The biggest reason for the masts is that back when USS Olympia was commissioned, target detection and tracking was done with the Mk.1 eyeball (qty 2, typ), and from the fighting tops up in the masts, your horizon is further away, and so your ability to see the enemy is extended.
The turrets are dummies, the original guns/turrets were removed in the several ship configuratuons over her career. The dummies were installed to provide the exterior appearance of the original ship. There was an earlier video that explained further, th-cam.com/video/d8ugDsofjIY/w-d-xo.html
The forecastle is blocked to the public because of trip hazards and unsafe deck conditions. The quarterdeck is currently open to the public after we were able to complete safety improvements in late 2020/early 2021.
The biggest reason for the masts is that back when USS Olympia was commissioned, target detection and tracking was done with the Mk.1 eyeball (qty 2, typ), and from the fighting tops up in the masts, your horizon is further away, and so your ability to see the enemy is extended.
I was there in December 2019 and I was wondering. How come access to the turrets are blocked off around both turrets?
The turrets are dummies, the original guns/turrets were removed in the several ship configuratuons over her career. The dummies were installed to provide the exterior appearance of the original ship.
There was an earlier video that explained further,
th-cam.com/video/d8ugDsofjIY/w-d-xo.html
@@amnucc I knew that but I wanted to walk around that area to take pictures from the bow and the stern.
The forecastle is blocked to the public because of trip hazards and unsafe deck conditions. The quarterdeck is currently open to the public after we were able to complete safety improvements in late 2020/early 2021.