrepid. These ships help bring the next generation of sailors and officers into the Navy as those destined to serve will ‘simply know’ the day they board their first naval vessel.
Anywho, that was a fun trip down memory lane! I will definitely be tuning-in for more. I am a 100% [VA Certified] Disabled Vet, so getting to see her in person is no longer so easy for me even though I live only about an hour away. I will also try to make a donation because I am truly passionate about your cause! That said, you are very knowledgeable, did you have the opportunity to serve as a sailor or officer as well? I’m just curious, but you have my utmost respect either way! 🇺🇸🫡
*Update:* I made a $50 donation. Happy New Year! 👍
I was a Gunners Mate on the USS Missouri BB63 center gun turret two . You guys are doing a great job . we were both docked at long beach great times.
C’mon! In the movie Battleship they had the Mighty Mo fired up and underway in just a few minutes, can’t be that hard!
Movie magic makes things look more easier than it actually is.
Movie magic makes things look more easier than it actually is.
Movie magic makes things look more easier than it actually is.
Movie magic makes things look more easier than it actually is.
Movie magic makes things look more easier than it actually is.
Even if it is not disabled, Ryan had shown us how the museum had substituted parts of the steam plant with similar in appearance but not rated as the replaced parts. So in short, it is very dangerous to operate the steam plant. Even if the Navy re-acquires it, since the ship was discommissioned before the implementation of Level 1 requirements for high pressure steam plants, it will be a huge challenge to make it Level 1 compliant.
Nothing a few billion Dollars can’t fix. It would be seriously expensive but the hardest part would be trying to get qualified crewmen
which parts did the museum replace?
If the ship is ever being brought back into service, they would probably replace the power plant with a modern system and just leave the weakness in the armor deck
I expect the NJ museum has kept good records of all repair/maint/changes that are different from when BB62 was in service or would need to be reworked to make her operational again. We have seen several of those things in earlier videos, but there are probably lots more records...
It may even be worth creating a "Reactivation Checklist File" with a collection of things that would need to be fixed in each area before NJ could be ready to go active again.
While it is not likely to happen... it could be a useful mental exercise... and help prioritize the maint/upkeep of the ship as a museum. I think that many visitors to the ship (both online and in person) would find it interesting to read through those logs/docs/notes just to understand more about the ship.
It could also help toward donations, if people and companies see the level of effort and cost required to maintain NJ.
Ryan has even mentioned documents left by ships crew near decommissioning, which describe things that would need attention if NJ was brought back into service.
Computer notes could be sorted/categorized in many ways, with info about:
○ Location within ship
○ Level of importance/severity
○ Category: electrical, navigation, propulsion, seaworthiness, hull, on-deck, environmental, museum, communications, crew support, galley, leaks, drydock, painting, welding, structural, cosmetic, dozens more.
( maint items could fit multi categories)
○ time frame needing attention
○ estimated level of cost
○ est time for repair
○ general notes, thoughts, concerns
○ possible issues if not fixed
○ item for USN/activation only, or museum/maint
○ any related docs or photos
○ earlier work history / future plans
○ tools/materials/equipment needed
○ status: planned, deferred, completed, USN only, in progress, not approved, too costly, waiting approval, etc.
○ Date first noted, last checked, next review, last work
○ work by: volunteers, staff, contractor, drydock, etc
○ contact ID for item/task/issue (internal view only for details)
○
Some of this could be stored/avail on computer... but to start, it could simply be a few extra file cabinet drawers that collect an extra copy of notes for known maint/repair issues found during museum operations, that could pertain to reactivation as well.
@@danielharnden516 I don't think there are any qualified crewmen in service still. You would be trying to teach an entire new generation old systems.
Here in San Francisco, SS Jeremiah O'Brian is billed as a functional liberty ship. Other WWII boats like the USS Pampanito and USS Hornet overlook the SF bay, but SS O'Brian can actually sail under her own steam, and that is very impressive.
Here is an interesting point. Every summer the USS Constitution goes out on her turn around cruise and for a brief time sails under her own power. The USS Constitution first sailed 225 years ago.
The SS Jeremiah O’Brian is a very impressive ship! I was aboard her when she visited Vancouver many years ago. The triple expansion steam engine is impressive although even when the ship was new the engine technology was obsolete, but was easy and reliable to operate. Well worth visiting this historic vessel if you ever have the chance!
SHips, not boats.
@@chrisaustin9949 is sailing under "her own power" thoug? :) wish the victory would be able to sail too like the constitution
@@chrisaustin9949The constitution sailed under her own sail just once since she had her massive reconstruction in 2012 I believe. They had 4 sails they used, and it went on for 15 min maybe. A very short time. All her other turn arounds and sailings are done under tug power as the ship is far too valuable to run the chance of breaking a mast or other such issue.
