my father told me when he was in the gulf war (USMC 1/5 weapons company) he could hear the round overhead, said he would never forget that noise, said it was one of the coolest things he ever got to witness.
@rwp16db we once had a Marine spotter bring back a chunk of shrapnel from the 16" projectiles. It measured 15" long and weighed about 40 lbs. Can you imagine something like that? It would rip to shreds anything in it's path!
@seanpirwin It's from a film "Call to Crisis" made aboard the USS Missouri during desert storm. I had some video of Tomahawks launching at night, but wasn't ever topside when the guns were firing. I was usually either sleeping, or in the plotting room during 16" gun fire missions.
My high school senior year algebra teacher was Rear Admiral Robert C Brodie, Captain of Mighty Mo in 1953. He used to tell all kinds of stories about her exploits.
One hell of a ship and a great commander as well. I was so proud to learn from him.
@Gnoppong I would say that's a little far-fetched. The 16" shells are travelling at more than twice the speed of sound, and although they weigh a ton, they aren't much over 5' high. A little fast, and a little small to think they are airplanes. If you are quick though, you can sometimes see them as they leave the guns when fired. They look like someone spit some little watermelon seeds.
@billgx Actually they're tracked on radar routinely as an element of targetting. They observe the trajectory of the projectile and correct azimuth and elevation for subsequint firings. First used in WW2 and gave us an advantage against Japan who til then was routinely cleaning our clocks in night actions. Radar fire control put an end to that.
I visited the Missouri at Pearl Harbor...she's an amazing sight and its easy to see why she's called the Mighty Mo. You can definitely see why they used her for the signing of the surrender of the empire of Japan. Very intimidating.
@billgx *I meant to say "what" but yeah you're right i've been reading wikipedia about it. Truly amazing ships, I hope they keep at least one in standby for future conflicts.
@Matt007b uss iowa is in mothballs there trying to find a home for it so it wont half to goto scrap but the ship can be called on if needed by the navy uss iowa is the last battleship in commisson
@1axlzero Unfortunately there is are no more propellant sources and the shells remaining have been deactivated. I asked the museum organizers if the Mighty Mo could be made seaworthy again and he said yes, but it would take a full year to reequip her with the latest and reload all the expendables, fuel, lubes, etc.
@Matt007b I believe is another World War broke out, they would bring back ALL Surviving US Navy Battleships no matter how old they are or if they're now a museum. Maybe they would also bring back some other old retired ships. It would make sense.
In today's world of missiles and anti-missile systems. Battleships are not outdated. They lapsed into a terrible time during WWII due to defensive systems not keeping up with attacking systems. With modern CIWS Battleships are decently protected. One glaring hole would be torpedoes. But the simple answer to that is anti-torpedo torpedoes.
Now with adequate protection Battleships can get back to what they were built for. Lobbing shells that cannot be knocked out by defensive systems.
@khanrhy The armor is thick enough to withstand many modern torpedoes and antiship missiles. No modern ships really have armor. Since the old battleships were designed from the start to take hits from armor piercing shells, they are well protected. Sad they were all retired.
I was going to stay around for the Cher video that night but my Girlfriend was up in Thousand Oaks needing some loving, and well...I went to thousand Oaks! Miss the Mo and all my shipmates!
2 minutes ago I was aboard the mighty mo during this video turret two left gun.(left gun captain)
remarkable ship they should have brought her back with reactors. I was stationed 1989-1992 decommissioned crew.sitting in port alone it cost 1 million a day. remeber her well. I had the video they sold it in the ships store but had house fire lost it .
I got to be in chers video (if I could turn back time) shook hands with steven segal (to ckeck out for his movie,met kelly labrock also.
@sje54 I should post the rest of this video. I was there when Cher made that video too. I was duty MAA that day. Also I was supposed to be in Hunt For Red October as an extra, but it didn't work out at the last minute.
The first projectile is the warhead. The three bags are propellants that sends the warhead to its target. If you have ever been near a 500-lbs exploding shell, imagine twice that for the battleship warheads. Enough to shatter eardrums and kill you from a football field away with just it's concussion, never mind the shrapnel.
Thanks for posting,awesome footage,visited the "mighty mo" 3 years ago,whilst paying my respects at Pearl,what an experience,a very historic,and still powerful looking ship.
@Contrajoe@jpanim8r Yep, those are chaff launchers. We received a few friendly fire rounds of CIWS from a neighboring ship the night Iraq fired anti ship missiles at us. We fired the chaff, and the nearby CIWS interpred it as a threat & shot back at us. Oops! You can still see the bullet holes in the Mo. I saw one near the CO's cabin.
@BattleshipSailorBB63 No my friend,not a claim i can make,but have followed Gloucester's exploits since an attachment aboard her as cadet in 1988. You boys did an excellent job in the gulf.
@Contrajoe That is called the Mark 8 Rangekeeper. It is indeed the main battery fire control computer. It is an analog computer, full of cams, gears and electromechanical devices, no digital electronics whatsoever.
I never noticed that we're all wearing glasses. We're all a bunch of computer nerds, I guess.
@Contrajoe Sorry, I don't. This was filmed by official Public Affairs Office people. I don't know what happened to their footage. I hope it's in the national archives.
I never once was inside of the gunhouse during firing, so I don't even have any of my own footage. Still need to get my tour of the turret uploaded, though. Maybe this summer sometime.
