Pinned post for Q&A :) EDIT 2 - Here is a 1080p version which doesn't have the visual issues - th-cam.com/video/RSA4UE1FNm0/w-d-xo.html I don't know what's causing some of the odd image overlay issues in this version, they don't show on the rendered original video, something must've gone odd in the YT upload/processing process. :(
It’s amazing that Drach is like a living battleship encyclopedia but had never been to a battleship. Grateful to live in the US where we have historical battleships basically just lying around all over the country.
Let me tell you from a tiny country (population wise) naval museum perspective. I live in Brisbane Qld Australia so our naval museum has the largest Australian WW2 built ship in drydock, the HMAS Diamantina (British River Class Frigate). Lol. Ohh well at least we have the only surviving WW1 A7v German Tank (Mephisto).
It was originally alot longer in detail but Robert Shaw became incoherent as he read the script while drunk, it was shortened. Nevertheless, it is a classic monologe!
@@BHuang92 That scene is made up of two shots. One that Shaw was falling down drunk. The next day he was so embarrassed by his performance that he begged for the chance to reshoot the scene, which they did. Shaw was a great actor dealing with some real demons. It is a shame we lost him so soon.
The Indianapolis speech was written by John Milius. He also wrote/directed both 'Conan The Barbarian' and 'Red Dawn'. He wrote the screenplay for 'Apocalypse Now'. "Charlie don't surf". 'I love the smell of napalm in the morning.'
@@Kevin_Kennelly I was only a kid when the film came out. I went to the library the next day and researched what happened to the crew of the Indy. I was horrified to learn that pretty much that speech was all true.
I forgot to mention. Milius also wrote/directed "The Wind And The Lion". If you haven't seen that movie, you have not lived. THE WIND AND THE LION (1975)
"...am fearful of going up any tall man-made structure, because I know how cheap the people that build it are" As an architect, I can appreciate that. Great video.
Fortunately, a battleships superstructure and especially the fire control tower have not only been designed with the usual safety margins, but also to withstand deliberate attempts to destroy it with large amounts of high explosive.
I chuckle at, “military grade, state-of-the-art” materials and products, components, etc. bc I remember our stuff all seemed quite ancient. One example: my radar set console (NSSMS) 7H still had Nixie tube readouts until around 1986, we still used red lead primer until, idk, at least 1989, when I got out. Yup, military contracts compromise between procurement costs, durability, reliability, ease of use, maintenance costs… all sorts of reasons, none of which were, “this is the latest, cutting-edge tech”. Our computers could be hard to operate, maintain and repair; its general equivalent now would be the TRS-80.
@@speed150mph Our Battleships were made to trade shots with anything as big as they were.... If they had a 14inch gun they could withstand hits from 14inch guns to a point.... If they sported 16in/50 they could trade shots with 16in/50.... In fact, the Iowa's could stand up to anything, with maybe the exception of the Japanese 18inch of the Yomato Class.... And even the 18s of the Yomato would take a few hits to take out an Iowa.... And the Iowa's fire control was much better than anything the Japanese had at longer range, especially at night because we could shoot by RADAR at night and through smoke or fog.... After the war we tested the 16in/50 AP Round against a chunk of belt armor that was to go on the 3rd Yomato Class (that was cut) and it punched it like a hot knife through butter.... Japan's 18inch had more explosives, but our 16in/50 was the only gun with the speed to punch the armored belt of a Yomato at the waterline.... And with the fire control computer of our Battleships, we could hit near or far, fast or slow high noon or midnight..... Something the Japanese couldn't do..... And even though the big show down never happened between the Iowa's and the Yomato, the Battleships sunk in the Pearl Harbor raid, and refloated, met and sunk the Japanese Southern Force Battleships without any problem at all.... And when Taffy 3 took on their Center Force and turned them back, the Japanese Navy stopped being a threatening force in the Pacific from that moment on..... The Yomato would make one last charge for Okinawa to be breached as a grounded shore battery, but it would never arrive, being sunk by American carrier planes on it's way to try to throw back the allied landing there....
My Great Uncle from West Virginia was in the Big USS Massachusetts. He was a Bophar Cannon Gunner. Most action he saw was at Okinawa. Respect and salute 🫡 to your father. They don't make men like them anymore. 🇺🇸
Drach, the bag of that bag charge is made of raw silk.... It's made of silk for 2 reasons.... #1) The silk burns more completely, as a glowing amber could set off an explosion if it came into contact with the next charge of the next shot.... Extremely bad day resulting.... The #2) Reason for silk is the strength of silk over canvas.... Special note, the silk was color coded for different charges as different shells were different weight and required different powder charges to keep the chamber pressure within proper levels as to not blow up the gun... A little trivia from my Mom who wrote the statistical survey for all "Gun Ammunition" that ran through Naval Weapons Station, Concord for 43 years.... Great video, as usual....
@@gregorywright4918 I lost her back in 16, but she didn't like to talk to strangers about her work, I'm sure you can understand why... But you are right, the history she was even a part of on the side, was remarkable..... And so much of it, she couldn't talk about, even to us....
@@PhilipFear yes, didn't find out till long after my mother passed on that she work for Mr. Kelly while he worked on the SR-71 and whatever all the listening to my dribble about said aircraft with mixed concern. 🙄 If she were alive as well as she was sharp as a tack until cancer took over.
@@frankbodenschatz173 Unfortunately my Mom passed with the long goodbye for her last 5 years at 91... Although My Dad passed sharp as a tack working his small engine repair business up to his last 2 weeks back in may of 2001....
aw yea finally, the tour of USS Massachusetts 3:43 A techmarine expresses his excitement up seeing a section of an ancient Terran naval warship(Colorized)
What is a tech marine dude? I think you mean tech priest. Tech marine sounds like you don’t really know but loved your recycled joke so much you just tried making something up that you thought sounded kind of warhammer-y. Get gud.
@@skeezicksz Tech Marines are regular space marines that have learned under the Mechanicum to basically be the technicians for their chapter, so yes they are a thing, so maybe you need to Get gud
My partner is from Fall River. When I visited her we went to see this powerful ship and her berth-mates. Wish that they had more funding to maintain them.
@@RoastedOpinions yanking your chain a little, i used to live on the hill overlooking battleship cove for several years, not the best view. took me years to get down to her
I've had the honor of visiting both Massachusetts and Alabama. I was very glad that these are the "smaller" battleships one can visit, the only one smaller is Texas (and technically Mikasa). My uncle, who was an electrician on Enterprise (CVN 65), guided me around and talked about all the electrical things aboard Mass. and it was really fascinating.
I had gone aboard both the New-Jersey in Camden NJ And the Wisconsin in Norfolk Virginia And brother they were amazing in their final 1980s configuration And a few years ago i went to Connecticut and Massachusetts and i went to the Submarine Museum in Groton CT And the USS Salem in Quincy MA Also Old-Ironsides and the USS Cassin Young in Boston MA If and when this blankety-blank Covid-19 epidemic finally over and done i'll go to Fall-River and see Battleship-Cove Sayonara!
I've been a battleship nut since I was a wee sprat, and have read extensively (my parents might have said "Obsessively") about the subject. I was touring USS Alabama one fine day some years back, and overheard a family discussing what some feature of the ship might have been for. I was able to answer their question, and next thing I knew I was being dragooned into playing tourguide, following me around for a good hour and a half while their offspring buried me in questions. I thought it was great fun. I mean, someone actually wanted to *learn* all this stuff I'd spent half a lifetime accumulating in a quest to avoid my calculus homework?!?!?! :D :D
When I was a kid, I was a junior Marine cadet. We stayed over on the battleship to supervise the boy scouts and had the run of the ship late at night. We climbed to the very top of the ship on the outside. The normal way you took was locked. It was a pretty special night. Perfect weather, up all night, adrenaline pumping, what a vessel. My father and I keep the sailboat in the cove there. I Love that Giant Grey Girl. I feel like she isn't done yet.
Did you drop We Boy Scouts for 20??? I was an Eagle Scout (and a SSGT in the USAF) and I HOPE you gave them Beatings. That being said, I ABSOLUTELY agree that ANYTHING with a 16" gun isn't done yet!! USMC ANGLICO IS a "Thing".
@@johnedreslin Annnd your clothing and sleeping bag STUNK like Fuel Oil, right?? Lol.... My Mom IMMEDIATELY had me hang my "camping" supplies outside when I came home. Good times.