1982 west of Hawaii, I was a radarman on board USS Fox CG-33 we had become one of her MANY sisterships and were meeting her for the first time. Someone on the other side of CIC yelled out "max out your range." I didn't ask why, just did it. 25 miles was normal range on SPS 40. At about FORTY MILES there was a HUGE thick return. Never seen anything paint like that. I got some one to sit on my scope and went to the signal bridge to watch. Scary big. I wish all the flat-earthers could have seen its approach. First mast, then superstructure, then MORE superstructure, then MORE! By the time it got within 12miles (horizon) it looked impossibility close. Our little 440ft aluminum guided missle cruiser was like a TOY compared to her majesty. Got goosebumps thinking about it. Was an honor being air picket for her
I served on USS Ranger CV-61 from 1980 to 1984 and she had a steam plant similar too, though more advanced, then New Jersey's. After 30 years, I can't imagine that ANY of the gaskets for any of the joints or valves are still good. There are hundreds of thousands of these seals and I think ALL of them would have to be replaced. That said, the Navy still operates a few steam powered ships. 6 of the remaining Wasp class LHD's are still in service and are powered by steam plants similar to New Jersey's. So, the knowledge at least, is still there.
My cousin is on one of those Wasp class LHDs.
I expect that is a big part of what he meant when he said it would take a year and several billion dollars. They would have to start at the bow, and head back replacing tons of items. A person would have to expect nothing working as designed for a ship under way, not the lights, not the plumbing, nothing.
All of the nuclear vessels are actually steam powered. That's what a nuclear reactor does, it makes steam.
@@darrenhersey9794 Except wiring to a degree can be assumed to be working as it is in use by the museum now, along with plumbing to a degree.
@@shelbyseelbach9568 True, but the systems are vastly different from each other. Instead of a series of boilers, there is the reactor. It's the people with boiler knowledge that is scarce. The reactors are computer controlled, boilers, all done by hand.
I really cant stress this enough. The audio quality has really gone up on the videos' in the last 18 months. And that makes the channel a heck of a lot more enjoyable to watch.
Thanks for continuing updates. I have followed along while in the hospital and other facilities from September 17 to February 8th due to ill health and started back up a few says ago.
I'm honored that my family and I were able to visit such a legendary battleship a few years ago before being restored again..
Been here since the pandemic and just fell in love with this ship and your dedication to it Ryan.
Me too! Makes me yearn for the time when Canada had the fourth largest navy in the world, right up there with the US, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union.
What pandemic?
@@pain_weaver what pandemic? Where have you been under a rock?
@@rudycarlson8245 no. I lived in reality
You've been in UA-cam comments since the pandemic? Scary!
You can tell ryan is ment to be in the muesum business because imagine working hour after hour getting the same question from kids who dont know and getting excited that they are curious... i can totalllllly see ryan doing that. 😊 love the channel and love Big J !
You have the coolest freaking job ever, this summer I want to come see the battleship and meet you, you’re a personal hero in the sense that you are so committed and so devoted to the care of this beautiful ship. It means so much to so many service members.
My dad served on a battleship (USS Maryland, BB46), so I am curious about Battleships. I totally understand everything said on this segment. I know that the Maryland was an older ship, but I still love learning new things about theses ships.
Been around since the beginning. Had a number friends who served on her in a number of her deployments. She is an elegant ship.
I landed on the deck of Jersey back in 1983-84 on mail runs etc when serving in Beirut Lebanon. It was an overwhelming experience to walk her decks as a CH-53 crew member. At night we watched her fire her guns towards Lebanon from the deck of the USS Guam. It was like having a big brother looking out for you prowling the Mediterranean Sea. Enjoyed the video feel really old now.
@@BartMullin I was stationed on the Guam in the late 80s, early 90s.
I grew up in East Texas, and I have ALWAYS been a fan of USS Texas, also presently in dry dock. I actually was looking for Texas on UA-cam when it offered me your videos on New Jersey. Ryan, your videos are AWESOME!! I have learned SO MUCH about museum ship operations, and about the Iowa Class boats from you!! THANK YOU for your love of your boat, and for sharing her with us in such an in-depth way!!
Isn't the USS Texas the "Last Dreadnought"? If that's the case, then she's at least as cool as NJ just on titles alone.
Hello I am 65 yrs old and the New Jersey was always my favorite ship , I'm glad to see that she is in dry doc and you guys are preserving this mity ship.
Going through the area where all are moth balled the have Hugh lights show caseing them. Thank you for offering history to the younger generation
I toured the Wisconsin in Norfolk two times. They walked us through the entire engineering section describing what it took just to keep things going. It was very labor intensive.
I remember when my friends and I found this channel. We would chuckle because you looked like a deer in the headlights. You have grown so much. We all are so proud of you and the New Jersey she is a National Treasure.
We have all to thank Ryan, Libby, and the HQ at Battleship New Jersey for being willing to think outside of the "Ship" and go full speed ahead when the pandemic hit. That bold move is paying huge dividends now.
Probably like you would look Isabelle trying to change a flat tire.....
I was born and raised in Bremerton . 1957 to 1980 . We would always go on and see the Missouri when it was open to the public . The NJ was right next to it but not open . I remember #63 and #62 next to each other .
Watching the first BNJ videos to now has probably the best character arc known to video history.
Ryan's confidence to speak on camera.
Found the Channel back when I was binge watching drachs videos. As a Canadian, coming down and seeing an Iowa class as well as the Texas is on my bucket list.