@billgx Thank you for your service- to be on that historic vessel kicking out 16 inch rounds mut have been breathtaking. My co worker is a 13F Forward observer for land based artillery in the US Army- when he asked how big the shells an Iowa can kick out, and I replied 406mm, (16 inches) he was astounded!
this is true, however those are last ditch defenses. BTW, the Missouri was hit by friendly CIWS fire from another ship because we launched SRBOC and it was interpreted as a threat.
the iowas kicked ass and if you ask me they could still kick ass and do it well but many in the navy brass think that a battle ship could not do as good as an air craft carrier i think the navy should build new battle ships i think it could save air mens time who are needed to knock out targets further in land they could also keep those who want to do use harm at bay by just showing the power of those big guns
IF THE NAVIES ACROSS THE WORLD WLD THINK OTHERWISE , DEN Modify THESE BEAUTIES WITH ADVANCE AIR AND ANTI MISSLE DEFENCE SYSTEMS and ADD ON ADVANCED TARGETING REQUISTION. PLUS THEIR HEAVIER ARMOUR WHICH IS THE BACKBONE OF THESE BATTLESHIPS, THEY CAN STILL DO PLENTY OF DAMAGE MILES AWAY. NO MATTER HOW FAR THE DISTANCE IS , NOTHING IS TOO HARD 4 the BATTLESHIPS ANYTIME ANYWHERE !!!
Is REALLY SAD TO SEE BATTLESHIPS OUT OF ACTION IN 2DAY"S NAVIES ACROSS THE WORLD. I REALLY PRAY THESE BABES(BATTLESHIPS) WLD B BROUGHT BACK 2 LIve. BESIDES THESE SHIPS R LEGEND OF COMBAT HISTORY AND STRATIGIC NAVAL BOMBARDMENT.
there's not one video on you tube that doesn't have idiotic comments. A large reason for this is that most of the commenters are under the age of 15, and thats just what 15 year olds do.
@N3DRB I have seen some pretty bad stuff. I have seen commentators who cannot spell "Fuck", but instead put "ful", "Fuc", "fu@ak", "fluck", and my favorite: "fac".
The targeting computers used for those guns are entirely analogue and were built in the late '30s-early '40s by the Ford Motor Company. They are so reliable that if those ships were recomissioned today they would still be used.
@Contrajoe if you search 16 inch gun training you will see a training video that shows you a lot in the whole gun turret. I thought it was quite interesting.
@acrummy I saw that. It was cool, but I have never seen them load it in 30 seconds. I have yet to see actual COMBAT footage of a 16"/50 Cal. being loaded
I remember when she was docked at San Franciso, CA. I visited her, she is massive.
Best moment of the day was that a group of hippies had a small table set up and trying to hand out anti-military leaflets. An old Vet walked up as I was argueing with these people and asked if he could "..have them to hand out to people in line" they said he could have as many as he liked......he grabbed their entire stack of thousands or so an tossed them into the Bay..everyone cheered and clapped for him.
One 1900 lb HC shell did the trick on that truck. Yes, we fired some 5" shells against Iraqis who crossed the border into Saudi Arabia. There were desalination plants they wanted to preserve & were afraid of damage that 16" might do.
@billgx Also, do you plan to upload any more battleship videos? One more thing, why do battleship videos generate such idiotic political discussions between people?
If I find anything in my stash that's compelling I will. I need to go back through my footage. I think the time the Iraqis fired a silkworm missile at us might be a good clip to share. (I don't have the missile, only our reaction in the 16" plotting room.)
@billgx That sounds like a compelling video. It would be interesting to see what everyone was thinking as a missile came in, never to hit its target. One more question: I have seen a lot of footage of loading 16 guns, but I have never seen footage of them loading a 16" gun in 30 seconds. Do you have any footage of a 16 gun being loaded in combat time?
I was never in the gunhouse during combat. I do have footage from the lower levels of the turret, through the ammo decks, and up into the gunhouse, but it was recorded after the fighting stopped.
A silkworm strike would not have been anything we wanted to experience, even on the Missouri. It likely would have hit the superstructure, which isn't as heavily armored as the lower decks. We were glad the HMS Glouchester shot it down for us!
I don't know if technically she is in the "Reserve Fleet"..but now she is a "museum" berthed at Pearl Harbor, on Ford Island, so you go to see the Arizona Mem. ( which is free as it is a part of the National Park system. You can go see the Missouri...its amazing..as i was there last year..The Iowa class BB, could deliver the most non-nuclear ordinance of any man made weapon in WWII, IN 2 minutes, could do two full broadsides = 24,000 lbs of ordinance X 2 = @48,000LBS OF HIGH EXPLOSIVES
No. None of the Iowa's are in reserve aka..mothball fleet. Three of the 4 are already donated out as museum ships with the 4th (the Iowa) waiting on her permanent berth to be built so she can also be turned into a museum ship. As of 2007 all 4 Iowa class ships were/or had been removed from the Naval Vessel Registry, meaning the Navy no longer recognizes these ships as service ready. Though the Navy can re-acquire these ships if needed, however very unlikely.
ok something annoys me, they decommissioned these class of ships and congress told the navy if they're gonan decommission them, replace them. And the DD(X) was "supposed" to replace it, they cancelled the project and I believe they're only making three form what was originally intended to be thirty two and now for an excuse the navy is saying two LCS can replace what the iowa class battleships can do.
Sure the Future LCS's are gonna be good, But let's not fool ourselves, they ain't exactly what a battleship can do, nor anything close. An LCS virtually has no real ship armament, has a nice amount of troop capacity but it's just a high tech tin can with self defense weapons. So in honesty- let's just revamp the iowa's get them the new tech that we aren't gonna be spending with the DD(X) and make them good for another twenty years. Besides, no ship comes close to a battleship, than a battleship.
It's kind of ironic that the battleship New Jersey (BB62) once defended our country and today it sits idle as a museum in Camden NJ which a national study ranked as the nation's most dangerous city in 2008.
Did you see the tank turret fly about a mile. They have demostrated that the 16 inch guns are more accurate than a B52 strike, modernize & recommission the amazing Iowa class!
Is it just me or is the guy swinging his arm around near the breach right as they're loading the shell just begging to have his arm taken off and jammed halfway up the barrel?
That's his job. The gunner's mate has to swab out the barrel after each firing to remove any ashes & burning residue. Not a good thing to ram powder bags into an open breech that's not been cleaned out. You don't want them igniting with the breech block open.
@billgx I'm talking about after he swabs the breach. He keeps his arm hanging around the area in front of the shell loader etc while the machinery is moving. Seems like a good way to loose an arm.
