The USS North Carolina (BB-55)

[Red October1984]

I saw it today....

I spent 5 hours exploring the thing and playing with it. I probably took 100 pictures. I'll post some of the highlight pictures when they're finished uploading to DropBox and Imageshack.

[Red October1984]

Sorry for the quality of some of these. I took them with my iPod camera.

The Kingfisher

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/5738/photojun05122052.jpg

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/3960/photojun05122101.jpg

40mm Bofors. This one was movable. I "attacked" the planes going in and out of the airport nearby.

http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/6143/photojun05122426.jpg

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/1710/photojun05123339.jpg

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Resting in the crew quarters

http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/1940/photojun05141213.jpg

Plotting Room

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/8818/photojun05143729.jpg

Part of the Radio Room (Sailor Steve, that one's for you.)

http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/3215/photojun05144700.jpg

Inside the 16 inch gun's loading mechanism

http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/3527/photojun05145721.jpg

http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/5995/photojun05151337.jpg

View Aft from the Bow

http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/4258/photojun05155630.jpg

Manning the 5 Inch gun

http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/9596/photojun05161639.jpg

http://img547.imageshack.us/img547/5702/photojun05161648.jpg

Kills

http://img541.imageshack.us/img541/6816/photojun05163649.jpg

In the Engine Room

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/1090/photojun05164302.jpg

I climbed into a 16 inch gun turret and sighted a ship in the harbor. This is through the periscope.

http://img541.imageshack.us/img541/1466/photojun05160141.jpg

Soooo I proceeded to plot an attack on the plotting board inside the turret.

http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/3800/photojun05124330.jpg

Here's part of the loading system inside the turret itself.

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/2175/photojun05124022.jpg

Cardboard Cutout people loading the powder charges

http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/372/photojun05124144.jpg

CIC

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/4563/photojun05161037.jpg

There's a bunch more pictures. I should've taken more....and these are some of the highlights.

Sadly, they won't let you in CIC and there are places that are closed off...but that was well worth the 12$ admission.

[les green01]

nice pics did you get any kills

[Sailor Steve]

Looks good so far. Vintage ships are always cool. :sunny:

[Father Goose]

Good show! :yeah:
Looking forward to seeing more when you have time.

[u crank]

Nice Red. Keep them comin'. :up:

:salute:

[Red October1984]

Good show! :yeah:
Looking forward to seeing more when you have time.

Well there's the Galley and some other little stuff... :03:

Guess I'll drop a couple more.

Here's some of an Oerlikon

http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/1772/photojun05122844.jpg

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/8655/photojun05171012.jpg

They took all the sights off all of the Oerlikons for some reason. Some of the Bofors guns had sights but all of the Oerlikons had no sights, most were pointed straight up, and there were only one or two in good presentable condition. The rest were all rusty and broken.

Engine Telegraph. Once again, they go taking stuff off.

http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/6508/photojun05161231.jpg

2,700 LB Armor Piercing 16in Shell with a range of 21 miles. :arrgh!:

http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/8407/photojun05123005.jpg

Stuff in the Plotting Room (This room was enclosed with a little walkway through it.)

http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/5350/photojun05143747.jpg

http://img845.imageshack.us/img845/8818/photojun05143729.jpg

Operating Table in the Sick Bay

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/7691/photojun05153017.jpg

Two more Radio Room shots

http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/3215/photojun05144700.jpg

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/6665/photojun05144702.jpg


Some of these I took more than one picture of...as you might see.

[Red October1984]

nice pics did you get any kills

Well...the one 40mm Bofors gun was movable. There's an airport not far from the ship and planes were coming in or going out all day....so at one point I sat for a bit and "attacked" the planes.

I also plotted the attack on the boat in the harbor with the 16 inch gun even though the turret was locked in place the Periscope wasn't.

I was playing with the 5 inch gun when two Marine choppers flew real low over the ship. I let them go. I could've made it to a Bofors in time...but they were friendlies so I let them pass. :shucks:

[Father Goose]

Sounds like you had a blast...just being a kid. :rock:
I'm jealous.

[les green01]

really does sound like you had a blast

[Red October1984]

Sounds like you had a blast...just being a kid. :rock:
I'm jealous.