My dad flew OS2U Kingfishers off of Big Mamie March 1943 to October 1944. Bit by bit I've come across your other videos, so tonight was stunned to stumble upon your video here. My dad took our family on board in the late 60s when I was a kid, and I visited again in the early 80's -- but I never got as high in the superstructure as you did here -- SO THANK YOU for that -- and for the wonderfully informative tour. I need to get my own family there ASAP. Also, please accept our condolences on the passing of your Queen; she was a model to the world. Thanks again; cheers -- JB
It was a treat to meet both You and Mrs. Drach on Big Mamie! It was depressing to see the current state she's in - I've spent time over my 50 years either "camping" on it in my younger days, to bringing my Son and now my Grandkids to visit. Good thing the Kennedy's were Massachusetts residents - somehow, I have the feeling they were involved in getting her brought home as a museum. Plus, the Gearing class destroyer moored alongside is in JFKs Brother's name, so, there's that. BTW, I could be mistaken, but, wasn't the El Hank battery at Casablanca a 9.2" battery?? I know the French Love odd sized calibers, so, that number is stuck in my head. With almost an hour of great footage and narration, you did our Massachusetts Ship proud - Thank You!!
@@robg9236 My mistake. I forgot his brother died "piloting" a remote controlled B17 during WW2, which makes the naming appropriate. I also missed the Jr. on the stern. Thank you for setting me straight.
I actually saw the top of the USS Massachusetts' mast from a bridge while on a road trip as a kid and basically begged my parents to stop so we could look at it. Really wonderful time, and a fond memory.
She was in mothballs at St. Helena in S. Norfolk, Va. before Massachusetts got her as a museum ship. I was a little kid then, and remember seeing her upper works when we drove by. I'm glad she was saved from the scrappers.
My late grandfather who sailed a desk off the USS Pentagon, took me to battleship cove back in 2004. He loved these kind of older ships and I owe a lot of my interest in military items to him. A couple of fun facts, on the Massachusetts, there is a galley (cafeteria) open to the public (at least it was back in 2019) that serves food. Both the USS Joseph P. Kennedy and the USS Lionfish are both movie stars, with the Kennedy used in Thirteen Days and the Lionfish used in Run Silent, Run Deep. The Hiddensee is an East German corvette scooped up by the USN after German reunification. (EDIT: Hiddensee was scrapped in October 2023.) Other items at Battleship Cove include: 1 AH-1 Cobra from Vietnam 1 UH-1 Huey from Vietnam 1 Silkworm style Anti-Ship Missile 1 TA-6 trainer aircraft 1 Friz-X Radio Controlled bomb 1 X-Craft spy submarine 2 Motor Torpedo Boats
I live 15 minutes away and have been on her many times. They’ve done quite a good job acquiring a variety of interesting exhibits including a couple of PT Boats stored inside a building next to the Massachusetts. It well worth the trip to see the exhibits.
First battleship I ever visited too. I was like nine and lived in Connecticut at the time, and our cub scout group took a trip over there. Kicked off a childhood fascination with this stuff that never fully went away.
I'm fascinated with mechanical things, but not an engineer. You have a way of bringing things 'down' to my level. I've been on the Alabama and was shocked at how cramped the 16-inch turret interior was. Below, squeezing between the No. 1 turret's barbette and the hull, leaves quite an impression too. Well done again.
Took my girlfriend and our kids into turret 3 on the Bama. "Babe, it's really... There's not a lot of room in here" oh yeah. Yeah now imagine the crew is in here, electronics are running, dudes are yelling and screaming, and through it all every few minutes you get rocked by those guns going off. It's cramped but it's the best seat in the house! ".... Babe this is a house" well you aren't wrong.
Visited her many times. Even camped on her when my son was as Cub Scout at 6 or 7 (he’s 30 now!). I’m a USN veteran and trying to herd lots of little scouts on the ship, I was panicked one or two were going to take a header down a ladder well. Living on the west coast for many years now it’s been a long time since I’ve visited, like most museum ships in the US, her exterior is hurting for a needle gun or two and paint. Thanks for the memories.
I remember seeing drach at his first time live on camera at TF and marveling at seeing the man himself. Now I'm blown away by how professional you are. Your presenting like the expert you are. No awkwardness infront of camera
Glad that my home state’s battleship is the first such large warship you visited. USS Massachusetts and the others at Battleship Cove are fantastic. Been there a few times and always a blast to explore the ins and outs of the vessels. Sounds like you really enjoyed it all as well.
Thanks for coming down! I live right across the river in Somerset and see our beloved BB everyday. It truly is the best collection of ships in the world and have visited it since I was 5 years old. You should have seen her coming back from dry dock firing her 5 inch guns
Had the pleasure of visiting USS Massachusetts for the first time myself a month ago. Not sure if I got lucky or what but there were literally 2 other people onboard the whole ship total, other than the restoration crew working on the deck. IT was eerie roaming the massive interior with no one around. Also I was stunned by how much of it was accessible to the public compared to the heavily restricted USS Wisconsin we have locally here which requires guided tours for everything other than the first two decks down. I just hope no one ends up injuring themselves in the superstructure or citadel or something and causing it to be closed off without a guide.
We stopped in Falls River on our way back to Michigan. You could spend a week on that boat and not see everything! Then there’s the USS LIONFISH, THE KENNEDY AND A BUILDING WITH THE PT BOATS!!! Truly a destination to visit!! Nice video! 👍🇺🇸🙋♂️🖖🏻
I'm from Connecticut and we took my British friend to Battleship Cove for Fourth of July last year (British guys and battleships...). The museum there does a terrific job with the ships and displays. It's a fantastic day out with kids and well worth going to if you're in the area and get a chance. Appreciate Drach and people like him putting these things on the internet so people know they're out there and available to visit.
Had the incredible opportunity to sleep over on Big Mamie twice with the cub scouts, it's hard to understate how much the ship feels like a floating city. Fond memories, support Battleship Cove!
Toured that ship many times and the Alabama once. Even did a camp-out overnight on Big Mamie 13 years ago. I highly recommend touring her if you are in the area. What impresses me with these ships is not only the design inside and out, but looking at every price of equipment right down to a bread mixer that have a label attached showing that everything was made right here in America.
During the Boy Scout trip, a couple of old crewmen conducted a Q and A. I remember them mentioning that the floors were covered in grease which allowed to them to slide heavy objects around. They also talked about how it felt when the 16" guns were fired, like the ship was being tilted despite the gyroscopes and gizmos on the bridge saying otherwise. They also added that they couldn't feel the gun firing from the engine room.
Drach You are correct It is big . She is the First Battleship that I have seen . We were visiting Middleboro , Mass for a graduation Party . There was Downtime after we set it up and I asked our Host how close are we to Fall River and the Battleship ? He said close by and you must go . So I took my Dada to see it . My First view about a Mile up the River Gave the Impression that she was Very Hippy . The 5 "inch Guns and the Swell leading to the Blisters made Her look Thiccc , very sexy looking Ship ! We only had an Hour so could not go aboard . I was very Happy to see Her .
The thing that surprised me when visiting the Salem was also how thin the Salem was compared to the Massachusetts. It can really be felt inside the ship, the size of some of the rooms on Massachusetts are enormous compared to Salem. I was also shocked how long Salem was, I had never seen a cruiser before and wasn't expecting it to be such a large ship.
It's interesting comparing the South Dakotas to the Iowas. The Iowas were every bit as wide as their older sisters, and carried essentially the same armament mix (tho the 16"-50 were longer, heavier, slightly longer-ranged weapons than the 16"-45 on the SoDaks), but were MUCH longer ships. That much higher length-to-beam ratio was necessary to wring that extra half-dozen knots or so out of the newer ships. It was fairly impressive that they managed the same 28kt speed from the South Dakotas that they had from the earlier North Carolinas, given the shorter hull of the latter. Granted, they had to use much more powerful engines to do it, but they did with those more powerful turbines in a smaller hull. Pretty cool engineering. The other thing you notice about the South Dakotas compared to the Iowas was habitability. There was a LOT more room for warm bodies to eat, sleep, hit the head, and take a shower. The Navy's predilection as the war progressed for carpeting every square inch of flat space with antiaircraft weapons meant that crew sizes on the battleships tended to mushroom, and that caused real crowding problems on Massachusetts and her sisters. When I toured Alabama, I found bunks in the darndest places - offices, primary fire control behind the switchboard, out in the corridors aft, mounted to bulkheads here there and everywhere.
Not sure if the museum still does this, but I was an adult leader in scouting years ago in the mid 90's, scout troops were allowed to stay overnight on the Massachusetts. We went every for about the whole 7 years I was involved. My favorite time on the ship was at night when most lights were off and everyone was sleeping. Just walking around at 2 or 3 in the morning by yourself was awesome.