The Vanguard was brand new in 1946 and undamaged by war. The RN could have kept it up to date with all the latest technology but they scrapped it in the 60s. At the very least it could have been preserved, what a disgrace.
It is one of the most annoying things about the RN , the way it scraps everything as quickly as it can , I mean take the Invincible class aircraft carriers , the US would probably get another 10 - 15 years out of them and they are not useless , they could act as escorts to the QE class giving the RN a good carrier arm , but they have to be scrapped. Same with the Vanguard , I reckon , if she had survived she would have proved an invaluable asset in the falklands campaign
Indeed. If it were present and correctly outfitted. we may have not lost the Sheffield, Ardent, Antelope and Coventry. And it could have provided heavy artillery support for the entire theatre, from a safe location.
Well what you can say in defence , and no offence intended here Americans , your navy is Brill. The RN must be one of the best navies in the world possibly THE best on the fact that it can operate on a blue water scale despite its small size - thats something to be proud of !!!
No offense taken. When I was in the Navy, we did wargames along side the Royal Navy (as well as a few other Nations in coalition exercises). I was very impressed. In todays warfare, most naval activities are coalition based..meaning the Royal Navy along with the US and allied Navies take care of business when called on. Im particularly proud to have the UK and US stand together when things turn ugly around the globe.
@Cirux321 - Well , we do have HMS Victory , and the lesser know Belfast and Warrior - so mabey I can't complain . But still I am pretty amazed that our navy manages to function , I mean we have 7 destroyers, 14 frigates , 3 carriers (1 in mothballs - that being our main bluewater deterrent - and we still manage to opperate on a global level
Kind of hard if not impossible to be a 3 "ocean" navy with that limited amount of ships, what one aircraft carrier per ocean?..not to mention the support ships needed. as of 2009 the RN only had 12 nuclear subs, 8 attack, & 4 ballistic, and btw ALL RN ballistic subs are armed with the USN Trident Missle Systems...hmmmm
but in too few numbers. Our frigate fleet is okay the T23s will probably give another decade of good service , but the T22s are getting old , and the programme to replace them (FSC) , well it seems to have got held up by lack of funding HMS Ocean , our helicopter carrier will continue to serve in her role quite happily for some time , and we do have 6 LPDs (if you count the fleet aux) ships , so that probably is enough to keep us going :D - so there you go , my view on the RN's current state
You have to remember the T42's are pretty old ships , many of them are Falkland veterans and two (Sheffield and Coventry) were taken out by exocet armed aircraft in that conflict so as to how "good" they are - I really don't know , besides they are small and cramped. On the T45 , it is the required replacement , however , the number being built has gone from 12 to 6 - and this is really too few - they are supposed to provide state of the art defence to our fleets which they will to be fair
the TRIDENT submarines or the Vanguard class themselves are our only nuclear detterrent , and they are going to have to be replaced by 2024 (another massive budget required there) , on the invincible class aircraft carriers , they can just about squeeze 24 harriers on them if they ignore the helicopters , so they are to small you have to remember they are ASW carriers. As to the destroyer force that we have , it consists of 6 T42 destroyers and 1 commissioned daring class
well this is a problem , now we only have 2 of them in. HMS Invincible is now in reserve , a victim of the Labour budget cuts - they are going to be replaced by the two much larger Queen elizabeth class aircraft carriers , which are touted to be more capable ,but still it will be harder to maintain the worldwide presence that we like to. The 8 attack submarines in service are all becoming dated , and are supposed to be replaced , but with the recent budget cuts we have had to endure
I can fully understand the scrapping of the RN warships after WW2 ended. The war flat out bankrupted England. However I really wish they'd kept the Vanguard as well. Big gun warships was the Royal Navy's zenith of ship building. So with the scrapping of them all, the Royal Navy kind of lost a lot of its rich history. The Vanguard arguably was the best battleship design ever built. She performed equally to and in some aspects even better then the US's Iowa class.
Cirux321: after doing some reshearse the Vanguard class BB, I don't see where they are better than US Iowa class ( in some aspects), except for the bow flaire design on the Vanguard . Van. had older design 15 inch guns, which where in storage, and caome from the King George Class ships. They did NOT have the range nor power( weight of shell), that the Iowa Mark7's had. The RN used 15" mainly to save weight & costs. Even though the Van. Class was to see service in the Pacific vs. the JEN.
It's sad that they took the big guns out of action though. I would love to see those ships get overhauled with more modern equipment and stay in active duty.
Well, we can be fucked with now, they've put the battleships in ghost yards, they're not even operational. As of right now, I believe Missouri and it might be New Jersey (can't remember) that are in a status that allows them to be mobilized. They're not out of the woods yet, but unless we have a major war happen, they'll never be used again. Which, I'm not advocating war or anything, but I would at least rather them be used than scrapped.
But I'd also like to mention, with new Air Defense technologies and anti-submarine tech, battleships aren't useless anymore. In world war two, yes, they were useless. Now, we have technology to fend off aircraft and submarines, and that tech can be installed on a battleship. Which makes the battleship king of the sea again. Surface ships stand no chance against it.
If they where to use modern electromagnetic rail gun technology on these battleships your talking at firing a 2,500 lb. shell 8 times the speed of sound for a range of 300 nautical miles! Can you imagine!
the battleship is comming back with the use of railguns being experimented with newer destroyers and aircraf carriers cvnx21 will have railguns these rail cannons will be big and powerful
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gicandg71 2 weeks ago
Cool! The loading process still like the same in WWII!
SSUstufRudel 3 months ago
@SSUstufRudel --- what did you expect? It is the same frickn gun as in WWII!
Vindicator58 1 week ago
@Vindicator58 It's amazing how the mechanics still work after decades!