It was awesome... I'm not exactly a kid...but today I felt like one again.

Out of me, my Dad and my Brother I was the only one who remembered the way around and remembered which way Port, Starboard, Fore and Aft were.

I really wish I could've gotten a look in CIC. I couldn't pick a favorite part if I tried.

I also really wish that everything was fully restored to actual working condition. There are hundreds and possibly thousands of buttons, switches, handles, chains, belts, wheels, etc that are missing. It would be the coolest thing ever to see that ship move.

EDIT: I also got this Submarines and U-boats poster in the Gift Shop. I'll post a pic when I get it up on my wall at home. I almost bought the Revell USS NC kit but I didn't think I would be very good at it considering how many small parts needed to be glued and painted.

[sharkbit]

Nice pics. Thanks for sharing. :salute:

[les green01]

don't worry red I act like a kid in a candy store every time I go to places like that,last one I went to was the Alamo with a buddy and was answering questions for everyone but enjoy them while you can once you your adult and working you don't get much time for that stuff

[Armistead]

I live in NC, been many times, great ship. They do gun and light shows often at night, really cool effect of war, but not sure the schedule of it anymore.

You should head down to Charleston to Patriot's Point if you haven't been yet.

[Stealhead]

http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/372/photojun05124144.jpg






One thing for sure they sure did not feed you to well back then in the Navy.

You should go visit the USS Drum and USS Alabama down in Mobile,Alabama some time you pay one admission for both.You can pay extra and stay the night in the USS Alabama and get a much longer tour of nearly the entire ship.

[Red October1984]

I live in NC, been many times, great ship. They do gun and light shows often at night, really cool effect of war, but not sure the schedule of it anymore.

You should head down to Charleston to Patriot's Point if you haven't been yet.

I haven't heard of the gun and light shows.

What's at Patriot's Point? :hmmm: I'll have to Google that.

One thing for sure they sure did not feed you to well back then in the Navy.

There were little info boards all through the ship and all the ones pertaining to food say that the food was good. They had a menu in there and it sounded like really good food. The "Crew Memories" all say it was great stuff.

You should go visit the USS Drum and USS Alabama down in Mobile,Alabama some time you pay one admission for both.You can pay extra and stay the night in the USS Alabama and get a much longer tour of nearly the entire ship.


There's tons of ships I want to see... :) So far I've only seen the USS NC and the U-505.

I want to see the USS Razorback in Little Rock really bad.

[TorpX]

Great stuff there. It's too bad they haven't restored things so you could get a real sense of how they worked; especially the CIC and gun directors.

[Red October1984]

Great stuff there. It's too bad they haven't restored things so you could get a real sense of how they worked; especially the CIC and gun directors.


Exactly what I think.

There's too many things that are removed.

[Father Goose]

It was awesome... I'm not exactly a kid...but today I felt like one again.

Red, please don't take offense at my "being a kid" comment. I'm a kid everytime I go to a ballpark to watch a baseball game. I still bring my glove and catch home runs during batting practice. Nothing wrong with being a kid from time to time. There's a part of you that you should never let grow up.

Glad you had fun. I know you were really looking forward to it. Looks like you enjoyed good weather too. You beat the rain. :up:

[Red October1984]

Red, please don't take offense at my "being a kid" comment. I'm a kid everytime I go to a ballpark to watch a baseball game. I still bring my glove and catch home runs during batting practice. Nothing wrong with being a kid from time to time. There's a part of you that you should never let grow up.

Glad you had fun. I know you were really looking forward to it. Looks like you enjoyed good weather too. You beat the rain. :up:

I don't take offense to it. It's not the worst thing you could call me! :D

Yes...I was really really looking forward to it and now I'm extremely happy. I haven't been this happy in what seems like forever. :arrgh!:

We were just out on the beach watching the incredibly choppy sea roll in. The tide was getting real high so we walked for about 2 miles along the edge and then hit up the boardwalk for some doughnuts on the way home.

Not sure what I'm gonna do tomorrow. I think i'll either watch movies or go into town. We were going to go out fishing in the ocean but the sea won't calm down until this weekend.