I don't remember the exact year I visited (it would have been somewhere in the late 90s - early 2000s) but it was definitely a thing then because I remember hearing about it on our tour.
I did this in the mid 2000s when I was younger, hope their still doing it because it was awesome. Not so fun part though was when we all had to evacuate the ship in the middle of the night in the Massachusetts winter because there was a fire in the galley 😂
Dad grew up in the area, and I've visited this place as kid. I remember relatives telling me the took the top of the battleship off, in order to fit it under the bridge when they brought it into the bay.
I remember first seeing _Massachusetts_ and thinking about how small, cramped, and cluttered she looked, because I was used to USS _Wisconsin_ (of course, the Cold War refits did help with clutter as much as the size). Just goes to show how different experiences can alter perspectives. It was amazing to see her in a World War II configuration and especially just how many anti-aircraft guns there were. I've been visiting battleships all my life, and the only time I've ever been awestruck by the size of a ship was when I got to see up close and *very* briefly board a _Nimitz_ class carrier as a Boy Scout. That thing approached Cthulian "you cannot grasp its true form" levels of massive. You just could not see the entire thing all at once.
All that AA was a lot of the problem. All those 40mm and 20mm guns needed warm bodies to fire them, and more warm bodies to keep the ammunition coming. Where all those fellows were gonna bunk down when they were off watch got to be a real thorny issue on the South Dakotas, which just didn't have the cubage of the North Carolinas or the Iowas. The Iowas in particular were almost luxury liners in comparison to their older sisters. :)
Hi Drach, I was fortunate to have had a " Fire Power Tour " with Dr. Scholes in November of 2022 on board Massachusetts. We were on board for six hours and ran out of time to complete the tour which will require a second tour in the future. Dr. Scholes has a wealth of knowledge of large caliber naval gunnery and his explanation of the complexity of accurate fire control was truly amazing. Hope to meet you when next you visit New England. Happy New Year to you and your family.
when my son was in scouts 30 years ago, one weekend was spent on the massachusetts and even slept, showered and ate in the regular facilities. we also got to hear a talk by about 6 actual sailors that were on this ship during the war. amazing...
BTW if you visit the Massachusetts you can also visit a Gearing class DD, a sub, and a PT boat for one admission ticket. It is also very close to the Lizzy Borden house which is also a bed and breakfast!
Forgot to mention they also have a Russian missle destroyer and a merry-go-round for the kids. There is food available from the battleship galley, and at other locations in the park.
The first submarine I ever visited was in the Gothenburg Maritime museum, a Draken class boat, obviously designed for the Baltic see. The next boat I got to visit was Oberon class in Sydney harbor, built for long distance, long endurance missions. Comparing those two boats made me go WOW !!
Great to hear you were here in New England, hope you enjoyed your visit! Keep meaning to visit Battleship Cove again, was last there when I was a kid in the '90's.
My family is from Massachusetts and I would dearly like to find time to visit and see USS Salem and the Big M at Battleship cove. On your next trip however, make sure you come south as I can tell you the USS Alabama/USS Drum museum with her sister is a blast!
Back in the mid-80s, my boy scout troop spent a weekend at Battleship Cove. Having arranged to spend the night on the battleship, we crawled over that whole ship, end to end, for several hours, played poker in the mess late into the night, bunked in the NCO quarters, etc.
Fantastic ship. I spent 4 hours just to tour the entire ship and came out smelling of oil. The ship is in pretty rough shape when I visited a few years ago. The wooden deck was becoming a forest and the paint was chipping off everywhere rusting the superstructure bad. I was told the ship was repainted after I left though.
I'd made a similar observation about some spaces aboard New Jersey (the gunhouses in the main battery turrets were particularly in need of TLC) but you can only do what you can do. At the time they were more focused on getting rid of the rotted fir decking and laying in some proper teak. I've since seen turret-tour videos wherein it was evident that they'd been lavishing some TLC on those spaces. I'm sure they'll get 'round to things as they get time, funding, and warm bodies.
The 16" Mark 5 AP shell shown first was BARE-NOSED, having lost both its AP cap and its windscreen. Those shallow pits ringing the lower nose are used to crimp the AP cap onto the nose in addition to the use of low-temperature solder (safety first!). The 16" Mark 8 AP shell that had its lower end gone had detonated, blowing its lower body into chunks inside the JEAN BART. The small (1.5% weight) Explosive "D" filler used, coupled with the extra-long shell to get the 2700 pound weight of the Mark 8, caused the upper end of the shell to remain in one piece, though the shorter, lighter Mark 5 would probably have had its nose broken up, too (not certain). This was not the only Mark 8 shell recovered from JEAN BART and a few had not deto0nated properly, which was what lead the US Navy to find out that their new Mark 21 Base Detonating Fuze, used in all US Navy WWII AP shells duri9ng WWII, was being compromised by fumes from the Explosive "D" filler so coating the fuzes in liquid Bakelite plastic during manufacture from mid-1943 was needed to make the fuzes air-tight and preventing the corrosion. The Mark 8 also used crimping as well as solder for its AP cap. Note that both of the 16" AP shells had somewhat long and pointed noses with only the tips rounded. Later MODs (versions) of both shells had nearly hemispherical noses and somewhat thicker and harder AP caps, with the 16" Mark 8 MOD 6 (last version) being the strongest AP shell ever made, to my knowledge. Note where the windscreen attachment threads cut into the AP cap are on the Mark 8 with no windscreen. They were cut into the softer portion of the cap near its base. This design was used in all early-WWII AP cap/windscreen designs used by the US Navy; later designs had the windscreen shortened and threaded to the very hard upper edge of all of the AP caps, the same as used in all foreign WWII AP caps. This made the cap somewhat wider and heavier and put a sharp edge on the rim of the AP cap hard front face that cut a notch into the plate surface and improved deck penetration at an angle over 50 degrees from right angles. US NPG kept doing tests throughout WWII and any improvements that they noted were added to the design requirements of the later-WWII AP shells.
So cool that this is the first battleship you have been on with it being the first to fire it's 16 in guns in WW2, and the last. I love visiting the Cove when I can.
Grew up in New England and have been up to Battleship Cove numerous times, well worth the trip especially with the proximity to other ships and historic sites.
Being from Mobile, I've been on the USS Alabama several times... it is always fascinating to see something I haven't noticed on previous visits. It seems to be better preserved than the Massachusetts, but I know it takes a lot of time and work to maintain one of these huge grey girls! Hopefully you will be able to visit the "Mighty A" on one of your next visits to the States!
Being a navy veteran I know it takes a tremendous amount to take care of a ship. And I enjoyed your video and seeing the U.S.S . Massachusetts. But it dose tare my heart to see her with all the rust.
I spent a night about the Massachusetts with a Boy Scout group. One thing that was hard to reconcile with my previous experience was the existence of 4" armor 75' or more above the waterline. As a sailboat sailor, always worried about weight aloft, it triggered cognitive dissonance.
That was my favorite thing about being a Gunners Mate in 16 inch turret one on the USS Iowa BB61. We didn't have a range finder so the booth was a huge wide open space. A good place to hang out after work to read and just get away from everyone.
Drach, hope you'll be able to come down and visit her sister ship (BB-60 USS Alabama) at some point. "Battleship Park" in Mobile, AL likely has a few exhibits that would be of interest to you. (US) Naval Air Station (and Museum) is also just a fairly short drive away in nearby Pensacola, FL. "South Dakota is currently in Ulithi getting her electrical problems sorted out." lol
Love to see how happy you are seeing all the ships we have here in MA! My grandfather trained on the Constitution and served on a carrier (can't remember which...) and i love touring these historic ships. I'm taking my daughter to Battleship Cove this weekend, what a coincidence you posted this!
Great content as always, I live in Wisconsin and after watching your channel for years now, I have planned a trip down to east coast next summer to visit some of these ships that have been thankfully been preserved, glad you made it across the pond.
Such an amazing ship and crew. Served in both WW2 theaters of combat (35 battles), fired the first and last 16" shells of WW2, took a bit of combat damage and maintained zero combat crew deaths the entire time .. absolutely amazing.
My first vacation outside of Canada was to Boston for Nerdfighteria 2018. I made sure to take a trip to see USS Massachusetts. Nearly ran out of battery just exploring the battleship itself. Had to use what little battery to call a ride back to Boston
I was a Boy Scout dad twenty years ago and the troop spent the day poking around these four vessels. I also encourage all to visit and support! Well worth it…great memories…holy smokes that's a LOT of floating steel! Thanks Drach!