Come down and see the USS Alabama! Got to see the big three generations of BB's, amazing to see how they changed over time
I found your channel by way of the algorithm gods. I can binge watch this channel for hours. I really love the insight, interesting details and history that Ryan provides as well the way he talks about it. Absolutely awesome.
Reactivating the Iowas is such a fun thought experiment and I love these ships, but I don't want to stand under a WWII pipe with 600 psi steam in it
Theoretically it can be pretty safe, there are a couple WWII ships that still sail under their own power. The Jeremiah O' Brian has a triple-expansion steam engine that is still used pretty regularly. It's probably not under as much pressure, but for how cheaply and quickly it was built the fact that it's safe to use 80 years later is impressive.
@@MrJedi5150 Oh that's great to hear! I toured the Star of India several years ago, she didn't strike me as a very functional ship at the time. I love when museum ships keep some functionality, like when CVs use their actual elevators to move planes. The Hornet is a great example of a surprisingly functional ship too.
Lol, the safety factor at 600 is pretty safe. You'd be amazed at how much work *old* equipment is still doing.
Those pipes are better steel and the construction is BETTER than anything made today. This lady was made when America was an industrial GIANT and had men who knew how to make things to last.
The number of sailors in engineering department mention makes me want a video breaking down how many of the ship's crew were in X category of position. Services (like food prep, print shop, barber, dentist, doctor, broadcasting,), gunnery, engineering, etc.
One thing you can do to satisfy most of that curiosity is look for the various Cruise Books for various ships. They usually have a section with "team photos" of the various departments aboard the ship. Most are available online. I was able to find my uncle aboard USS Kittyhawk from the early 60s and what his division was.
Engineering, Guns, and Deck Divisions were some of the larger divisions simply because of the amount of work and equipment thise divisions owned. I was a Boiler Tech on NJ, 89-decom, and am pretty sure we had one of, if not the largest division. I don't recall the total number of engineering personnel, but it was a lot.
I don't know the crew requirements, but I know the most >important< person at any Navy command that I served... was the Boss Man in charge of the Mess Specialists, beyond any doubt.
My belly told me that once, I listened. Having done my underway time on a little Knox Class Frigate, I'd like to know the crew breakdown too.
@@geoffboston9740 My favorite mess was at Party Town (FLEASWTRACENPAC) in San Diego. I took a boatload of schools there, loved it! Base mess top notch, and BEQ geedunk parlor beyond imagination, 20 or so pool and two Snooker tables. I almost lived in that lounge during schools.
I watched this ol girl come up the Delaware in 2000 off the coast of Cape May on my father’s boat a memory that’ll stick with me forever
I was on the USS Forrestal in 71. After a Med. cruise we went into dry dock for a propeller shaft repair.
Would be cool to see these floating fortresses move under their own power, plowing through the ocean once again to show the world their might. Would be heck expensive and take a dedicated steam team to get everything running again.
Dedicated team to train engineers, and a new set of props...
In an age of anti ship missiles, I don’t think a battleship would carry the same show of force they did in the past. They’re simply outranged by everything.
It makes me sad. I’d still like to see one plowing through the sea though. Supercarriers just aren’t the same.
@@Jack-Tactical "In the age of anti-ship missiles"
TBF Avenger, Nakajima B5N, and Fairey Swordfish have entered the chat...
The Ford class do that with unrivaled power.
@@dukeofgibbon4043 the Ford class doesn't have very much direct firepower at its disposal, but it sure can launch far more thunder, fire and brimstone upon an old battlewagon, while the battlewagon's still trying to maneuver into gunnery range.
Congrats on hitting the 200k sub mark. I can imagine your top ten questions or top 100 even can be quite repetitive after a while, so bravo for keeping your enthusiasm to the brim so you can educate and share your knowledge with everyone that takes the time to visit the ship or this channel. Merry Christmas to you and all the staff!
My grandfather who I never met served in the Navy during world war II. My dad being from New Jersey ,Love the New Jersey and had the license plate on his car. He passed away from cancer but we got to see the ship one time together. I found your channel because it was in my news. One time I got a book from the library. It was all about the battleship New Jersey. For art class I painted a picture of it .😊
I've been subscribed for about two years. UA-cam algo recommended you. Love your channel. History is so important.
I went to the Wisconsin last year in Virginia and they told us she has the exact same preservative oil and grease in her engines as well, as well as in other parts of the ship. They also told us if any of the Iowas were to be recommissioned, it would most likely be the Whiskey. She's the youngest of the Iowas and it was also the main reason when she's birthed in Norfolk.
The Whisky is also the least used of the Iowa’s with New Jersey being the most as she got recommissioned for the Korea and Vietnam wars.
@@tomnewham1269yeah but Mighty Mo comes with a deadly cook!
@@tomnewham1269 Whiskey was in Korea as well. It's where the famous "Temper Temper" incident happened.
I went aboard her 3 times she the biggest battleship by 11 inches bow of the uss kentucky
@@Kitchevoryback lol.... don't want to upset commander krill😂😂
I saw it in a movie. the ship is stored fully armed and fueled and can get underway in about twenty minutes with a crew of about ten guys.