SSUstufRudel 1 week ago
lol "Drive by shooting"
flahr1 5 months ago
my father told me when he was in the gulf war (USMC 1/5 weapons company) he could hear the round overhead, said he would never forget that noise, said it was one of the coolest things he ever got to witness.
rwp16db 5 months ago
@rwp16db we once had a Marine spotter bring back a chunk of shrapnel from the 16" projectiles. It measured 15" long and weighed about 40 lbs. Can you imagine something like that? It would rip to shreds anything in it's path!
billgx 5 months ago
Mighty Mo is badass.
Pablo668 5 months ago
I love the music.
Zebonka 5 months ago
@Zebonka porn music
Moerdarvalen 4 months ago
I love the "sunrise" at 0:45. Where did you find this night video section 0:42-0:55? or did you film it.
seanpirwin 7 months ago
@seanpirwin It's from a film "Call to Crisis" made aboard the USS Missouri during desert storm. I had some video of Tomahawks launching at night, but wasn't ever topside when the guns were firing. I was usually either sleeping, or in the plotting room during 16" gun fire missions.
billgx 7 months ago
My high school senior year algebra teacher was Rear Admiral Robert C Brodie, Captain of Mighty Mo in 1953. He used to tell all kinds of stories about her exploits.
One hell of a ship and a great commander as well. I was so proud to learn from him.
Gizmologist09 8 months ago
best plane landing ever lol, should've used those against the kamikaze ops :P
DrPracticleHat 8 months ago
@DrPracticleHat The Missouri got hit by a Kamikaze in WW II. It has a small dent in one of it's sides towards the back from it.
tryithere 7 months ago
@Gnoppong I would say that's a little far-fetched. The 16" shells are travelling at more than twice the speed of sound, and although they weigh a ton, they aren't much over 5' high. A little fast, and a little small to think they are airplanes. If you are quick though, you can sometimes see them as they leave the guns when fired. They look like someone spit some little watermelon seeds.
billgx 9 months ago
@billgx Actually they're tracked on radar routinely as an element of targetting. They observe the trajectory of the projectile and correct azimuth and elevation for subsequint firings. First used in WW2 and gave us an advantage against Japan who til then was routinely cleaning our clocks in night actions. Radar fire control put an end to that.
cornskid 8 months ago
@billgx
it takes about 50 seconds for the shell to go 23 miles?
SubaruB4RSK 3 months ago
I visited the Missouri at Pearl Harbor...she's an amazing sight and its easy to see why she's called the Mighty Mo. You can definitely see why they used her for the signing of the surrender of the empire of Japan. Very intimidating.
scfd524 9 months ago
Letting blacks in the army was a mistake. Ruins cohesion
nthnsome 10 months ago
beautiful ship
Xarello111 11 months ago
need to bring that back and show north korea was artillery shelling is..
Matt007b 1 year ago 9
@Matt007b it wouldn't be the first time for the Missouri. She was on active duty there in the Korean war.
billgx 1 year ago 6
@billgx *I meant to say "what" but yeah you're right i've been reading wikipedia about it. Truly amazing ships, I hope they keep at least one in standby for future conflicts.
Matt007b 1 year ago
@Matt007b uss iowa is in mothballs there trying to find a home for it so it wont half to goto scrap but the ship can be called on if needed by the navy uss iowa is the last battleship in commisson
1axlzero 9 months ago
@1axlzero That was Missouri
Contrajoe 9 months ago
@1axlzero Unfortunately there is are no more propellant sources and the shells remaining have been deactivated. I asked the museum organizers if the Mighty Mo could be made seaworthy again and he said yes, but it would take a full year to reequip her with the latest and reload all the expendables, fuel, lubes, etc.
Gizmologist09 8 months ago
@Matt007b I believe is another World War broke out, they would bring back ALL Surviving US Navy Battleships no matter how old they are or if they're now a museum. Maybe they would also bring back some other old retired ships. It would make sense.
thisissparta789789 4 months ago
Hard to believe this thing brought my pop home twice. He's gone now but I sure wish he were here now. So many questions. I miss him so much
GeorgeBonez 1 year ago
Gun operator jizzes at 1:14,as you could tell that was a pretty big load
TheMichael408 1 year ago
What's the background sound at 0:17?
Contrajoe 1 year ago
@Contrajoe He's talking on a secure radio (red phone) and you're hearing noise from that communication system.
billgx 1 year ago
@billgx Is it some kind of interference? Why is that noise present?
Contrajoe 1 year ago
@billgx I wish i could have a red phone
TheMichael408 1 year ago
@Contrajoe reverbration from the encrypted radio
gurfreporter 11 months ago
In today's world of missiles and anti-missile systems. Battleships are not outdated. They lapsed into a terrible time during WWII due to defensive systems not keeping up with attacking systems. With modern CIWS Battleships are decently protected. One glaring hole would be torpedoes. But the simple answer to that is anti-torpedo torpedoes.
Now with adequate protection Battleships can get back to what they were built for. Lobbing shells that cannot be knocked out by defensive systems.
khanrhy 1 year ago
@khanrhy The armor is thick enough to withstand many modern torpedoes and antiship missiles. No modern ships really have armor. Since the old battleships were designed from the start to take hits from armor piercing shells, they are well protected. Sad they were all retired.
ringoffire02 6 months ago
The last cry of the GREAT GREAT loins of the sea !
davesr25 1 year ago
I'm big into the Iowa class ships.Where can I get a copy of this whole video?I'd really like to see what it was like during this ships last conflict.
cdubois13 1 year ago
@cdubois13 Have a look at YouTube User 1MightyMo's channel. A Call To Crisis Part's 1, 2 & 3 is the entire video.
billgx 1 year ago
those things burned bunker C, correct? 4 shafts, four steam turbines with boilers?
clank4001 1 year ago
@clank4001 Don't know anything about the fuel. Any BT's out there know? But yes- 4 steam turbines, 8 boilers.
billgx 1 year ago
FUCK MUSLIMS FUCK MUSLIMS FUUUUCK MUSLIMS .... GO AMERICA !! KICK THEIR BUT !!!
socomsix19 1 year ago
I was going to stay around for the Cher video that night but my Girlfriend was up in Thousand Oaks needing some loving, and well...I went to thousand Oaks! Miss the Mo and all my shipmates!
graycloud057 1 year ago
@graycloud057 If you could only turn back time.
tryithere 9 months ago
Zoltan Bebto from Budapest. Hungary,Europe.
bebtozoltan55 1 year ago
I wish I was stationed on that ship back in the Gulf! That would've been awesome!
supreme2005 1 year ago
TBK1 sucked a muslim off on 9-11 and posted his faggotry in arfcom team, ibtl up your ass loser
foxxshox 1 year ago
2 minutes ago I was aboard the mighty mo during this video turret two left gun.(left gun captain)
remarkable ship they should have brought her back with reactors. I was stationed 1989-1992 decommissioned crew.sitting in port alone it cost 1 million a day. remeber her well. I had the video they sold it in the ships store but had house fire lost it .