Was passed to be sick and not able to meet you when you came to Massachusetts but glad you got to see these wonderful ships, love going over the Braga bridge and seeing the radar sets of the ship , also great view anytime I go into Fall River
It been nearly 30 years when I was 12 since I've seen her last still have a model i got from the gift shop to this day. Wonderful to see her again even if it's just through video.
Excellent Drach, nI like the still photographs of the more complex pieces of machinery, good for a zoom to really examine the user instructions! Still depresses me that the RN never kept an equivalent Battleship:(
I remember having the same reaction when I saw my first battleship. (USS Iowa when I was stationed on another ship in Norfolk during the early 80's). The ship made an impression from the standpoint that it doesn't tower out of the water like a lot of more modern ships like a carrier or the destroyer tender I was on does. A even bigger impression was just how much beam the ship had. It was really wide. I have also been to the Olympic and New Jersey, so will especially be interested in your next video when you visit them. Visiting the battleships I have not been to yet is absolutely on my bucket list. Covid has put a big time delay in those plans unfortunately. I had a trip planned to see the USS Alabama in March of 2020 and had to cancel it as everything essentially closed. Enjoy your videos. Keep up the good work!
Beautiful ship, been there once back in the mid- early '80s, friend and I went a little off script and snuck down into a machinery space. Saw an old guy down there. He said he was a plank owner and he was cleaning and painting a compartment. But I was quite struck by the mess deck. The huge round barbette armor that went down probably to the magazines, while you were waiting in the chow line the line curved around the gun turret armour. And there were three of these structures that were prominent features on every deck.
Re highest deck, as an FTG3 [Gun Fire Control] on the New Jersey in 1969, I was assigned to paint on the highest 011 deck. The Paint Locker is a hatch in the deck on the bow. So for paint, go from 011 to Stores for brushes and chit to below deck #6, then to bow for paint, then back to 011, and by now it was time for lunch meal call. PS, altho enlisted, I had just received my degree in Engineering - Civil/Mechanical, with two courses in metallurgy, but never studied fluid flow of deformed metal - very informative. Looking forward to your fire control of New Jersey - I was assigned to 5" mount 5-2, I've heard the fire control computer was essentially the same for the 5" and 16" guns.
If I remember right the shell fragment was one that hit one of the 380mm turret roofs of Jean Bart and ricocheted into the city landing in the city library. It was later retrieved and eventually ended up back aboard.
Visited Battleship Cove 3 times in the early to late 80’s and noticed things were being stripped out visit to visit. I plan to return soon. 40 years later I remember those trips like yesterday. I’m so lucky to be only 90 minutes away from one of the greatest naval exhibits in the world. Massachusetts was my first BB and I had been on her 3 times by age 15. Visited New Jersey as my 2nd just before the pandemic. It seems incomprehensible in a way, that this was your 1st battleship. It made me realize how lucky I am. So glad Big Mamie was your 1st. I’m not sure that sounds proper
The live front switchboards found on this ship, and ships of her age that weren't retrofitted to dead front, are populated with manual breakers that have no protective features. On some of them, you can switch between power sources (they are basically swiveling knife switches) or you can just open the circuit to isolate a fault. Protection here is provided by the fuses. And, by protection, I mean for the supported equipment, not the crewman operating the switchboard.
I went there in the summer, I also visited USS Intrepid which is an Essex class. The shear size of Big Mamie really got to me. She felt way bigger than the Intrepid but also somehow more threatening? Those 16 inch mofos are just huge. I got massively lost below decks which really added to the claustrophobia and the size. I really hope they can get some funding from somewhere, she really needs some TLC. She is in a better state than her birthmate the USS Lionfish. I felt genuinely nervous walking around that sub.
Pictures of shell impacts .... very nice. My long ago employer produced ballistic kevlar panels for army radar units, took several examples to the range with 7.62x64R at engineers request, very informal. Engineer asked about splash pattern on back side. He was surprised it was from bullet exiting into steel railroad used to hang targets. We showed him additional results in polycarbonate and .5" steel. Also with 7.62x39, it was in the 80s.
I can agree that this is a wonderful place. The town is quaint as well. I can recommend 'The Freedon of Salem' a replica East Indiaman in, well, Salem (famous for the witches). When I went on board I thought that it was odd because it looked so new. I then realised my viewpoint was skewed because I had only seen very old wooden walled warships before so this gave me more of a feel of what these ships were like when made.
NOOO I want more ! Thank you Drach, brings back very pleasant memories for me, and I get to learn a few things. 😄 When you get back to Jolly Old England I hope you take the time to make an 8 hour or 8 1 hour videos of your USA trip
If you are ever in Western New York State, you need to stop by the Buffalo NY Naval Museum. The USS The Sullivans, despite her recent issues is worth touring along with the Little Rock (converted to a Missile Cruiser in the 60s). Then you can go to Erie PA and see the War of 1812 Brigg Niagra at the Erie Naval museum.
I commented on the other one, but this one seems to have more views at the moment so I figured I'd share here too: I am 100% biased about the Massachusetts, because I am a bay stater, a Masshole if you will, but I genuinely think that while there may be bigger, more impressive battleships, out there, they aren't better ships. Big Mammie did all the things battleships are meant to do, completely crushed it in those roles, saw combat in the Atlantic and Pacific, took hits as she dished them out, dodged torpedoes, and yet never lost a soul to enemy action. She rained hell on her foes again and again, first and last 16" shots of the war for America, and still she brought her boys home safe, that makes Massachusetts better in my opinion. The Iowa's are beautiful, Texas is old and storied, the North Carolina was a carriers best friend but Big Mammie got her hands dirty and earned her rest as a museum, she has stories to tell, I'm glad we've given her a second role in retirement to tell them
I like the North Carolinas--they are sleek, modern, rid of the features leftover from pre-treaty battleships II gun casemates, odd turret layouts, tripod masts, etc. That said, no class conveys a sense of power like the South Dakota class. Their compactness says slugger, a real take-it-and-dish-it-out brute.
My Sister’s husband was born and raised in Fall River, (in fact his name was the same as the Officer named on the sign at the entrance about the Militia). We visited the USS Massachusetts in either 1969 or 70’. If I remember correctly the powder display was taller than I was at the time.
When you first announced your tour schedule like two years ago I asked if you had ever been on a big ship as it appeared to me you did not know how long it would take to tour one. Was I right? Still think you should have seen the British liner at Long Beach because, well, its British and even bigger than the battleships. I took the self guided tour and litterally ran through it and it took like 2 hours. It has part of the hull cut away so you can see a propeller. The turbines were slowly rotating to prevent flattening of the bearings. Then I saw the Spruce Goose.
Fascinating as always. Glad to see there are so many museum ships, though I'd wish for the maintenance to be a bit better. But I understand, you do what you can afford. That's even true for much smaller boats.
Even as a member of a battleship's crew, the broad beam still is amazing. It just doesn't show as much on the Iowas because of their length. Tons and guns is a magazine article description of Massachusetts. The rail system would have made the transfer of a shell from turret three to the fwd turrets in the 2012 movie "Battleship" instead of dragging it down Broadway, the passage running fore to aft through engineering but not as dramatic. I love the attention to the "Big Mame" but the editing left a lot to be desired. Saddest of all is the neglect of the ship's paint. All of that running rust and peeling paint would drive a Chief Bosun's Mate apoplectic. Looking forward to your Olympia stop (been there seen that 2021) and New Jersey (ditto 1986).
Pinned post for Q&A :)
EDIT 2 - Here is a 1080p version which doesn't have the visual issues - th-cam.com/video/RSA4UE1FNm0/w-d-xo.html
I don't know what's causing some of the odd image overlay issues in this version, they don't show on the rendered original video, something must've gone odd in the YT upload/processing process. :(
What would be the most efficient WW2 carrier design in terms of number of aircraft carried per weight of the ship
he forgor to pin this 💀 after the edit
Yeah those overlay issues I didn't got see the rammer at 15:44
*visible confusion**
If you could pick 1 museum ship to travel to the UK for a year which one would it be and why.
drach u gotta talk a little about the tourville class frigate for me one of these days man lol
Yeah, the images don't seem to match up with your voice over at all.
It makes it quite confusing.
It’s amazing that Drach is like a living battleship encyclopedia but had never been to a battleship. Grateful to live in the US where we have historical battleships basically just lying around all over the country.
Let me tell you from a tiny country (population wise) naval museum perspective. I live in Brisbane Qld Australia so our naval museum has the largest Australian WW2 built ship in drydock, the HMAS Diamantina (British River Class Frigate). Lol. Ohh well at least we have the only surviving WW1 A7v German Tank (Mephisto).