Do you remember the movie?
@@andrewluitjens2227 Battleship... Was a very awesome group of guys.
More like 75 guys@@indianadave8881
and don't tell me you weren't standing up screaming FUCK YEAH when the music hit
Thanks for the vlog. I was on board her in the late 80s during an exercise at Long Beach and was treated to lunch and a tour. My dad had sailed on her TDY in 1956 when we followed him to Cuba. I have also been on the Iowa. A once pridefull thing that our country build such a ship.
USS TEXAS is in Dyson now. So great to see these old Battlewagons being preserved. I was on IOWA in the late 80’s and these gals are special. Thank you for your channel.
I have been watching you for a long while because I have been watching Battleship Texas. I used to live a few miles from Battleship Texas so it has a special place in my heart for her since I used to see her every day. But your videos about Battleship New Jersey has been educational. Keep up the great work.
Hi and Congratulations on passing 200k 🎉!!! It’s been great watching the group grow, no matter how. I try to watch every single day at 7pm. I don’t really post, but I have learned a lot.
Thanks for everything,
AdamB
You are one of my favorite curators of ALL TiME!
The algorithm is the reason I found you channel. This was quite some time ago. Thank you for the interesting info/videos!
BMCS here. Your video is so good that I subscribed. You are totally correct in regards to what you stated. Really great that you referenced that it is impossible to cut openings in the sides or the main deck to remove the power train. The boilers etc are overhauled in place. It sounds bad but the Iowa Class battleships are very "roomy" compared to other classes.
I am a new subscriber (less than 1 month) I enjoy this channel because 1. Highly informative and speaking from sources of authority, i.e. BS free 2. The presentor has good charisma and is not afraid to say "this is my personal opinion" while on the organizations official channel. This makes him a real person to us. 3. Exclusive or rare footage I have never seen. 4. The channel is about USS New Jersey but its really about so much more, while never being clickbait. That is an intangible quality which is uncommon on youtube. 5. All of these things shows we the audience that the youtube channel cares about the content. That is not common on youtube either.
Came across the channel last year and have been following ever since. Following from Hamilton, New Zealand
I have played about with a couple of guns from HMS Hood and also toured HMS Belfast and this gives a little appreciation for the engineering and durability that goes into something as substantial as a battleship. It is wonderful that you are preserving her and although it would be marvellous to see her under her own steam again, it seems like it will never happen. :(
Gave me chuckle you did Ryan. All the problems to be solved before just lighting one boiler would need a dry dock. Even recalled an episode statement to the effect that after down pressure and drainage your fuel supply system now leaks from one end to the other at every single joint and connection. And I’m sure we all agree that as wonderful and awe inspiring as it would be for the old girls to steam and charge forth once more I’m honestly too terrified to conceive of the real world issues we would be ongoing to cause the Navy to activate that particular clause/ship. Good luck with the dry dock maintenance/ anode swap et al.
Huge congrats on 200k! Well-deserved with all the fantastic information you have provided in these videos. Side note, 2 billion reactivation would be money well spent if you ask me. ;)
I'm a huge fan of this channel. Greetings from Brazil !!
I'm so thankful that we have good people working together trying to preserve a beautiful ship and keeping the history alive. Thanks to everyone involved helping with keeping battleship nj preserved
I read that all available parts for engine repair had been used up by the time of decomissioning, even including parts scavenged from Essex class museum carriers. So I'd guess that a big part of that recommissioning cost would be having any needed parts custom made.
The US Merchant Marina Academy at Kings Point, NY still teaches its students the engineering of running and operating steam turbine engines. Across the river from the New Jersey is the SS United States, also when built had similar Iowa Class steam turbine engines installed. The SSUS may have been built in 1952, but she is still the fastest ship in the world, overly built and superior to any passenger ship built today. A few years ago I was at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis and discovered the SSUS is still taught as the ideal vessel to strive for in construction as performance. Until the 1990's her top speed was still classified, 40 kts or 48 mph. BTW, the SSUS was built with two separate engine rooms so one could be hit with a torpedo and the ship still run via the second room. Has 7 water tight compartments, cruseships today have 3. Save the SSUS.
That’s great information. However, there’s no comparison between book learning how a 1200 psi/875 degree Westinghouse boiler works, and actually lighting one off and operating 3 of them in parallel.
Amazing channel. I found you during COVID and it has been a fascinating journey.
Love these drydock updates, keep them coming!
I assumed that she couldn't move under her own power anymore, but I had no idea the ship was kept in a state so that she could be reactivated (given enough money and time). Great video!
What a colossal waste of money and effort that would be. Battleships are entirely obsolete in the era of guided missiles, it would be like bringing a bow and arrow to a modern gunfight.
I think there's a subtle distinction between "kept in a state so that she could be reactivated (given enough money and time)" and taking (and keeping in place) measures to minimize the chances of her falling into a state where she can NEVER (under reasonable circumstances) be reactivated.
Bottom line: she'll never steam again - but let's keep the kit in the best possible state - just in case we ever have to try.
