Author Topic: Deck gun  (Read 16386 times)

Offline Travis McLain

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Deck gun
« on: April 08, 2008, 07:17:01 PM »
\.  I have not decided where to place the deck gun at this time.  This is a big job.  We have to keep in mind that the one we have was configured as a shore battery.  We will need to remove all of the decking that is built up around us.   

Rick, are you talking about the deck gun to the left as you are coming out of the museum to go to the boat? I know it is a 5" gun, however it is not the one they had on subs, they had a specific wet mount for the subs. And I believe that the other guns are 3" guns.

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Offline Rick

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Deck gun
« Reply #1 on: April 09, 2008, 01:20:52 PM »
Travis,  that is the one that I  am talking about.  As I saide, we will need to strip it done considerablly.  From my conversations with the vets.  the guns are the same.  the difference is in the mounting as you said.  This was a shore battery that is why you have the deck built up around it.  This will need to be removed.  this is aldo the same 5'  cannon that wa sused on the destroyers turrents.  The only difference there was to remove the hand rail and add a tin housing over the top.   

We are truly like the vet of the time.  Taking what we have and making it work for what we need.

Rick

Offline Mark Sarsfield

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« Reply #2 on: April 09, 2008, 01:26:37 PM »
You really don't have a choice with something unique like this.  Not a lot of 5" deck guns laying about, anymore.  A lot of the parts will have to be fabricated.

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Mark Sarsfield
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Offline Rick

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« Reply #3 on: April 09, 2008, 01:54:39 PM »
That is a given.  Unless we know of someone that has one sitting aroung..  :)

Offline Travis McLain

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Deck gun
« Reply #4 on: April 09, 2008, 07:30:12 PM »
Travis,  that is the one that I  am talking about.  As I saide, we will need to strip it done considerablly.  From my conversations with the vets.  the guns are the same.  the difference is in the mounting as you said.  This was a shore battery that is why you have the deck built up around it.  This will need to be removed.  this is aldo the same 5'  cannon that wa sused on the destroyers turrents.  The only difference there was to remove the hand rail and add a tin housing over the top.   

We are truly like the vet of the time.  Taking what we have and making it work for what we need.

Rick

Ok, cool. But it will definately take alot of fabrication to make it like the wet mount. I just was not sure exactly what you had in mind Rick.
"Uncommon Valor Was A Common Virtue" Adm. Nimitz on the Marines at Iwo Jima.

"USS Batfish relentlessly tracked down the enemy and in three separate, brilliantly executed attacks, launched her torpedoes with devastating speed and skill and demolished three Japanese submarines."

Offline MWALLEN

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Deck gun
« Reply #5 on: April 13, 2008, 01:38:38 PM »
Quote
Rick, are you talking about the deck gun to the left as you are coming out of the museum to go to the boat? I know it is a 5" gun, however it is not the one they had on subs, they had a specific wet mount for the subs. And I believe that the other guns are 3" guns.

Rick - I guess I'm confused on which gun you are talking about.  Are you referring to the HUGE gun right off the northwest corner of the museum?  Or are you referring to one of the other guns (see photos below)?  The gun in the B&W example photo seems to mimic the gun in the first photo.  I'd vote for it first, then the gun in the second photo.   Please clarify for me which gun you are talking about as there are two guns to the left coming out of the museum.

Mark A.
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Offline Rick

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Deck gun
« Reply #6 on: April 13, 2008, 02:49:38 PM »
Mark A
I am talking about the very large gun on the imediate SW corner of the building.  Again,  I know we are talking about a lot of work.  but I can show you what I think they did to convert this to a submarine deck gun. 

Rick

Offline Mark Sarsfield

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« Reply #7 on: April 14, 2008, 11:06:37 AM »
Speaking of deck gun, maybe Pearl Harbor would part company with the USS Parche's? 

http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08384.htm  (bottom photos)

Obviously, we could take better care of it than they are.  For something so prominently displayed, it's not looking much better than the current condition of our guns (not meant to be a bash on the museum).

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Mark Sarsfield
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Offline Travis McLain

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Deck gun
« Reply #8 on: April 16, 2008, 11:06:02 AM »
Speaking of deck gun, maybe Pearl Harbor would part company with the USS Parche's? 

http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08384.htm  (bottom photos)

Obviously, we could take better care of it than they are.  For something so prominently displayed, it's not looking much better than the current condition of our guns (not meant to be a bash on the museum).


THat would be a pretty cool addition to the museum, but I bet it would be alot of red tape and money. However we somehow have managed to do pretty good with the Oklahoma mast, from last I heard.
"Uncommon Valor Was A Common Virtue" Adm. Nimitz on the Marines at Iwo Jima.

"USS Batfish relentlessly tracked down the enemy and in three separate, brilliantly executed attacks, launched her torpedoes with devastating speed and skill and demolished three Japanese submarines."

Offline Mark Sarsfield

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Deck gun
« Reply #9 on: April 16, 2008, 02:12:32 PM »
Speaking of the 5" deck gun, it's important to note that surface ships generally used the 5"/38 gun, whereas the subs used the 5"/25 gun.  The biggest difference being that the surface ship gun is 65 inches longer.  If the 5" gun that we have at the museum is on a surface ship platform, then more than likely it's a 5"/38.  I don't think that we should substitute one for the other on the boat.
« Last Edit: April 16, 2008, 02:14:27 PM by Mark Sarsfield »

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Offline MWALLEN

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Deck gun
« Reply #10 on: April 16, 2008, 02:28:59 PM »
Quote
If the 5" gun that we have at the museum is on a surface ship platform, then more than likely it's a 5"/38.  I don't think that we should substitute one for the other on the boat.

I couldn't agree more.  I have my reservations on putting that 5" gun on the boat, mainly because it wasn't on a submarine...and wasn't a true deck gun.

We have one, possibly two, candidates already at the park (see my previous post showing the two guns).  One for sure was a deck gun...it's a 3" gun, but at least it was a deck gun.  It will take a whole lot LESS work to move the 3"...and it will be easier to restore.

I think Rick and I are going to look at the guns on Saturday...I'll discuss the options with him...but ultimately it's his decision.
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Offline Mark Sarsfield

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« Reply #11 on: April 16, 2008, 02:41:27 PM »
Yeah, a 3" inch deck gun would be more accurate than putting a huge 5" deck gun on her, even though she never had a 3" gun.  It never hurts to contact the Navy to see what is in their museum/storage inventory, either.  Even a 4" deck gun would be a good mount.

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Mark Sarsfield
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Offline Rick

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« Reply #12 on: April 16, 2008, 03:27:00 PM »
Good discussion,  I did not know there was a difference in how long the barrel was.  It is difficult to tell without the sid by sid comparison.  The only difference that I could see was in the actual mounting structure.  I can see on our guns were that would be easily (with a big lift) to remove it from that mounting.  It never hurts to check with the Navy.  I have not found anything as of yet but will keep looking. 


Offline Mark Sarsfield

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Deck gun
« Reply #13 on: April 16, 2008, 03:33:36 PM »
The 5"/38 gun has a 190" barrel and the 5"/25 has a 125" barrel (not sure if the measurement includes the whole breech or not). A quick check with the measuring tape will determine which one the park has.

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Mark Sarsfield
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Offline Rick

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Deck gun
« Reply #14 on: April 16, 2008, 06:27:47 PM »
10-4 on that.  You have me courious now......

It makes me wonder what kind of trad off this made on the wepons range and accuracy.  I kno that sortening a barrel on a personal weapon will decrease both...