I got to be in chers video (if I could turn back time) shook hands with steven segal (to ckeck out for his movie,met kelly labrock also.
sje54 1 year ago
@sje54 I should post the rest of this video. I was there when Cher made that video too. I was duty MAA that day. Also I was supposed to be in Hunt For Red October as an extra, but it didn't work out at the last minute.
billgx 1 year ago
@sje54 It seriously cost 1 million a day? how?!
Contrajoe 1 year ago
@sje54 If sitting in port cost 1 million a day for BB-63, I dread to think of what a CVN must be...
Contrajoe 1 year ago
Comment removed
sje54 1 year ago
that guy at 1:28 looks like he's enjoying this, NICE!
clank4001 1 year ago
The first projectile is the warhead. The three bags are propellants that sends the warhead to its target. If you have ever been near a 500-lbs exploding shell, imagine twice that for the battleship warheads. Enough to shatter eardrums and kill you from a football field away with just it's concussion, never mind the shrapnel.
livermore1980 1 year ago
where's steven segal? lawl that film was dodgey. good but dodgey :L
good old americans...
shugo541 1 year ago
Thanks for posting,awesome footage,visited the "mighty mo" 3 years ago,whilst paying my respects at Pearl,what an experience,a very historic,and still powerful looking ship.
jonboy1973 1 year ago
What exactly is happening at 2:00
(From what it look slike thought it would be too heavy for a person to carry those so easily)
jpanim8r 1 year ago
@jpanim8r I believe they are loading the chaff launchers.
Contrajoe 1 year ago
@Contrajoe Thank You!
WorkaholicStudios 1 year ago
@WorkaholicStudios My pleasure
Contrajoe 1 year ago
@Contrajoe @jpanim8r Yep, those are chaff launchers. We received a few friendly fire rounds of CIWS from a neighboring ship the night Iraq fired anti ship missiles at us. We fired the chaff, and the nearby CIWS interpred it as a threat & shot back at us. Oops! You can still see the bullet holes in the Mo. I saw one near the CO's cabin.
billgx 1 year ago
@billgx and HMS Gloucester did the business!
jonboy1973 1 year ago
@jonboy1973 Were you aboard the Gloucester in 1991? I've yet to meet a sailor who was.
billgx 1 year ago
@billgx no mate,i believe a couple of Gloucester vets have commented on related vids on here though. regards
jonboy1973 1 year ago
@billgx Is there any footage of our Homecoming to Long Beach? I was belowdecks on watch, and missed the whole thing :(
BattleshipSailorBB63 1 year ago
@jonboy1973 If you were on the HMS Gloucester during the Gulf War, you instantly earn a beer from me!
BattleshipSailorBB63 1 year ago
@BattleshipSailorBB63 No my friend,not a claim i can make,but have followed Gloucester's exploits since an attachment aboard her as cadet in 1988. You boys did an excellent job in the gulf.
jonboy1973 1 year ago
0:21 and 0:41 Is that the targeting computer? Also, why do they and everyone else have glasses?
Contrajoe 1 year ago
@Contrajoe That is called the Mark 8 Rangekeeper. It is indeed the main battery fire control computer. It is an analog computer, full of cams, gears and electromechanical devices, no digital electronics whatsoever.
I never noticed that we're all wearing glasses. We're all a bunch of computer nerds, I guess.
billgx 1 year ago
@billgxThere's nothing wrong with being a computer nerd.
Also, do you have the full version of the clip at 0:58 ?
Contrajoe 1 year ago
@Contrajoe Sorry, I don't. This was filmed by official Public Affairs Office people. I don't know what happened to their footage. I hope it's in the national archives.
I never once was inside of the gunhouse during firing, so I don't even have any of my own footage. Still need to get my tour of the turret uploaded, though. Maybe this summer sometime.
billgx 1 year ago
@billgx Would those National Archives by chance be on the internet?
Contrajoe 1 year ago
@billgx Where did you find this Video?
Contrajoe 1 year ago
@billgx Thank you for your service- to be on that historic vessel kicking out 16 inch rounds mut have been breathtaking. My co worker is a 13F Forward observer for land based artillery in the US Army- when he asked how big the shells an Iowa can kick out, and I replied 406mm, (16 inches) he was astounded!
clank4001 1 year ago
Persian Gulf not just Gulf. say the full name
zederish 1 year ago
Pretty cool to see a navy ship that can do some damage with it's guns.......
pancreasmen 1 year ago
Pretty amazing to see the impact footage, too.
Tiger313NL 1 year ago
if it hit the superstructure that could suck but then again thats why the battleship has its own ciws and countermeasures launchers no?
zequelll 1 year ago
this is true, however those are last ditch defenses. BTW, the Missouri was hit by friendly CIWS fire from another ship because we launched SRBOC and it was interpreted as a threat.
billgx 1 year ago
2:05 MK 36 SRBOC launcher being loaded.
RetSquid 1 year ago
wow dig the way the retrieve the drones!
Its in the bag (or net)!
bodunchar 1 year ago
fk me I wouldn't have my arm anywhere near that loading arm, especialy not with long sleeves on!