@@scottyfox6376 If you'd asked me where the oldest German tank of any kind was, I never would in a million years have guessed Australia. :P
@@scottyfox6376 wow that’s cool; for some reason I assumed they could build cruisers there but totally makes sense now that I think about it
You can't swing a dead cat with hitting a fast battleship.
there are only a few actual Battleships still around the US and four of them are the Iowa Class
Robert Shaw's monologue in Jaws about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis is still one of the finest scenes in film.
It was originally alot longer in detail but Robert Shaw became incoherent as he read the script while drunk, it was shortened. Nevertheless, it is a classic monologe!
@@BHuang92 That scene is made up of two shots. One that Shaw was falling down drunk. The next day he was so embarrassed by his performance that he begged for the chance to reshoot the scene, which they did. Shaw was a great actor dealing with some real demons. It is a shame we lost him so soon.
The Indianapolis speech was written by John Milius.
He also wrote/directed both 'Conan The Barbarian' and 'Red Dawn'.
He wrote the screenplay for 'Apocalypse Now'. "Charlie don't surf". 'I love the smell of napalm in the morning.'
@@Kevin_Kennelly I was only a kid when the film came out. I went to the library the next day and researched what happened to the crew of the Indy. I was horrified to learn that pretty much that speech was all true.
I forgot to mention.
Milius also wrote/directed "The Wind And The Lion".
If you haven't seen that movie, you have not lived.
THE WIND AND THE LION (1975)
"...am fearful of going up any tall man-made structure, because I know how cheap the people that build it are"
As an architect, I can appreciate that. Great video.
"Built by the lowest bidder!" 😆
Fortunately, a battleships superstructure and especially the fire control tower have not only been designed with the usual safety margins, but also to withstand deliberate attempts to destroy it with large amounts of high explosive.
I chuckle at, “military grade, state-of-the-art” materials and products, components, etc. bc I remember our stuff all seemed quite ancient. One example: my radar set console (NSSMS) 7H still had Nixie tube readouts until around 1986, we still used red lead primer until, idk, at least 1989, when I got out. Yup, military contracts compromise between procurement costs, durability, reliability, ease of use, maintenance costs… all sorts of reasons, none of which were, “this is the latest, cutting-edge tech”. Our computers could be hard to operate, maintain and repair; its general equivalent now would be the TRS-80.
@@speed150mph
Our Battleships were made to trade shots with anything as big as they were....
If they had a 14inch gun they could withstand hits from 14inch guns to a point....
If they sported 16in/50 they could trade shots with 16in/50....
In fact, the Iowa's could stand up to anything, with maybe the exception of the Japanese 18inch of the Yomato Class....
And even the 18s of the Yomato would take a few hits to take out an Iowa....
And the Iowa's fire control was much better than anything the Japanese had at longer range, especially at night because we could shoot by RADAR at night and through smoke or fog....
After the war we tested the 16in/50 AP Round against a chunk of belt armor that was to go on the 3rd Yomato Class (that was cut) and it punched it like a hot knife through butter....
Japan's 18inch had more explosives, but our 16in/50 was the only gun with the speed to punch the armored belt of a Yomato at the waterline....
And with the fire control computer of our Battleships, we could hit near or far, fast or slow high noon or midnight.....
Something the Japanese couldn't do.....
And even though the big show down never happened between the Iowa's and the Yomato, the Battleships sunk in the Pearl Harbor raid, and refloated, met and sunk the Japanese Southern Force Battleships without any problem at all....
And when Taffy 3 took on their Center Force and turned them back, the Japanese Navy stopped being a threatening force in the Pacific from that moment on.....
The Yomato would make one last charge for Okinawa to be breached as a grounded shore battery, but it would never arrive, being sunk by American carrier planes on it's way to try to throw back the allied landing there....
@@PhilipFear you mean 4th Yamato Class, 3rd became the aircraft carrier Shinano
My father served on the USS Massachusetts. I still have piece of a shell that blasted through the hull during the battle of Casablanca.
My Great Uncle from West Virginia was in the Big USS Massachusetts. He was a Bophar Cannon Gunner. Most action he saw was at Okinawa.
Respect and salute 🫡 to your father. They don't make men like them anymore. 🇺🇸
Battleship Cove is one of the best naval museums in the USA. Multiple vessels and lots of information onboard each vessel.
All anyone ever wanted from life is a relationship with someone who speaks about them the way Drach speaks about naval firecontrol systems.
Look at the one you love the way Drach looks at SYSTEMS!
Drach, the bag of that bag charge is made of raw silk....
It's made of silk for 2 reasons....
#1) The silk burns more completely, as a glowing amber could set off an explosion if it came into contact with the next charge of the next shot....
Extremely bad day resulting....
The #2) Reason for silk is the strength of silk over canvas....
Special note, the silk was color coded for different charges as different shells were different weight and required different powder charges to keep the chamber pressure within proper levels as to not blow up the gun...
A little trivia from my Mom who wrote the statistical survey for all "Gun Ammunition" that ran through Naval Weapons Station, Concord for 43 years....
Great video, as usual....
Your mom might make for an interesting interview about her memories...
@@gregorywright4918
I lost her back in 16, but she didn't like to talk to strangers about her work, I'm sure you can understand why...
But you are right, the history she was even a part of on the side, was remarkable.....
And so much of it, she couldn't talk about, even to us....
@@PhilipFear yes, didn't find out till long after my mother passed on that she work for Mr. Kelly while he worked on the SR-71 and whatever all the listening to my dribble about said aircraft with mixed concern. 🙄 If she were alive as well as she was sharp as a tack until cancer took over.
@@frankbodenschatz173
Unfortunately my Mom passed with the long goodbye for her last 5 years at 91...
Although My Dad passed sharp as a tack working his small engine repair business up to his last 2 weeks back in may of 2001....
aw yea finally, the tour of USS Massachusetts
3:43 A techmarine expresses his excitement up seeing a section of an ancient Terran naval warship(Colorized)
*Neuron activation**
What is a tech marine dude? I think you mean tech priest. Tech marine sounds like you don’t really know but loved your recycled joke so much you just tried making something up that you thought sounded kind of warhammer-y. Get gud.
@@skeezicksz Tech Marines are regular space marines that have learned under the Mechanicum to basically be the technicians for their chapter, so yes they are a thing, so maybe you need to Get gud
My partner is from Fall River. When I visited her we went to see this powerful ship and her berth-mates. Wish that they had more funding to maintain them.
Well why did the retrieved shell have no distressing on the nose of it, why is it all chewed up at the end instead?
I live right across in Somerset!
YOU CAN VIST THEM MORE OFTEN
@@arioncaspaux3919 She is from Fall River, but I'm not. If we lived there, though, we would.
@@RoastedOpinions yanking your chain a little, i used to live on the hill overlooking battleship cove for several years, not the best view. took me years to get down to her
I've had the honor of visiting both Massachusetts and Alabama. I was very glad that these are the "smaller" battleships one can visit, the only one smaller is Texas (and technically Mikasa). My uncle, who was an electrician on Enterprise (CVN 65), guided me around and talked about all the electrical things aboard Mass. and it was really fascinating.
I had gone aboard both the New-Jersey in Camden NJ And the Wisconsin in Norfolk Virginia And brother they were amazing in their final 1980s configuration And a few years ago i went to Connecticut and Massachusetts and i went to the Submarine Museum in Groton CT And the USS Salem in Quincy MA Also Old-Ironsides and the USS Cassin Young in Boston MA If and when this blankety-blank Covid-19 epidemic finally over and done i'll go to Fall-River and see Battleship-Cove Sayonara!
I have only been on the Alabama once, in spite of living in Alabama. Quite a drive to get to it though. I would love to visit all of them some day.
I've been a battleship nut since I was a wee sprat, and have read extensively (my parents might have said "Obsessively") about the subject. I was touring USS Alabama one fine day some years back, and overheard a family discussing what some feature of the ship might have been for. I was able to answer their question, and next thing I knew I was being dragooned into playing tourguide, following me around for a good hour and a half while their offspring buried me in questions. I thought it was great fun. I mean, someone actually wanted to *learn* all this stuff I'd spent half a lifetime accumulating in a quest to avoid my calculus homework?!?!?! :D :D
When I was a kid, I was a junior Marine cadet. We stayed over on the battleship to supervise the boy scouts and had the run of the ship late at night. We climbed to the very top of the ship on the outside. The normal way you took was locked. It was a pretty special night. Perfect weather, up all night, adrenaline pumping, what a vessel. My father and I keep the sailboat in the cove there. I Love that Giant Grey Girl. I feel like she isn't done yet.
Yep We climbed up there above your head where the antennas are.
Somebody somewhere is probably not happy to hear that.
