On the Little Rock, how does the helmsman stay on course as Shane at 1:44 says there is no gyro- nor magnetic compass near the helm? Love the video and especially the cooperation between the ships!
I was thinking the same thing. I would expect, at minimum, a Mag Compass, a Gyro Repeater, and Rudder Angle/Order. On the Lee Helm, I'd expect Engine Order/Answer, Prop Order/Answer, and the signal bell...all of which appear to be present. I would also expect to see an "Own Ships Speed" indicator in view of the Lee Helm. On a different subject, Voice Tubes were not used as much as the movies would indicate. As a general rule, lookouts and other watchstanders would be wearing Sound-Powered Phone headsets. For film purposes, bellowing back and forth through the tubes is much more theatrical. In real life, the OOD or Captain turns to the SP Phone Talker next to him and, with a normal tone and volume, saying "Come right to new course 220". The SP Talker depresses his Transmit" button and says "Helm, port bridge wing, come right new course 220". the Helmsman depresses the "transmit" button on his headset and replies "Come right 220 Helm Aye" and adjusts his course to 220. At this time he will most likely transmit "Port Bridge wing, Helm, Steady new course 220". Same routine for the Lee Helm, except the command would be something like "All ahead Flank", "Increase speed to 102 turns", or "Make your speed 21 knots". A "speed group" (Ahead Full, Ahead Flank, etc.) would generally be used in a convoy or other formation, with the speed in knots for each group arranged in advance. This allows the signalmen to hoist pennants or display appropriate lights to convey the change to the other ships. An explicit Prop Order (ex. 102 Turns) means exactly that. Lee Helm will order up 102. Engineering will adjust the shaft RPM to 102 and keep it there until ordered otherwise. This is generally used to fine-tune a speed to match another vessel, such as during Underway Replenishment. "Make your speed 21 knots" will cause the Lee Helmsman to look at his Cheat Card, determine what shaft RPM should result in 21 knots, and dial it in as a Prop Order. The difference between this and the previous explicit Prop Order is that it grants the Lee Helmsman the authority to monitor Ship's Speed and adjust the Prop Order to maintain the specified speed without further orders. For those who just added "Flank", "102 Turns", and "21 Knots" together and came up with "Big ship with big slow propellers", you are correct. 650' of Replenishment Oiler. USS Kansas City (AOR-3) to be exact. Although qualified for both Helm and Lee Helm during normal cruising, I was actually in Engineering. My rate was "IC", Interior Communications Electrician. I fixed the SP phones, fixed the dial telephones, fixed the gyro repeaters, fixed the Lee Helm equipment, Fixed the helm equipment, fixed the intercoms, fixed the 1MC, etc. On a few occasions, I was even blessed with being woken up in the middle of the night due to things like "No illumination on the Port Gyro Repeater", giving me the opportunity to demonstrate to a young Junior Officer the wonders which accompanied turning the little control on the Gyro Repeater clearly labelled "Dim" and "Bright". Generally, I even managed to not verbally insinuate that the Junior Officer had his knob set to "Dim" in more ways than one...
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Good comparison of the two ships, good job!!
Thanks!
nice vid man
On the Little Rock, how does the helmsman stay on course as Shane at 1:44 says there is no gyro- nor magnetic compass near the helm?
Love the video and especially the cooperation between the ships!
I was thinking the same thing. I would expect, at minimum, a Mag Compass, a Gyro Repeater, and Rudder Angle/Order. On the Lee Helm, I'd expect Engine Order/Answer, Prop Order/Answer, and the signal bell...all of which appear to be present. I would also expect to see an "Own Ships Speed" indicator in view of the Lee Helm.
On a different subject, Voice Tubes were not used as much as the movies would indicate. As a general rule, lookouts and other watchstanders would be wearing Sound-Powered Phone headsets. For film purposes, bellowing back and forth through the tubes is much more theatrical.
In real life, the OOD or Captain turns to the SP Phone Talker next to him and, with a normal tone and volume, saying "Come right to new course 220". The SP Talker depresses his Transmit" button and says "Helm, port bridge wing, come right new course 220". the Helmsman depresses the "transmit" button on his headset and replies "Come right 220 Helm Aye" and adjusts his course to 220. At this time he will most likely transmit "Port Bridge wing, Helm, Steady new course 220".
Same routine for the Lee Helm, except the command would be something like "All ahead Flank", "Increase speed to 102 turns", or "Make your speed 21 knots".
A "speed group" (Ahead Full, Ahead Flank, etc.) would generally be used in a convoy or other formation, with the speed in knots for each group arranged in advance. This allows the signalmen to hoist pennants or display appropriate lights to convey the change to the other ships.
An explicit Prop Order (ex. 102 Turns) means exactly that. Lee Helm will order up 102. Engineering will adjust the shaft RPM to 102 and keep it there until ordered otherwise. This is generally used to fine-tune a speed to match another vessel, such as during Underway Replenishment.
"Make your speed 21 knots" will cause the Lee Helmsman to look at his Cheat Card, determine what shaft RPM should result in 21 knots, and dial it in as a Prop Order. The difference between this and the previous explicit Prop Order is that it grants the Lee Helmsman the authority to monitor Ship's Speed and adjust the Prop Order to maintain the specified speed without further orders.
For those who just added "Flank", "102 Turns", and "21 Knots" together and came up with "Big ship with big slow propellers", you are correct. 650' of Replenishment Oiler. USS Kansas City (AOR-3) to be exact. Although qualified for both Helm and Lee Helm during normal cruising, I was actually in Engineering. My rate was "IC", Interior Communications Electrician. I fixed the SP phones, fixed the dial telephones, fixed the gyro repeaters, fixed the Lee Helm equipment, Fixed the helm equipment, fixed the intercoms, fixed the 1MC, etc.
On a few occasions, I was even blessed with being woken up in the middle of the night due to things like "No illumination on the Port Gyro Repeater", giving me the opportunity to demonstrate to a young Junior Officer the wonders which accompanied turning the little control on the Gyro Repeater clearly labelled "Dim" and "Bright". Generally, I even managed to not verbally insinuate that the Junior Officer had his knob set to "Dim" in more ways than one...