D'oh!
bodunchar 1 year ago
the iowas kicked ass and if you ask me they could still kick ass and do it well but many in the navy brass think that a battle ship could not do as good as an air craft carrier i think the navy should build new battle ships i think it could save air mens time who are needed to knock out targets further in land they could also keep those who want to do use harm at bay by just showing the power of those big guns
araka08 1 year ago
great..pure adrenaline...though I would think twice before of being in that place...:D
joshuademoraes 1 year ago
Comment removed
DOCCAREY 1 year ago
i went on it
TheOreo32 1 year ago 2
This has been flagged as spam show
IF THE NAVIES ACROSS THE WORLD WLD THINK OTHERWISE , DEN Modify THESE BEAUTIES WITH ADVANCE AIR AND ANTI MISSLE DEFENCE SYSTEMS and ADD ON ADVANCED TARGETING REQUISTION. PLUS THEIR HEAVIER ARMOUR WHICH IS THE BACKBONE OF THESE BATTLESHIPS, THEY CAN STILL DO PLENTY OF DAMAGE MILES AWAY. NO MATTER HOW FAR THE DISTANCE IS , NOTHING IS TOO HARD 4 the BATTLESHIPS ANYTIME ANYWHERE !!!
Badboy21thekiller 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Is REALLY SAD TO SEE BATTLESHIPS OUT OF ACTION IN 2DAY"S NAVIES ACROSS THE WORLD. I REALLY PRAY THESE BABES(BATTLESHIPS) WLD B BROUGHT BACK 2 LIve. BESIDES THESE SHIPS R LEGEND OF COMBAT HISTORY AND STRATIGIC NAVAL BOMBARDMENT.
Badboy21thekiller 1 year ago
floating prisons for war criminals like george bush snr and jnr?
Just had to put that in there to tease ya.
bodunchar 1 year ago
what i wouldnt ive to be a gunners mate on that baby. I wish the Navy would bring the iowa's back!
rexall18v 1 year ago 16
@rexall18v They could if their ever was a need for them, as the Iowa's are the only battleships in existence that can be reactivated.
dogfight001 1 year ago
@rexall18v
Sadly, with the cost of operation, it isn't worth it. I'd try to go back on active duty if they did tho.
TheRetirednavy92 7 months ago
at 2:00 they blew up the sun!
MosinDisciple 1 year ago 2
there's not one video on you tube that doesn't have idiotic comments. A large reason for this is that most of the commenters are under the age of 15, and thats just what 15 year olds do.
N3DRB 2 years ago 3
@N3DRB I have seen some pretty bad stuff. I have seen commentators who cannot spell "Fuck", but instead put "ful", "Fuc", "fu@ak", "fluck", and my favorite: "fac".
Contrajoe 1 year ago
The targeting computers used for those guns are entirely analogue and were built in the late '30s-early '40s by the Ford Motor Company. They are so reliable that if those ships were recomissioned today they would still be used.
plastych 2 years ago 3
0:23 Where could one find the whole clip shot by that camera of them loading?
Contrajoe 2 years ago
@Contrajoe if you search 16 inch gun training you will see a training video that shows you a lot in the whole gun turret. I thought it was quite interesting.
acrummy 2 years ago
@acrummy I saw that. It was cool, but I have never seen them load it in 30 seconds. I have yet to see actual COMBAT footage of a 16"/50 Cal. being loaded
Contrajoe 2 years ago
I remember when she was docked at San Franciso, CA. I visited her, she is massive.
Best moment of the day was that a group of hippies had a small table set up and trying to hand out anti-military leaflets. An old Vet walked up as I was argueing with these people and asked if he could "..have them to hand out to people in line" they said he could have as many as he liked......he grabbed their entire stack of thousands or so an tossed them into the Bay..everyone cheered and clapped for him.
actonbath 2 years ago 30
@actonbath great story glad to hear that somestill have the balls to do that
snobak1 1 year ago
@actonbath man that is classic lol. He tossed all of their leaflets into the ocean.
ComptonCJ 1 year ago
@actonbath good for him. get rid of those hippies.
USSWISCONSIN64 1 year ago
@actonbath I could just see some old retired CPO grabbing a stack of them LMAO.
Bring the Missouri to San Francisco and make her a museum. Hate to say I live here, but time was SF was a big Navy town.
1)Treasure Island (destroyers),
2)Alameda Carriers! (Enterprise and Vinson),
3)Mare Is. Subs SSN and SSBNs,
4)Oakland Supply Center,
5)Concord Nav Weaps.
6)Rough Ready Is. Navcomsta
SF was all Navy. Peaceniks wanted the Military out, so along with 12,000 civilian jobs, they left.
jamesdewer 10 months ago
@jamesdewer It's already a museum in Hawaii, almost right behind the Arizona.
tryithere 9 months ago
1:23 "I'm a flying truck!" HA HA HA
Contrajoe 2 years ago
That's what it really is!
billgx 2 years ago
@billgx Seriously? How many 16" shells does it take to send a truck flying? Did BB-63 fire 5" rounds in dessert storm?
Contrajoe 2 years ago
One 1900 lb HC shell did the trick on that truck. Yes, we fired some 5" shells against Iraqis who crossed the border into Saudi Arabia. There were desalination plants they wanted to preserve & were afraid of damage that 16" might do.
billgx 1 year ago
@billgx Also, do you plan to upload any more battleship videos? One more thing, why do battleship videos generate such idiotic political discussions between people?
Contrajoe 2 years ago
If I find anything in my stash that's compelling I will. I need to go back through my footage. I think the time the Iraqis fired a silkworm missile at us might be a good clip to share. (I don't have the missile, only our reaction in the 16" plotting room.)
billgx 1 year ago
@billgx That sounds like a compelling video. It would be interesting to see what everyone was thinking as a missile came in, never to hit its target. One more question: I have seen a lot of footage of loading 16 guns, but I have never seen footage of them loading a 16" gun in 30 seconds. Do you have any footage of a 16 gun being loaded in combat time?