Did you drop We Boy Scouts for 20??? I was an Eagle Scout (and a SSGT in the USAF) and I HOPE you gave them Beatings.
That being said, I ABSOLUTELY agree that ANYTHING with a 16" gun isn't done yet!! USMC ANGLICO IS a "Thing".
I also spent an overnight on the Massachusetts with a boy scout troop.
@@johnedreslin Annnd your clothing and sleeping bag STUNK like Fuel Oil, right?? Lol.... My Mom IMMEDIATELY had me hang my "camping" supplies outside when I came home. Good times.
She is a beauty, isn't she? Battleship cove, and Big Mamie in particular, were easily my favorite part of my time living in Massachusetts.
Incredible craft, I can see why the lads onbourd felt so safe! 🍀🇬🇧
The amount of joy in Uncle Drach's voice when he goes over this is really making my day 😊
I absolutely love this beautiful ship! My home state of Massachusetts has had the ship open for quite a while now.
My dad flew OS2U Kingfishers off of Big Mamie March 1943 to October 1944. Bit by bit I've come across your other videos, so tonight was stunned to stumble upon your video here. My dad took our family on board in the late 60s when I was a kid, and I visited again in the early 80's -- but I never got as high in the superstructure as you did here -- SO THANK YOU for that -- and for the wonderfully informative tour. I need to get my own family there ASAP. Also, please accept our condolences on the passing of your Queen; she was a model to the world. Thanks again; cheers -- JB
I have a very fond childhood memory of visiting Battleship Cove. This brings me back
It was a treat to meet both You and Mrs. Drach on Big Mamie! It was depressing to see the current state she's in - I've spent time over my 50 years either "camping" on it in my younger days, to bringing my Son and now my Grandkids to visit. Good thing the Kennedy's were Massachusetts residents - somehow, I have the feeling they were involved in getting her brought home as a museum. Plus, the Gearing class destroyer moored alongside is in JFKs Brother's name, so, there's that.
BTW, I could be mistaken, but, wasn't the El Hank battery at Casablanca a 9.2" battery?? I know the French Love odd sized calibers, so, that number is stuck in my head.
With almost an hour of great footage and narration, you did our Massachusetts Ship proud - Thank You!!
I've linked a fixed version in the pinned post :)
The USS Joseph P Kennedy is named for JFK's older brother, not his father.
@@robg9236 Absolutely correct, as the oldest Kennedy was shot down. 😉☺
It’s nice to know that, even though your channel has gotten much bigger, you’re still active in your comment section
@@robg9236 My mistake. I forgot his brother died "piloting" a remote controlled B17 during WW2, which makes the naming appropriate. I also missed the Jr. on the stern. Thank you for setting me straight.
I actually saw the top of the USS Massachusetts' mast from a bridge while on a road trip as a kid and basically begged my parents to stop so we could look at it. Really wonderful time, and a fond memory.
She was in mothballs at St. Helena in S. Norfolk, Va. before Massachusetts got her as a museum ship. I was a little kid then, and remember seeing her upper works when we drove by. I'm glad she was saved from the scrappers.
My late grandfather who sailed a desk off the USS Pentagon, took me to battleship cove back in 2004. He loved these kind of older ships and I owe a lot of my interest in military items to him. A couple of fun facts, on the Massachusetts, there is a galley (cafeteria) open to the public (at least it was back in 2019) that serves food. Both the USS Joseph P. Kennedy and the USS Lionfish are both movie stars, with the Kennedy used in Thirteen Days and the Lionfish used in Run Silent, Run Deep. The Hiddensee is an East German corvette scooped up by the USN after German reunification. (EDIT: Hiddensee was scrapped in October 2023.)
Other items at Battleship Cove include:
1 AH-1 Cobra from Vietnam
1 UH-1 Huey from Vietnam
1 Silkworm style Anti-Ship Missile
1 TA-6 trainer aircraft
1 Friz-X Radio Controlled bomb
1 X-Craft spy submarine
2 Motor Torpedo Boats
That's so cool
@@metaknight115 Also a landing ship (near the entrance)
@@davidalbeck811 I completely forgot about that! Thanks for reminding me.
I missed the Fritz-X; where was that?
@@gregorywright4918 when I was last there, it was standing in a corner, in the building closest to the bridge over the river.
I live 15 minutes away and have been on her many times. They’ve done quite a good job acquiring a variety of interesting exhibits including a couple of PT Boats stored inside a building next to the Massachusetts. It well worth the trip to see the exhibits.
Oh that would be a highlight for me. If I served in WWII, It would've been with the Mosquito Fleet in the South Pacific
Thanks Drach! I first visited the ship in 1967 and again in 1999 with my son. Magnificent ship.
First battleship I ever visited too. I was like nine and lived in Connecticut at the time, and our cub scout group took a trip over there. Kicked off a childhood fascination with this stuff that never fully went away.
I'm fascinated with mechanical things, but not an engineer. You have a way of bringing things 'down' to my level. I've been on the Alabama and was shocked at how cramped the 16-inch turret interior was. Below, squeezing between the No. 1 turret's barbette and the hull, leaves quite an impression too. Well done again.
Took my girlfriend and our kids into turret 3 on the Bama.
"Babe, it's really... There's not a lot of room in here" oh yeah. Yeah now imagine the crew is in here, electronics are running, dudes are yelling and screaming, and through it all every few minutes you get rocked by those guns going off. It's cramped but it's the best seat in the house! ".... Babe this is a house" well you aren't wrong.
I like to think Drach’s America and Canada trip is him taking one for the team .......thanks Drach, you got our back.
Must be tough for him to not be able to eat pidgeon pie and jellied eels.
Visited her many times. Even camped on her when my son was as Cub Scout at 6 or 7 (he’s 30 now!).
I’m a USN veteran and trying to herd lots of little scouts on the ship, I was panicked one or two were going to take a header down a ladder well.
Living on the west coast for many years now it’s been a long time since I’ve visited, like most museum ships in the US, her exterior is hurting for a needle gun or two and paint. Thanks for the memories.
We got three in California here that'll more than make up for your loss. There is NOTHING around like an Iowa class battleship.
I remember seeing drach at his first time live on camera at TF and marveling at seeing the man himself. Now I'm blown away by how professional you are. Your presenting like the expert you are. No awkwardness infront of camera
I had forgotten that video but watching this now after reading your comment, it's a stark contrast to say the least...
Glad that my home state’s battleship is the first such large warship you visited. USS Massachusetts and the others at Battleship Cove are fantastic. Been there a few times and always a blast to explore the ins and outs of the vessels. Sounds like you really enjoyed it all as well.
Thanks for coming down! I live right across the river in Somerset and see our beloved BB everyday. It truly is the best collection of ships in the world and have visited it since I was 5 years old. You should have seen her coming back from dry dock firing her 5 inch guns
Had the pleasure of visiting USS Massachusetts for the first time myself a month ago. Not sure if I got lucky or what but there were literally 2 other people onboard the whole ship total, other than the restoration crew working on the deck. IT was eerie roaming the massive interior with no one around.
Also I was stunned by how much of it was accessible to the public compared to the heavily restricted USS Wisconsin we have locally here which requires guided tours for everything other than the first two decks down. I just hope no one ends up injuring themselves in the superstructure or citadel or something and causing it to be closed off without a guide.
This was the first battleship I’ve ever been to so this video means a lot
We stopped in Falls River on our way back to Michigan. You could spend a week on that boat and not see everything! Then there’s the USS LIONFISH, THE KENNEDY AND A BUILDING WITH THE PT BOATS!!! Truly a destination to visit!! Nice video! 👍🇺🇸🙋♂️🖖🏻
It’s weird to think of an expert like you that knows so much about these ships but has never seen one in person. Glad you finally got to
I'm from Connecticut and we took my British friend to Battleship Cove for Fourth of July last year (British guys and battleships...). The museum there does a terrific job with the ships and displays. It's a fantastic day out with kids and well worth going to if you're in the area and get a chance. Appreciate Drach and people like him putting these things on the internet so people know they're out there and available to visit.
Had the incredible opportunity to sleep over on Big Mamie twice with the cub scouts, it's hard to understate how much the ship feels like a floating city. Fond memories, support Battleship Cove!
Toured that ship many times and the Alabama once. Even did a camp-out overnight on Big Mamie 13 years ago. I highly recommend touring her if you are in the area. What impresses me with these ships is not only the design inside and out, but looking at every price of equipment right down to a bread mixer that have a label attached showing that everything was made right here in America.