@@rubiconnn No, more like bringing an M-1 Garand to a modern gunfight. There aren't many guided missile batteries that can deliver up to three 2700 pound warheads per minute on a target up to 32 miles away, but the 16"-50 guns can. Besides, the battleships aren't limited to the original AA weapons; they can be refitted with the CIWS, interceptor missiles or even anti-aircraft/anti-missile lasers as those become available.
All the same, the time and money cost of returning the Iowas to service should be compared with the construction of a nuclear-powered heavy railgun and missile launch platform designed from the start with modern defensive systems.
Guided missiles haven't made old weapons less deadly, nor do they necessarily make their defense impossible. When the captain of the USS Missouri was asked before deployment to the impending Gulf War if he was worried about Saddam Hussein's anti-ship missiles such as the Exocet, he replied that he was very concerned that they might scratch the paint.
@@paulbade3566Your average anti-ship missile has a range of hundreds or even thousands of miles. There's a very high chance of a missile hitting it's target on the first shot. Guns are only really useful for firing at close range targets that would be wasteful to fire a missile at like small boats.
@@rubiconnn The Exocet's maximum range is 70 km (about 43 miles). That's an average anti-ship missile of the 1990s. The Harpoon missile has a range of 90 - 248 km (54 - 154 miles), depending on the variant. The Chinese would like to say they have a land-based anti-ship missile with a 1000 mile range, but apparently the ones they have use nuclear warheads because they aren't trusted to get through defenses and hit accurately.
The big guns on the Iowa-class battleships were designed to batter through the heavy armor of other battleships such as the Yamato, or to smash gun emplacements and bunkers on land. For example, a 16" AP shell can penetrate up to 23' of reinforced concrete, or 2' of armor at a range of 15,000 yards (over 13 miles). They can go as far as 38 miles. There's no point in wasting one of those on a "small boat" when a 5' secondary battery gun is quite capable of blowing those out of the water.
During the Vietnam war, the New Jersey could rapidly construct a helicopter landing zone in the jungle by firing a single HE shell at the desired landing site. It would clear out the trees and enemy forces in a 150' diameter space. That was quite useful for rescuing downed aircrew within 30 miles of the coast.
I can attest to watching the New Jersey steaming up the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon for Rose Festival 1990. She tied up at Swan Island rather than the sea wall because she was too big. As she was steaming up the river, the Marine color guard flew the colors atop turret 2. Rose Festival is in June. It was announced in the media that after leaving Portland, she was heading to mothballs.
I remember a rainy June day in 1990 when I loaded my family into our 21 foot Rynell so we could cruise up the Williamette and view The New Jersey from the water. There were so many boats on the water with the same idea, creating a continuous turmoil of crisscrossing boat wakes. As a result, my whole boat load got seasick! Rather that run the gauntlet back down stream to the moorage, I let all the family disembark at a floating restaurant at the Portland seawall while I drove the boat home and returned with the family car. BUT REGARDLESS it was a truly inspiring sight to see New Jersey in all her glory during one of her final days of active service!
Sailed on the New Jersey summer of 1983! Conned her during unrep, and during a firing practice in the South China Sea! Amazing ship! A little sluggish, but she will move once she gets going!!
I was serving on the NJ from 1988-1991, 1st deck division, and pounder room of number 1 gun turret. I also the last enlisted crew member that get released from active duty on board the ship Feb 8, 1991. Love the old girl she always have a place in my heart.
A good example of this problem would have been with Battlecruiser Hood, if she had not been sunk, the British would have ripped her open to replace the 24 Yarrow Small Tube Boilers and Curtis-Brown Geared Steam Turbines in her planned reconstruction cause they have armour around them along with the superstructure
Yeah, the Navy actually had proposals to replace the steam turbines with gas turbines, so it could be done. It would just be a gigantic PITA. The armor could be unbolted without being cut through, or the Navy really could just cut straight through the triple bottom, since that would just have to be re-welded.
Hood was supposed to get new deck armor anyways due to plunging fire being a greater threat than it had been when she was built. So opening up the deck wouldn’t have been as much of an issue.
*If
For the battleships that were scrapped, they literally had to cut into the armoured sections anyways. Sure, it'd be one bitch of a job, but it's more than possible to do. It's just easier on aircraft carriers, because the decks are much thinner.
@@Jack-Tactical yeah but thanks to all her gunboat diplomat operations, her engines were pretty much worn out and on their last legs quite literally in the case of her boilers
Found your channel via a YT recommendation (I search alot of WWII stuff). I'm going start a new conspiracy theory: The Navy is going to come in half-way thru the drydock, take over and recommission the ship!
I was a Gunners Mate on the USS New Jersey and USS Missouri BB63 gun turret two.
Been here since the pandemic and have gone thru most of the videos. I think I found it because I looked up stuff about the Zumwalt's guns and the algorithm sent me to you. Congrats on 200k!
Has there ever been a time during the ship's museum years where the government came and said "Hey, given current world events, there is a slight possibility we may need to put her back in service, do this and this to help get things ready just in case and we'll let you know" only for nothing to ever actually happen?