Contrajoe 1 year ago
I was never in the gunhouse during combat. I do have footage from the lower levels of the turret, through the ammo decks, and up into the gunhouse, but it was recorded after the fighting stopped.
billgx 1 year ago
@billgx That sounds interesting
Contrajoe 1 year ago
@billgx Any footage from inside the turret would be awesome! Also, do you have the full version of the clip at 0:59 ?
Contrajoe 1 year ago
@billgx
either way i doubt the silkworm missile would do much damage seeing as the missouri was built to take hits from actual shells.
zequelll 1 year ago
A silkworm strike would not have been anything we wanted to experience, even on the Missouri. It likely would have hit the superstructure, which isn't as heavily armored as the lower decks. We were glad the HMS Glouchester shot it down for us!
billgx 1 year ago
hitide286: so as of 2010 Royal Navy only has 8 nuclear attack subs left in service???
matapan50 2 years ago
Comment removed
FMAStudent 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
woulda been a better movie if porno music wasn't used
RUSSSELLLLL 2 years ago
@RUSSELLLLL hahahahah so True... bloody 80's
Mrbob200 2 years ago
@Mrbob200 Why such a weird interpretation of 80's music?
Contrajoe 2 years ago
unless you're looking for a different Bigguns
tryithere 2 years ago
1991 Iraqi situation
Hey guys we got something in the mail this morning!
What is it?
Hmm it says that we have a special delivery from a mister... Mighty Mo?
Whos Mighty Mo?
OH shit were fucked! RUUUUNNNN!
dogfight001 2 years ago 2
Every few years, the US Government realizes they cant do without these ships.. They will be back.. just not soon.
hwoods01 2 years ago
god i hope your right.
dizzypilots1 2 years ago
Is the Missouri still part of the reserve fleet? I heard somewhere that she still is.
epyon1983 2 years ago
I don't know if technically she is in the "Reserve Fleet"..but now she is a "museum" berthed at Pearl Harbor, on Ford Island, so you go to see the Arizona Mem. ( which is free as it is a part of the National Park system. You can go see the Missouri...its amazing..as i was there last year..The Iowa class BB, could deliver the most non-nuclear ordinance of any man made weapon in WWII, IN 2 minutes, could do two full broadsides = 24,000 lbs of ordinance X 2 = @48,000LBS OF HIGH EXPLOSIVES
hitide286 2 years ago
@epyon1983
No. None of the Iowa's are in reserve aka..mothball fleet. Three of the 4 are already donated out as museum ships with the 4th (the Iowa) waiting on her permanent berth to be built so she can also be turned into a museum ship. As of 2007 all 4 Iowa class ships were/or had been removed from the Naval Vessel Registry, meaning the Navy no longer recognizes these ships as service ready. Though the Navy can re-acquire these ships if needed, however very unlikely.
Cirux321 2 years ago
ok something annoys me, they decommissioned these class of ships and congress told the navy if they're gonan decommission them, replace them. And the DD(X) was "supposed" to replace it, they cancelled the project and I believe they're only making three form what was originally intended to be thirty two and now for an excuse the navy is saying two LCS can replace what the iowa class battleships can do.
Wahsayah 2 years ago
Sure the Future LCS's are gonna be good, But let's not fool ourselves, they ain't exactly what a battleship can do, nor anything close. An LCS virtually has no real ship armament, has a nice amount of troop capacity but it's just a high tech tin can with self defense weapons. So in honesty- let's just revamp the iowa's get them the new tech that we aren't gonna be spending with the DD(X) and make them good for another twenty years. Besides, no ship comes close to a battleship, than a battleship.
Wahsayah 2 years ago
It's kind of ironic that the battleship New Jersey (BB62) once defended our country and today it sits idle as a museum in Camden NJ which a national study ranked as the nation's most dangerous city in 2008.
hootinouts 2 years ago
Did you see the tank turret fly about a mile. They have demostrated that the 16 inch guns are more accurate than a B52 strike, modernize & recommission the amazing Iowa class!
infokemp 2 years ago 2
I don't think they are historic ships, I belive they are relevent.
tenorismo 2 years ago 3
man, it would of been such an honor to serve on the Mighty MO'........
DiEGO2DaBAY 2 years ago
ruin your day battleship
xsmattx 2 years ago
We still have the uss Wisconsin as well. But also not for long. It's going to be turned over to the city and tourists are going to ruin it!
sailorsgirlrrs 2 years ago
epic ship
jugboy222 2 years ago
Is it just me or is the guy swinging his arm around near the breach right as they're loading the shell just begging to have his arm taken off and jammed halfway up the barrel?
aluisious 2 years ago 2
That's his job. The gunner's mate has to swab out the barrel after each firing to remove any ashes & burning residue. Not a good thing to ram powder bags into an open breech that's not been cleaned out. You don't want them igniting with the breech block open.
billgx 2 years ago
@billgx I'm talking about after he swabs the breach. He keeps his arm hanging around the area in front of the shell loader etc while the machinery is moving. Seems like a good way to loose an arm.
aluisious 2 years ago
@aluisious
He's got room. His arm signals tells the gun crew to extend the spanning tray, ram..etc..etc.
Cirux321 2 years ago
These BB's symbolise the reason why America can never be fucked with - if only we had something like this over in the UK
sailingforde04 2 years ago 3
The Vanguard was brand new in 1946 and undamaged by war. The RN could have kept it up to date with all the latest technology but they scrapped it in the 60s. At the very least it could have been preserved, what a disgrace.
HelmutVillam 2 years ago
It is one of the most annoying things about the RN , the way it scraps everything as quickly as it can , I mean take the Invincible class aircraft carriers , the US would probably get another 10 - 15 years out of them and they are not useless , they could act as escorts to the QE class giving the RN a good carrier arm , but they have to be scrapped. Same with the Vanguard , I reckon , if she had survived she would have proved an invaluable asset in the falklands campaign
sailingforde04 2 years ago 3
Indeed. If it were present and correctly outfitted. we may have not lost the Sheffield, Ardent, Antelope and Coventry. And it could have provided heavy artillery support for the entire theatre, from a safe location.