During the Boy Scout trip, a couple of old crewmen conducted a Q and A. I remember them mentioning that the floors were covered in grease which allowed to them to slide heavy objects around. They also talked about how it felt when the 16" guns were fired, like the ship was being tilted despite the gyroscopes and gizmos on the bridge saying otherwise. They also added that they couldn't feel the gun firing from the engine room.
From Needham, Massachusetts. Never been to this ship. Thanks for your offering and all the detailed work you do to bring this to life for us all.
Drach You are correct It is big . She is the First Battleship that I have seen . We were visiting Middleboro , Mass for a graduation Party . There was Downtime after we set it up and I asked our Host how close are we to Fall River and the Battleship ? He said close by and you must go . So I took my Dada to see it . My First view about a Mile up the River Gave the Impression that she was Very Hippy . The 5 "inch Guns and the Swell leading to the Blisters made Her look Thiccc , very sexy looking Ship ! We only had an Hour so could not go aboard . I was very Happy to see Her .
The thing that surprised me when visiting the Salem was also how thin the Salem was compared to the Massachusetts. It can really be felt inside the ship, the size of some of the rooms on Massachusetts are enormous compared to Salem. I was also shocked how long Salem was, I had never seen a cruiser before and wasn't expecting it to be such a large ship.
It's interesting comparing the South Dakotas to the Iowas. The Iowas were every bit as wide as their older sisters, and carried essentially the same armament mix (tho the 16"-50 were longer, heavier, slightly longer-ranged weapons than the 16"-45 on the SoDaks), but were MUCH longer ships. That much higher length-to-beam ratio was necessary to wring that extra half-dozen knots or so out of the newer ships. It was fairly impressive that they managed the same 28kt speed from the South Dakotas that they had from the earlier North Carolinas, given the shorter hull of the latter. Granted, they had to use much more powerful engines to do it, but they did with those more powerful turbines in a smaller hull. Pretty cool engineering.
The other thing you notice about the South Dakotas compared to the Iowas was habitability. There was a LOT more room for warm bodies to eat, sleep, hit the head, and take a shower. The Navy's predilection as the war progressed for carpeting every square inch of flat space with antiaircraft weapons meant that crew sizes on the battleships tended to mushroom, and that caused real crowding problems on Massachusetts and her sisters. When I toured Alabama, I found bunks in the darndest places - offices, primary fire control behind the switchboard, out in the corridors aft, mounted to bulkheads here there and everywhere.
I got to visit this ship back in the Nineties. It is incredible; spent all day on it. Highlight of my holiday.
The last BB I was on was USS North Carolina, in Wilmington NC. That was several years ago... great ship! Glad you got to visit one!
Not sure if the museum still does this, but I was an adult leader in scouting years ago in the mid 90's, scout troops were allowed to stay overnight on the Massachusetts. We went every for about the whole 7 years I was involved. My favorite time on the ship was at night when most lights were off and everyone was sleeping. Just walking around at 2 or 3 in the morning by yourself was awesome.
I don't remember the exact year I visited (it would have been somewhere in the late 90s - early 2000s) but it was definitely a thing then because I remember hearing about it on our tour.
I did this in the mid 2000s when I was younger, hope their still doing it because it was awesome. Not so fun part though was when we all had to evacuate the ship in the middle of the night in the Massachusetts winter because there was a fire in the galley 😂
I stayed on her as a Scout sometime around 1982. Great experience
As of 2014 or thereabouts, I believe this was still being done because I saw groups of scouts getting setup inside.
Glad to hear it's still going on. A great memory to create for them.
Dad grew up in the area, and I've visited this place as kid.
I remember relatives telling me the took the top of the battleship off, in order to fit it under the bridge when they brought it into the bay.
I remember first seeing _Massachusetts_ and thinking about how small, cramped, and cluttered she looked, because I was used to USS _Wisconsin_ (of course, the Cold War refits did help with clutter as much as the size). Just goes to show how different experiences can alter perspectives. It was amazing to see her in a World War II configuration and especially just how many anti-aircraft guns there were.
I've been visiting battleships all my life, and the only time I've ever been awestruck by the size of a ship was when I got to see up close and *very* briefly board a _Nimitz_ class carrier as a Boy Scout. That thing approached Cthulian "you cannot grasp its true form" levels of massive. You just could not see the entire thing all at once.
All that AA was a lot of the problem. All those 40mm and 20mm guns needed warm bodies to fire them, and more warm bodies to keep the ammunition coming. Where all those fellows were gonna bunk down when they were off watch got to be a real thorny issue on the South Dakotas, which just didn't have the cubage of the North Carolinas or the Iowas. The Iowas in particular were almost luxury liners in comparison to their older sisters. :)
Hi Drach, I was fortunate to have had a " Fire Power Tour " with Dr. Scholes in November of 2022 on board Massachusetts. We were on board for six hours and ran out of time to complete the tour which will require a second tour in the future. Dr. Scholes has a wealth of knowledge of large caliber naval gunnery and his explanation of the complexity of accurate fire control was truly amazing. Hope to meet you when next you visit New England. Happy New Year to you and your family.
Been going to Battleship Cove ever since I was little with my dad, one of my favorite museums ever
when my son was in scouts 30 years ago, one weekend was spent on the massachusetts and even slept, showered and ate in the regular facilities. we also got to hear a talk by about 6 actual sailors that were on this ship during the war. amazing...
My favorite Battleship in the states! I have many fond memories of visiting Big Mamie as a kid. Was the best part of summer.
We had a tour of this beauty when I was in High School in 1967. Brings back memories. Thanks for the Video.
BTW if you visit the Massachusetts you can also visit a Gearing class DD, a sub, and a PT boat for one admission ticket. It is also very close to the Lizzy Borden house which is also a bed and breakfast!
Forgot to mention they also have a Russian missle destroyer and a merry-go-round for the kids. There is food available from the battleship galley, and at other locations in the park.
The first submarine I ever visited was in the Gothenburg Maritime museum, a Draken class boat, obviously designed for the Baltic see.
The next boat I got to visit was Oberon class in Sydney harbor, built for long distance, long endurance missions.
Comparing those two boats made me go WOW !!
So glad you were able to come by the Cove! I’ve been going there since I was a young child. Massachusetts is a beautiful old ship.
Great to hear you were here in New England, hope you enjoyed your visit! Keep meaning to visit Battleship Cove again, was last there when I was a kid in the '90's.
My family is from Massachusetts and I would dearly like to find time to visit and see USS Salem and the Big M at Battleship cove.
On your next trip however, make sure you come south as I can tell you the USS Alabama/USS Drum museum with her sister is a blast!
He hit the Alabama at the end of his April tour.
I have been to Battleship Cove several times. It was worth it every time!
If you go, make sure you allocate LOTS of time.
I’m glad you’re having fun with all our boats, Drach!
they're ships
Back in the mid-80s, my boy scout troop spent a weekend at Battleship Cove. Having arranged to spend the night on the battleship, we crawled over that whole ship, end to end, for several hours, played poker in the mess late into the night, bunked in the NCO quarters, etc.
Fantastic ship. I spent 4 hours just to tour the entire ship and came out smelling of oil. The ship is in pretty rough shape when I visited a few years ago. The wooden deck was becoming a forest and the paint was chipping off everywhere rusting the superstructure bad. I was told the ship was repainted after I left though.
They in the last few months have painted the entire hull of the ship
I'd made a similar observation about some spaces aboard New Jersey (the gunhouses in the main battery turrets were particularly in need of TLC) but you can only do what you can do. At the time they were more focused on getting rid of the rotted fir decking and laying in some proper teak. I've since seen turret-tour videos wherein it was evident that they'd been lavishing some TLC on those spaces. I'm sure they'll get 'round to things as they get time, funding, and warm bodies.
Had the pleasure of meeting her last summer. What an awe-some experience!
Drach - you are a modern miracle. Thanks for visually keeping our Naval history alive and well. Well done, sir!
The 16" Mark 5 AP shell shown first was BARE-NOSED, having lost both its AP cap and its windscreen. Those shallow pits ringing the lower nose are used to crimp the AP cap onto the nose in addition to the use of low-temperature solder (safety first!).
The 16" Mark 8 AP shell that had its lower end gone had detonated, blowing its lower body into chunks inside the JEAN BART. The small (1.5% weight) Explosive "D" filler used, coupled with the extra-long shell to get the 2700 pound weight of the Mark 8, caused the upper end of the shell to remain in one piece, though the shorter, lighter Mark 5 would probably have had its nose broken up, too (not certain). This was not the only Mark 8 shell recovered from JEAN BART and a few had not deto0nated properly, which was what lead the US Navy to find out that their new Mark 21 Base Detonating Fuze, used in all US Navy WWII AP shells duri9ng WWII, was being compromised by fumes from the Explosive "D" filler so coating the fuzes in liquid Bakelite plastic during manufacture from mid-1943 was needed to make the fuzes air-tight and preventing the corrosion.