I think a point missed here also is since the boilers have not been fired in over 30 years the pressure vessels would have to go through a vast amount of NDT testing including wall thickness testing and possibly some type of pressure testing on the system, There most certainly be PRV's that would need to be tested, Also with the turbines, gear reducers and even generators no matter how much preservative that was used been used if the rotating elements have not been turned routinely there is a vary good chances that the bearings are damaged form sitting
Exactly. There are parts of the steam plant that are close to 80 years old and no maintenance related to keeping the engines working for over 30 years. I am no expert, but I would be quite leery of getting the pressure up to 600 psi, even after testing (I suppose you could try to do imagine on everything on the engines, but it might be faster just to make a copy of the ship). I suppose that a few hundred psi might be safe, but how much speed would that get you? Could you spin the generators fast enough to provide sufficient electrical power to run the ship with reduced steam pressure? I suppose that would be a good question for Ryan and crew to dig into: What is the power output per turbo generator at a given input psi? How much steam pressure is required to run the ship? Could you even function on reduced steam pressure, and if so, what would the lower limit be? These are the questions we want to know. We've watched videos on floor tiles and wanted even more information on them, so I would think at least a few of us would be interested in the power curves of the generators. 😅
Don't forget about all the steam piping that might need to be replaced.
@@lonnyyoung4285 Even making a copy of the ship is not an easy task, think about a few things.
Plant: There are manufacturers who make plant for large ships today, hell with a BB you have a good case for going Nuclear, so that is not so much of an issue.
Guns: Show me a factory these days that builds 16 inch barrels or gun breeches. The guns on a Battleship are long lead items, which means you really want them on order BEFORE you lay the keel as the things take years to make even if you already have the factories and skilled workforce needed to manufacture them. You would also need to rebuild new facilities, an armoury capable of building large calibre Naval Rifles is a VERY specialised plant, and none exist today....
Armour: How many steel mills these days can make 12 - 16 inch face hardened steel armour plate in the kinds of sizes needed for building a battleship? I am willing to bet none, though unlike the Guns there are actually steel mills LARGE enough to be able to do so. Even so they would need to retool somewhat, and train skilled workers to be able to start the manufacture.
The problem with simply building a new Battleship is virtually none of the infrastructure required for critical parts of that ship (especially the guns and armour) simply do not exist any more, let alone the skilled workforce required not only to manufacture those items, but also to fit them to the ship. Welding 12+ inches of face hardened armour plate is NOT something any moder welders know how to do for example.....
@@alganhar1 Yes, I know. These are all things Ryan has discussed before. Also, I wasn't arguing for a new ship in my comment.
The battleship has always been a favorite of mine. The USS Arizona was one of the most beautiful dreadnoughts of her time, and when the Iowa class came about, they avenged the Arizona. I would love to see these beautiful beasts prowling the oceans again along side of our carriers. What a sight that would be! ❤❤❤
I've been a fan of these big ships since I was a child Ryan my dad was both campaigns atl and pcfc in ww2 and ran the Tampa Bay ship and dry dock yard from 64 till 81 and built all the water rides at Disney world and I want to thank you for doing all you do to show the great new jersey thank you
I remember the video you did about how absolutely fragile/precise the main shaft gearing was and how it essentially needs extra security from somebody dropping anything into the gear box.
On the world break in cruise we lost a key-way into one of the main reduction gears .This was on her sister ship pretty much identical. Some one comment who was on board as the cheif enginner personally ground the damage off the main gear with a die grinder. Hats off to you Chief.
In my personal opinion, all of the battleships deserve to be functional as a sailing vessel. The weapons systems and radars and such make sense to stay offline. But her engines deserve to be able to run. Same for Texas and every other. But it’s just not in the scope of possibility. Which is heavily unfortunate. I bet the museum fleet would gain heaps of attention and visitation if they could sail from port to port for people to come visit them. We can only dream.
Alabama, North Carolina, and Massachusetts were cannibalized for parts to reactivate the Iowas in the 80s. I read about it some time ago, and I can't recall specifically what was taken, but getting any of those running is entirely out of the question.
Texas is also impossible, but for a different reason. From my understanding, there was standing water in some of the engineering section of the ship for years, and large sections were sealed off due to poor maintenance funding; there's not much left of those engines at all. The parts down there wouldn't even move if they tried. The prop shafts were also removed and sealed over entirely, as well as the other fins and extrusions on the bottom of the hull, if I remember right. Then there's also the big obvious one, the rudder.
I'm not sure if any of that work was done to the others, ai haven't looked into it. A lot of time and money could get the Iowas running again, but yeah, it's definitely past the realm of reality for the others.
As nice as it would be, it can only be a dream, i'm not a mechanic but even if they were able to reactivate the engines and sail the ship around, they would need fuel, maintenance, spare parts should something break, and probably the most expensive part, people to actually do the work, because as cool as it would be i doubt you'll find people willing to volunteer weeks if not months of their time sailing this thing port to port.
All battleships, including the IOWA class, are very obsolete. Even with new electronics and radar. Sorry, as impressive as they are, they're from a bygone era.