The fun won't be in the fishing. The fun will be in the sailing. :arrgh!: :cool:

EDIT: Ohhh! Almost forgot! The museum for the ship has a section on SSN 777 (USS North Carolina) They had a nice model in a glass case

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/83/photojun05121314.jpg

[Stealhead]

There were little info boards all through the ship and all the ones pertaining to food say that the food was good. They had a menu in there and it sounded like really good food. The "Crew Memories" all say it was great stuff.



I was joking about the super thin mannequins.:03:

My great uncle was on the USS Minneapolis sister ship to the ill fated USS Indianapolis.Minneapolis was much more lucky she got her bow ripped off by a long lance torpedo in the Battle of Tassafaronga actually the torpedo did not explode hence the Lucky Lady name the long lance usually did go boom unlike American torpedoes.My uncle said that supposedly during the typhoon in 1944 a sailor got washed overboard a certain death but then got washed back on deck.That might have been scuttlebutt.She was called the Lucky Lady after surviving the long lance hit.

Anyway my uncle and his brother in law also a Minneapolis sailor used to joke often about how bad the food was and they both still joke about it.
One of their favorites is; "If it moves it aint a raisin!"(it is a weevil) They did say that lots off ice cream would be served in the mess before a major battle especially.Of course weevils are high in protein so from a nutritional stand point weevils are good for you.

Back in WWII in the surface navy food quality depended sometimes it was not so great for enlisted men.Typically they did not want to throw away things like weevil infested flour.On a sub the cook would have tossed that flour overboard and done without rather than serve everyone bugs.Of course all of the food was not bad but certain thing you did not eat like "raisins" or powdered eggs.

[Red October1984]

I was joking about the super thin mannequins.:03:

I see now. :O:

Anyway my uncle and his brother in law also a Minneapolis sailor used to joke often about how bad the food was and they both still joke about it.
One of their favorites is; "If it moves it aint a raisin!"(it is a weevil) They did say that lots off ice cream would be served in the mess before a major battle especially.Of course weevils are high in protein so from a nutritional stand point weevils are good for you.

Back in WWII in the surface navy food quality depended sometimes it was not so great for enlisted men.Typically they did not want to throw away things like weevil infested flour.On a sub the cook would have tossed that flour overboard and done without rather than serve everyone bugs.Of course all of the food was not bad but certain thing you did not eat like "raisins" or powdered eggs.

Yes there were a few stories about "Raisins" on the information boards in the galley and crew mess. :arrgh!:

I think one of the best stories was in the sick bay. There were like 23 men who got circumcised on the ship. It says that later on, that procedure was stopped because they figured out how to use that skin for other purposes. I think they said something about fixing the skin around your eyes.

I don't exactly remember. I was too busy looking around. I read all the story board things...but I only remember the good ones. Like the one in the laundry room about the guys who would tie knots in the pants of somebody they don't like, step on the pants leg, pull the knot tight, wash it, and make it to where the knot won't come out and when it comes out their uniform won't be fit to pass inspection.

Or another laundry room story about taking baths in the washing machines...until some joker came along and pressed the start button. :03:

[BossMark]

Great pictures mate if there's any more keep them coming :yeah:

[Cybermat47]

Woah, I'd love to be on a battleship that size! Lucky you!

[HW3]

Are you going to be around for the weekend?



Battleship 101

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Saturday, August 10, 2013

10:00 am - 3:00 pm


Ship volunteers stationed throughout the ship engage visitors in specific subjects and areas including: gunnery, radar, sickbay, galley, engineering, and daily shipboard life. A unique opportunity to talk one on one of what life was like aboard a WWII Battleship in the time of combat. Free with Battleship admission.


:subsim:

[Wolferz]

One thing for sure they sure did not feed you to well back then in the Navy.


What? You don't like Navy beans for breakfast, lunch and dinner?:haha:

[Herr-Berbunch]

Engine Telegraph. Once again, they go taking stuff off.

Can you imagine if they'd left it on? DING-DING-DING-DING, DING-DING-DING-DING, DING-DING-DING-DING, DING-DING-DING-DING, DING-DING-DING-DING. :D

Nice pics, glad you had a good time.

[Red October1984]

Great pictures mate if there's any more keep them coming :yeah:

There aren't a whole lot more. There are more pictures of the same stuff.

