BB 60 USS Alabama (Full Version)

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pompack -> BB 60 USS Alabama (5/19/2007 7:08:50 AM)

I recently had the opportunity to visit the Alabama and I am now shuffling through the pictures.

One unique feature is a doorway has been cut through the barbette one deck below the armored deck to allow tour access to the working chambers. Here are a few pictures from this area.

This is a view of the cut into the barbette showing the thickness of the armor with the upper shell room in the background

[image]local://upfiles/10873/4D2569C766D1437D88AAA27EF71F3475.jpg[/image]



pompack -> RE: BB 60 USS Alabama (5/19/2007 7:15:09 AM)

This is a view of the upper shell room showing the projectiles stowed on the rotating ring and other projectiles (background) stowed on the non-rotating portion along the inner wall of the barbette. A stairway leading down to the lower shell room is on the right; these were added for the tour and originally they were simple manholes accessed via vertical ladders. Note that the entrance for the barbette was on the lowest level; to reach this level the personnel had to climb at least three decks up these ladders.

[image]local://upfiles/10873/C1152508D5A04BF48259178FB9B99B04.jpg[/image]



pompack -> RE: BB 60 USS Alabama (5/19/2007 7:21:47 AM)

This is a view of the lower chamber where the powder charges were received from the adjacent magazines via scuttles (far right) and moved to the hoists in the center of the chamber which transported them up to the turret itself. Note the large powder can next to the scuttle; this held ready-use charges in flame-proof containers. Note that the bags pass through the scuttles one at a time but are hoisted up to the guns three at a time.

Two of the vertical ladders used by the crew to reach the shell rooms can be seen in the left rear and on the extreme right.

[image]local://upfiles/10873/76598E969BCB432D9401696AF88DC902.jpg[/image]



pompack -> RE: BB 60 USS Alabama (5/19/2007 7:28:14 AM)

This shows the magazine flooding valves that allow this chamber and/or the adjacent magazines to be flooded. This area could also be flooded via valves controled from spaces outside the barbette.

[image]local://upfiles/10873/F15B67CF0F774E4499F2648AFA7DD8B4.jpg[/image]



pompack -> RE: BB 60 USS Alabama (5/19/2007 7:37:01 AM)

This is a vew of the support structure for the turret viewed from the upper shell room. Visible are two of the shafts of the 24 (I think! I got the number by counting circuit breakers) electric motors that actually rotate the turret. Each motor drives a shaft that is geared way,way down.

The normal way of moving the shells around was totally manual involving a two man crew that moved the shell by "parbuckling" (for a 2700 pound projectile! [X(] ). The yellow rail in the picture allowed a shell to be lifted via block and tackle and then moved longer distances suspended from the rail.

[image]local://upfiles/10873/08F902F59A2F4B9292E32EA1CC2F79C7.jpg[/image]



pompack -> RE: BB 60 USS Alabama (5/19/2007 7:54:44 AM)

This is a close-up of a powder scuttle showing a single powder bag that has just been passed from the adjacent magazine. Note the ready-use powder can on the left with two more in the right background. The boundery between the fixed (outer) and rotating (inner) structures can be seen (barely) in the lower right (by the red pole).

[image]local://upfiles/10873/602475E42FCB45F1A1801B450806E685.jpg[/image]



pompack -> RE: BB 60 USS Alabama (5/19/2007 7:59:30 AM)

And just to show that there really is a battleship around all this, here is an outside view

[image]local://upfiles/10873/921AD8FB69864ADA803167C1AE3D8CF9.jpg[/image]



Ron Saueracker -> RE: BB 60 USS Alabama (5/19/2007 11:44:11 AM)

Have they dealt with the KATRINA damage? From what I heard, many of the exibits were stressed.

Thanks for the ics by the way...[&o]



showboat1 -> RE: BB 60 USS Alabama (5/19/2007 10:22:07 PM)

I remember when I was a kid there were alot mroe sections of the Alabama open to the public than there are now. Damned insurance considerations!



m10bob -> RE: BB 60 USS Alabama (5/20/2007 4:39:10 PM)

The gun size difference between the ships' and the M4 is astounding!



pompack -> RE: BB 60 USS Alabama (5/20/2007 4:57:33 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Ron Saueracker

Have they dealt with the KATRINA damage? From what I heard, many of the exibits were stressed.

Thanks for the ics by the way...[&o]



Ron:

They had a number of photos taken just after pinned to a display board; most of the pictures were of the park structures and a few of the static displays. I could not see any obvious signs of damage on the grounds or to any of the displays.



pompack -> RE: BB 60 USS Alabama (5/20/2007 5:01:21 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: m10bob

The gun size difference between the ships' and the M4 is astounding!



It makes a very impressive picture; I now use this shot for wallpaper. If you would like a full-res version, send me a PM with your email



Reg -> RE: BB 60 USS Alabama (5/21/2007 3:06:49 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: pompack


quote:

ORIGINAL: Ron Saueracker

Have they dealt with the KATRINA damage? From what I heard, many of the exibits were stressed.

Thanks for the ics by the way...[&o]



Ron:

They had a number of photos taken just after pinned to a display board; most of the pictures were of the park structures and a few of the static displays. I could not see any obvious signs of damage on the grounds or to any of the displays.


quote:

ORIGINAL: Wikipedia [under: USS Alabama (BB-60)]

In recent years, Alabama has been occasionally used as a hurricane shelter. During Hurricane Katrina, Alabama suffered damage which resulted in an eight-degree list to port[1] and shifting at her permanent anchorage. (The families of 18 museum employees were aboard during Katrina.[1]) In addition, the Aircraft Pavilion was severely damaged, to include the destruction of three of the exhibited aircraft. At the end of 2005, damage estimates were in excess of four million dollars. The park reopened 9 January 2006, with the ship still having a three-degree list (which was still being corrected). The battleship and submarine were open, but the Aircraft Pavilion was still unsafe.


This information is a year old so things should be well and truely cleaned up by now.....



showboat1 -> RE: BB 60 USS Alabama (5/21/2007 5:08:16 PM)

quote:

January 9, 2007 marks the 42th anniversary of the opening of USS ALABAMA (BB-60) Battleship Memorial Park. Eighteen years to the day since she last ran under her own power, the World War II heroine was dedicated in Mobile, Alabama to the memory of Alabama veterans of all branches of the armed services, Navy, Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.

Last year on January 9, 2006, Battleship Memorial Park reopened after being closed for 4 1/2 months due to the more than $7 million in damages suffered during Hurricane Katrina. Although most of the repairs are complete, the Park still has a $3 ½ million shortfall after all insurance and FEMA funds are applied, which is seriously impacting the self-supporting Park’s future operations.


Except for the budget shortfall, everything seems to operating normally.



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