Yeah, no. having one, let alone all of them would be 110% impossible, and unreasonable. The running costs alone would sink any of the museums in under half a year for one of these. Even at a slow 20knt the ship would eat 4k gallons of fuel in an hour!!! It's not feasible nor really all that useful to have these ships able to sail under their own power.
So either keep them as is now, or let them rust with all the water ingress from opened portholes since no one is going to actually sail one of these even if the engines were brought back to working order by some magic.
@@Topnikkothe Iowas aren’t completely obsolete. They are still heavily fortified ships capable of shore bombardment and could be armed with anti ship missiles. But you are right, as long as there isn’t a catastrophic event so big that every ship available in any way is useful, they aren’t going to see service again.
So fascinating. Ryan- your cover to cover knowledge of the Iowa Class Battleships never ceases to amaze me. I was not in the military, but my dad was Air Force and my Grandfather was Navy. So my fascination with all things military goes back to both of them. In particular my love of the 16-inch guns. My sense about this video is that yes, technically the Navy could recommission the New Jersey or the other three if they wanted to, but in all likelihood it probably will not happen. That of course is a good thing because the amazing history of these engineering masterpieces will be preserved for generations to come.
Thanks for clearing that up. It's pretty interesting how that is all worked out.
Sounds like somebody needs to start writing some very detailed user guides! Wonderful ship.
Congrats on hitting 200k subscribers, Ryan. Honestly, I'm rather surprised the ship doesn't have more subs (no pun intended). A friend of mine, whose been to New Jersey numerous times and basically knows the ship inside and out, tells me that out of all 4, New Jersey is the most advanced. Now, I'm guessing that has to do mostly with the upgrades she got when she was recommissioned for Vietnam. Because of her recommissioning back in the Vietnam War, is it true she's the most advance of the Iowas? Also, if we were to have another capital war, which of the 4 would return IF necessary? I obviously see Wisconsin returning, given how good material condition she's in.
I mean, I would think all 4 Iowas would have been brought to the same standard in the 80s when they were all heavily modified together? Could be wrong but I see no reason they would have left three of the ships out of any useful upgrades.
@@legogenius1667 They'd be brought to a certain standard, but since they'd be done at different times, with different contractors, and suppliers, they'd all end up slightly different. That's not accounting for any last minute additions, programs, and new tech.
Dry dock brought me here. Very interesting video. Thanks!
Perhaps it is the algorithm for me cuz the Iowa-class battleships are my most fav warships of all time. Went on the Missouri a few times and she’s a beauty. I love watching videos about the beautiful ships
Will the Navy oversee the entire dry dock operation? Is everything being done in dry dock prescribed by the the Navy? Will Navy engineers be there for the dry dock operations? Thanks! I love this channel and have been watching for a long time!
When I was in the Navy I remember being told that when she was recomissioned in 1982 (after 13 years) there was no one who knew how to operate her and so they had to force a bunch of old Warrant officers out of retirement to get her running again and pass on their knowledge. If they ever tried to put her back into service they would have the same problem--only now there's probably no one left to call out of retirement.
They are definitely running out of time on that fact for sure. Cause assuming you joined the new jersey in 1990 just as she was being mustered out. Even at the ripe young age of 18 your still gonna be 52 now. Mind you those aren't the guys your looking for. You want their bosses. So probably 10-15 years older than that. A case could be made that you just need the knowledge not the man. So you can techincally get into the 80's in age and still be useful. But the fact is the man has to physically show the would be new crew how stuff is simply cause there's so much going on in such a large ship. Thats not gonna happen at 80 maybe up to 72. So sub 10 years I'd say before there's no way to bring back the iowas. If there was even a need for them.
The same happened when it was recommissioned during the Vietnam war. They brought retired WW2 sailors back to train the young guys. I saw her when she arrived at Yankee Station in 1968. I had a night watch on the bridge on the Seventh Fleet flagship PROVIDENCE. Seeing her silhouette through binoculars was memorable, even 56 years larger.
hello phil here from Kodiak.
I found you from your work on the USS United States.
keep up the great work!
thank you
Been here for years but I'm glad you are attracting new followers. I totally don't mind if you reload some older conversations for new viewers. Ryan's delivery in videos has massively improved over time and is now a professional video presenter as well as a curator and historian
Itd probably be cheaper, at this point, to go to Mars and back, than to reactivate the entire Iowa Class. Even Elon Musk, if for whatever reason decided to go ham, hed be extremely hard pressed to get one back online.
That said - ironically, Ryan *does* make a good case *For* reactivating one of the Iowas, BB62 or otherwise - the sailors that know how to do it are leaving us. On that score, it *could*, and I'd say, would, be conceivable to go through the process of reactivation of one of the Iowas for the purposes of training, updating manuals etc. In such case, its unlikely that whichever BB chosen for reactivation would actually go anywhere aside of a drydock, but it would help bring back the training needed for such task. Furthermore, the ability to record that procedure is so much better now, all of it could be documented to the finest detail.
One related note. One of the Canadian destroyers in museum status, HMCS Haida, is apparently - at least according to Drachinifel - kept in a relatively 'as close to operational as permitted' state, so if such an operation were considered, id wager that staff would be excellent to talk with.