Can you imagine if they'd left it on? DING-DING-DING-DING, DING-DING-DING-DING, DING-DING-DING-DING, DING-DING-DING-DING, DING-DING-DING-DING. :D

Nice pics, glad you had a good time.

Sadly, they also removed the wires from the foghorn and whistle controls. :shifty:

[Herr-Berbunch]

I get it - they don't want noise. :nope:

[Red October1984]

I get it - they don't want noise. :nope:

Yeah. There were some light switches that worked though but nearly all of the hatches have pieces missing.

I'm trying to sort through and find out which pictures I posted here and which ones I didn't. I might have a couple more. :hmmm:

[Red October1984]

Here we go. I found a couple more that I didn't post.

Scrub Room in the Sick Bay

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/893/photojun05153247.jpg

Anchor on the Bow Deck

http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/8848/photojun05155521.jpg

These three are from the Conning Tower. The Conning Tower is a small little room for the higher up officers to command from during a heavy fight. It said that the room was made for fighting other Battleships. This was also closed off but I kinda got to a position where I could take pictures over the wire mesh. :cool:

http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/5106/photojun05160945.jpg

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/6195/photojun05160950.jpg

http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/2449/photojun05160953.jpg

Pilothouse. They had about 10 compasses up here. :hmmm:

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/497/photojun05161237.jpg

View out the front of the pilothouse

http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/712/photojun05161255.jpg

Chart Room (Closed off...:dead: )

http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/7707/photojun05161315.jpg

Two shots of the Captain's Cabin on the Bridge

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/8498/photojun05161358.jpg

http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/4453/photojun05161359.jpg

[Bilge_Rat]

nice photos.

I visited the USS Missouri in Pearl Harbour years ago. It's hard to visualise how big these ships were until you see one up close.

[Red October1984]

nice photos.

I visited the USS Missouri in Pearl Harbour years ago. It's hard to visualise how big these ships were until you see one up close.

I never thought that the loading mechanisms and the turret magazines were so huge.

It's like a huge cavern full of stuff. It takes a ton of crewmembers to operate and it's just astonishing how they can do it fast enough to load the guns.

[Platapus]

Interesting use of the human shaped cutouts. Have not seen that before, but it works well.

I would like to go through a WWII BB. I bet that was fun.

[Sledgehammer427]

Interesting use of the human shaped cutouts. Have not seen that before, but it works well.

works a lot better than the mannequins they used at the Nautilus in New England, first time down in the torpedo room and you catch those lifeless painted on eyes staring at you, one gets quite a start.
nearly soiled myself :huh:

[Red October1984]

...you catch those lifeless painted on eyes staring at you...

Sure you weren't playing SH3? :hmmm:

[nikimcbee]

Great photos!:yeah: Congrats on your first "naval vacation\holiday":woot:

Now you need to do something like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKlss30BW3M

[Red October1984]

Great photos!:yeah: Congrats on your first "naval vacation\holiday":woot:

It's not my first....I've seen the U-505...but this is the first time that I actually cared. :woot:

Now you need to do something like this

Well I plotted the attack on a boat in the harbor in a 16 inch bow turret and I 'attacked' planes coming into the airport with the 40mm Bofors. :D

I just want to do it on a sub. :shucks:

[mako88sb]

I never thought that the loading mechanisms and the turret magazines were so huge.

It's like a huge cavern full of stuff. It takes a ton of crewmembers to operate and it's just astonishing how they can do it fast enough to load the guns.


If you haven't read Ivan Musicant's book about the North Carolina's sister ship, BB58 Washington, then you should hunt down a copy. Excellent book about the day to day life aboard a battleship. Her battle against the Kirishima is particularly well done and her gunnery that night definitely reversed a situation that was increasingly becoming more dire. It's been awhile since I read it but I distinctly remember they achieved a rate of fire that was quite amazing.

http://www.amazon.com/Battleship-War-Epic-Story-Washington/dp/015110400X

edit: I didn't realize that a book came out in 2007 about the North Carolina. Looks like a new addition to my must read list:

http://www.amazon.com/Battleship-North-Carolina-Horrell-Ramsey/dp/0895873397/ref=pd_sim_b_1