HelmutVillam 2 years ago
Well what you can say in defence , and no offence intended here Americans , your navy is Brill. The RN must be one of the best navies in the world possibly THE best on the fact that it can operate on a blue water scale despite its small size - thats something to be proud of !!!
sailingforde04 2 years ago
@sailingforde04
No offense taken. When I was in the Navy, we did wargames along side the Royal Navy (as well as a few other Nations in coalition exercises). I was very impressed. In todays warfare, most naval activities are coalition based..meaning the Royal Navy along with the US and allied Navies take care of business when called on. Im particularly proud to have the UK and US stand together when things turn ugly around the globe.
Cirux321 2 years ago
@Cirux321 - Well , we do have HMS Victory , and the lesser know Belfast and Warrior - so mabey I can't complain . But still I am pretty amazed that our navy manages to function , I mean we have 7 destroyers, 14 frigates , 3 carriers (1 in mothballs - that being our main bluewater deterrent - and we still manage to opperate on a global level
sailingforde04 2 years ago
Kind of hard if not impossible to be a 3 "ocean" navy with that limited amount of ships, what one aircraft carrier per ocean?..not to mention the support ships needed. as of 2009 the RN only had 12 nuclear subs, 8 attack, & 4 ballistic, and btw ALL RN ballistic subs are armed with the USN Trident Missle Systems...hmmmm
hitide286 2 years ago
but in too few numbers. Our frigate fleet is okay the T23s will probably give another decade of good service , but the T22s are getting old , and the programme to replace them (FSC) , well it seems to have got held up by lack of funding HMS Ocean , our helicopter carrier will continue to serve in her role quite happily for some time , and we do have 6 LPDs (if you count the fleet aux) ships , so that probably is enough to keep us going :D - so there you go , my view on the RN's current state
sailingforde04 2 years ago
You have to remember the T42's are pretty old ships , many of them are Falkland veterans and two (Sheffield and Coventry) were taken out by exocet armed aircraft in that conflict so as to how "good" they are - I really don't know , besides they are small and cramped. On the T45 , it is the required replacement , however , the number being built has gone from 12 to 6 - and this is really too few - they are supposed to provide state of the art defence to our fleets which they will to be fair
sailingforde04 2 years ago
the TRIDENT submarines or the Vanguard class themselves are our only nuclear detterrent , and they are going to have to be replaced by 2024 (another massive budget required there) , on the invincible class aircraft carriers , they can just about squeeze 24 harriers on them if they ignore the helicopters , so they are to small you have to remember they are ASW carriers. As to the destroyer force that we have , it consists of 6 T42 destroyers and 1 commissioned daring class
sailingforde04 2 years ago
well this is a problem , now we only have 2 of them in. HMS Invincible is now in reserve , a victim of the Labour budget cuts - they are going to be replaced by the two much larger Queen elizabeth class aircraft carriers , which are touted to be more capable ,but still it will be harder to maintain the worldwide presence that we like to. The 8 attack submarines in service are all becoming dated , and are supposed to be replaced , but with the recent budget cuts we have had to endure
sailingforde04 2 years ago
Comment removed
matapan50 2 years ago
i hated it it was boring
lilrecasey 2 years ago
@sailingforde04
I can fully understand the scrapping of the RN warships after WW2 ended. The war flat out bankrupted England. However I really wish they'd kept the Vanguard as well. Big gun warships was the Royal Navy's zenith of ship building. So with the scrapping of them all, the Royal Navy kind of lost a lot of its rich history. The Vanguard arguably was the best battleship design ever built. She performed equally to and in some aspects even better then the US's Iowa class.
Cirux321 2 years ago
Cirux321: after doing some reshearse the Vanguard class BB, I don't see where they are better than US Iowa class ( in some aspects), except for the bow flaire design on the Vanguard . Van. had older design 15 inch guns, which where in storage, and caome from the King George Class ships. They did NOT have the range nor power( weight of shell), that the Iowa Mark7's had. The RN used 15" mainly to save weight & costs. Even though the Van. Class was to see service in the Pacific vs. the JEN.
hitide286 2 years ago
It's sad that they took the big guns out of action though. I would love to see those ships get overhauled with more modern equipment and stay in active duty.
scythelord 2 years ago 3
Well, we can be fucked with now, they've put the battleships in ghost yards, they're not even operational. As of right now, I believe Missouri and it might be New Jersey (can't remember) that are in a status that allows them to be mobilized. They're not out of the woods yet, but unless we have a major war happen, they'll never be used again. Which, I'm not advocating war or anything, but I would at least rather them be used than scrapped.
jmb765 2 years ago
But I'd also like to mention, with new Air Defense technologies and anti-submarine tech, battleships aren't useless anymore. In world war two, yes, they were useless. Now, we have technology to fend off aircraft and submarines, and that tech can be installed on a battleship. Which makes the battleship king of the sea again. Surface ships stand no chance against it.
jmb765 2 years ago
New Jersey its the best battleship in WW2
TCHUBOY 2 years ago
If they where to use modern electromagnetic rail gun technology on these battleships your talking at firing a 2,500 lb. shell 8 times the speed of sound for a range of 300 nautical miles! Can you imagine!
lander4545 2 years ago 3
Cool, blast those Muslims into oblivion!
KnightOfChrist1 2 years ago
thay don't make em like thay used to shame that
Shasui17 2 years ago
We used a battleship during operation desert storm?!?!! That's awsome!! I like the UAV as a foward observer concept for those big ass rifles!
MikeofWyoming 2 years ago
Look up Kuwait on google maps...
macanix 2 years ago
the battleship is comming back with the use of railguns being experimented with newer destroyers and aircraf carriers cvnx21 will have railguns these rail cannons will be big and powerful
TAKIZAWAYAMASHITA 2 years ago