Doubled up because UA-cam refused an edit.
If I understood correctly, the Iowa's engine plant is "permanent," removing or changing it would destroy the armor integrity/seaworthiness of the ship?
Well nothing is permanent. The larger inter-war refits involved complete replacement of powerplants: boilers, turbines, adaption of coal bunker to oil. The Condi di Cavour-class come to mind, which removed several coal-oil spray fueled boilers and replaced them with a fully oil-fired plant. The Nagato-class had a refit additions like that too.
Those are examples of incredibly expensive refits though, partially fueled by the inability to replace units with similarly capable units due to the interwar treaty-systems.
@@Tuning3434 The Kongo class was another massive rebuild.
I was commenting more specifically on the Iowas, however, your point is still valid.
Just popped up, being a resident of NJ for 60 years. Love that battleship!
The algorithm sent me here. However, I’ve visited the battleship quite a few times. Just subscribed. Keep up the great work!
Imagine the desperation of the scenario where a ship like this would need to be recalled
Imagine a great flood. She floats. Especially with all the intakes sealed.
Sniffy Joe probably wants to give it to Z-boi.
'Sir- *sniff* we gotta take the Iowas to war ;-;'
Probably not out of desperation if anything, but likely just for shore bombardment like the Missouri and Wisconsin did in 1991 in the Gulf War.
For naval combat on the otherhand...
Yeah that'd be desperation most likely.
Does the ship have specific points on the hull the tugs must push at, or is the hull pretty much thick everywhere and it doesn't matter?
It's an all or nothing design, the armour belt covers the citadel (magazines and engineering) and the bow and stern are not armoured.
In 1963 and 1964 I was assigned to 'PHIAGRUALANTRESFLT' After a year on the USS Independence CV 62.We had over 100 ships in that basin I was lucky enough to be one of our group to service DD's DE's A wooden deck carrier the USS Siboney our barracks was the USS Chandeleur Av 10. One of the proudest duties I had was to be on all three battle ships USS Jersey, USS Wisconson and the USS Iowa
I visited the ship in January with two young daughters - they had as blast as did Daddy. Thanks for a great tour - one more Iowa class to go (Wisconsin) and I'll have punched my card for all four!
Boiler operator no longer a specialty in the United States Navy. This may present a slight problem since the propulsion system is absolutely dependent via eight 600 pound boilers. I steamed the Missouri BB (63) around the world in the eighties as a young bt 3 operating her super heater burner front. I guess what i am saying is good luck with getting them fires lit and a full head of steam .
If i had a nickel for every dollar the top Navy brass wasted, misappropriated, lost, or outright embezzled...........I'd buy an Iowa class.
You could probably afford a carrier group.
Great video! Answered all my questions about her dry dock and capabilities
Well I'm not exactly a new sub. Been around for quite a few years now. I found this channel because of the absolute badass beast a battleship truly is!
The ACTUAL story: The US Navy lost her keys.
Lol
My question is; are there any ships in the world that are running the same technology as the Iowas and Dakotas? Is the skill set for operating them still used anywhere else in the world?
There is nothing different or special about the NJ engines. All of these steam turbine plant have all of the same equipment, that operates the same way.
I've operated WW2 Era merchant ships, warships, up to the last steam merchant vessels made in America, and all sorts in between.
I've gone on several merchant ships that none of the engineers knew how to start up cold. I got very good at teaching them.
I'd still be doing it, except they don't like m e smoking the ropes!😉
Thank you so much for what you do.
Love watching this channel my dad was A Gunners Mate 2 on a 5 inch 38 during Viet Nam on the New Jersey
When in drydock, what happens to the metal (if any) is removed? Can it be kept and turned into coins that the public could buy to support the NJ, and this would apply to her sister ships too. I know personally I'd be interested in purchasing a coin that came from the discarded metal from the ship.
I think Texas sells merchandise made from their removed hull plate.
I can’t speak for the New Jersey, but various museum ships sell bits of scrap metal they’ve had removed during dry dock. Texas and North Carolina are two I’m aware of
@@mistertagnan I know that New Jersey and North Carolina had to retain the sections of steel that they cut out to facilitate the tour route but are selling some parts of the ship (like New Jersey's teak decking).
I think the rules probably allow only for the sale or disposal of materials that can no longer be of any use.
Maybe in 20-30 years preservation techniques and technology will have advanced enough that some of this equipment can be put back into operation and the ship can sail under her own power without compromising her long-term preservation. It would be nice to see some 20th-century museum ships like a battleship able to operate as “working museums.”
Over 2 million gallons of fuel oil - raise the credit card limit.
My father in law served on this ship. He was so proud of that. We took a tour of it after he passed. What an amazing vessel!
I was fortunate enough to have the amazing opportunity to be part of an underway replenishment with Battleship New Jersey off the coast of Subic Bay, Philippines around 1989-1990. I had some amazing pictures of the wooden decks. I was on-board USS Dubuque LPD-8 at the time of the UNREP. I believe we had to transfer potable water to the New Jersey.
Awesome Memories! ❤