The Mark 8 also used crimping as well as solder for its AP cap. Note that both of the 16" AP shells had somewhat long and pointed noses with only the tips rounded. Later MODs (versions) of both shells had nearly hemispherical noses and somewhat thicker and harder AP caps, with the 16" Mark 8 MOD 6 (last version) being the strongest AP shell ever made, to my knowledge.
Note where the windscreen attachment threads cut into the AP cap are on the Mark 8 with no windscreen. They were cut into the softer portion of the cap near its base. This design was used in all early-WWII AP cap/windscreen designs used by the US Navy; later designs had the windscreen shortened and threaded to the very hard upper edge of all of the AP caps, the same as used in all foreign WWII AP caps. This made the cap somewhat wider and heavier and put a sharp edge on the rim of the AP cap hard front face that cut a notch into the plate surface and improved deck penetration at an angle over 50 degrees from right angles. US NPG kept doing tests throughout WWII and any improvements that they noted were added to the design requirements of the later-WWII AP shells.
So cool that this is the first battleship you have been on with it being the first to fire it's 16 in guns in WW2, and the last. I love visiting the Cove when I can.
Until now, nobody ever realised that HMS Belfast was really Drach's TARDIS.
Grew up in New England and have been up to Battleship Cove numerous times, well worth the trip especially with the proximity to other ships and historic sites.
Being from Mobile, I've been on the USS Alabama several times... it is always fascinating to see something I haven't noticed on previous visits. It seems to be better preserved than the Massachusetts, but I know it takes a lot of time and work to maintain one of these huge grey girls! Hopefully you will be able to visit the "Mighty A" on one of your next visits to the States!
Being a navy veteran I know it takes a tremendous amount to take care of a ship. And I enjoyed your video and seeing the U.S.S . Massachusetts. But it dose tare my heart to see her with all the rust.
I spent a night about the Massachusetts with a Boy Scout group. One thing that was hard to reconcile with my previous experience was the existence of 4" armor 75' or more above the waterline. As a sailboat sailor, always worried about weight aloft, it triggered cognitive dissonance.
That was my favorite thing about being a Gunners Mate in 16 inch turret one on the USS Iowa BB61. We didn't have a range finder so the booth was a huge wide open space. A good place to hang out after work to read and just get away from everyone.
Drach, hope you'll be able to come down and visit her sister ship (BB-60 USS Alabama) at some point. "Battleship Park" in Mobile, AL likely has a few exhibits that would be of interest to you. (US) Naval Air Station (and Museum) is also just a fairly short drive away in nearby Pensacola, FL.
"South Dakota is currently in Ulithi getting her electrical problems sorted out." lol
Love to see how happy you are seeing all the ships we have here in MA! My grandfather trained on the Constitution and served on a carrier (can't remember which...) and i love touring these historic ships. I'm taking my daughter to Battleship Cove this weekend, what a coincidence you posted this!
Great content as always, I live in Wisconsin and after watching your channel for years now, I have planned a trip down to east coast next summer to visit some of these ships that have been thankfully been preserved, glad you made it across the pond.
USS Wisconsin in Norfolk!
@@davidharner5865 too bad it's on west coast, how about in Milwaukee harbor...👍
Such an amazing ship and crew. Served in both WW2 theaters of combat (35 battles), fired the first and last 16" shells of WW2, took a bit of combat damage and maintained zero combat crew deaths the entire time .. absolutely amazing.
My first vacation outside of Canada was to Boston for Nerdfighteria 2018.
I made sure to take a trip to see USS Massachusetts.
Nearly ran out of battery just exploring the battleship itself. Had to use what little battery to call a ride back to Boston
The things we do for love
I was a Boy Scout dad twenty years ago and the troop spent the day poking around these four vessels. I also encourage all to visit and support! Well worth it…great memories…holy smokes that's a LOT of floating steel! Thanks Drach!
Was passed to be sick and not able to meet you when you came to Massachusetts but glad you got to see these wonderful ships, love going over the Braga bridge and seeing the radar sets of the ship , also great view anytime I go into Fall River
It been nearly 30 years when I was 12 since I've seen her last still have a model i got from the gift shop to this day. Wonderful to see her again even if it's just through video.
Excellent Drach, nI like the still photographs of the more complex pieces of machinery, good for a zoom to really examine the user instructions! Still depresses me that the RN never kept an equivalent Battleship:(
I remember having the same reaction when I saw my first battleship. (USS Iowa when I was stationed on another ship in Norfolk during the early 80's). The ship made an impression from the standpoint that it doesn't tower out of the water like a lot of more modern ships like a carrier or the destroyer tender I was on does. A even bigger impression was just how much beam the ship had. It was really wide. I have also been to the Olympic and New Jersey, so will especially be interested in your next video when you visit them. Visiting the battleships I have not been to yet is absolutely on my bucket list. Covid has put a big time delay in those plans unfortunately. I had a trip planned to see the USS Alabama in March of 2020 and had to cancel it as everything essentially closed. Enjoy your videos. Keep up the good work!
Beautiful ship, been there once back in the mid- early '80s, friend and I went a little off script and snuck down into a machinery space. Saw an old guy down there. He said he was a plank owner and he was cleaning and painting a compartment. But I was quite struck by the mess deck. The huge round barbette armor that went down probably to the magazines, while you were waiting in the chow line the line curved around the gun turret armour. And there were three of these structures that were prominent features on every deck.
Re highest deck, as an FTG3 [Gun Fire Control] on the New Jersey in 1969, I was assigned to paint on the highest 011 deck. The Paint Locker is a hatch in the deck on the bow. So for paint, go from 011 to Stores for brushes and chit to below deck #6, then to bow for paint, then back to 011, and by now it was time for lunch meal call. PS, altho enlisted, I had just received my degree in Engineering - Civil/Mechanical, with two courses in metallurgy, but never studied fluid flow of deformed metal - very informative. Looking forward to your fire control of New Jersey - I was assigned to 5" mount 5-2, I've heard the fire control computer was essentially the same for the 5" and 16" guns.
If I remember right the shell fragment was one that hit one of the 380mm turret roofs of Jean Bart and ricocheted into the city landing in the city library. It was later retrieved and eventually ended up back aboard.
Visited Battleship Cove 3 times in the early to late 80’s and noticed things were being stripped out visit to visit. I plan to return soon. 40 years later I remember those trips like yesterday. I’m so lucky to be only 90 minutes away from one of the greatest naval exhibits in the world.
Massachusetts was my first BB and I had been on her 3 times by age 15. Visited New Jersey as my 2nd just before the pandemic. It seems incomprehensible in a way, that this was your 1st battleship. It made me realize how lucky I am. So glad Big Mamie was your 1st.
I’m not sure that sounds proper
One of the things that struck me is the ship contained some spaces that were wildly open and others that were extremely claustrophobic.
The live front switchboards found on this ship, and ships of her age that weren't retrofitted to dead front, are populated with manual breakers that have no protective features. On some of them, you can switch between power sources (they are basically swiveling knife switches) or you can just open the circuit to isolate a fault. Protection here is provided by the fuses. And, by protection, I mean for the supported equipment, not the crewman operating the switchboard.
I went there in the summer, I also visited USS Intrepid which is an Essex class. The shear size of Big Mamie really got to me. She felt way bigger than the Intrepid but also somehow more threatening? Those 16 inch mofos are just huge. I got massively lost below decks which really added to the claustrophobia and the size. I really hope they can get some funding from somewhere, she really needs some TLC. She is in a better state than her birthmate the USS Lionfish. I felt genuinely nervous walking around that sub.
"berthmate"?
Yeah, NYC rez here, compared to the Jersey, intrepid is surprisingly tiny.
Pictures of shell impacts .... very nice. My long ago employer produced ballistic kevlar panels for army radar units, took several examples to the range with 7.62x64R at engineers request, very informal. Engineer asked about splash pattern on back side. He was surprised it was from bullet exiting into steel railroad used to hang targets. We showed him additional results in polycarbonate and .5" steel. Also with 7.62x39, it was in the 80s.
In the boy scouts about 12 years ago we camped on the uss massachusetts, it was a great experience
I can agree that this is a wonderful place. The town is quaint as well. I can recommend 'The Freedon of Salem' a replica East Indiaman in, well, Salem (famous for the witches). When I went on board I thought that it was odd because it looked so new. I then realised my viewpoint was skewed because I had only seen very old wooden walled warships before so this gave me more of a feel of what these ships were like when made.
I caught a bus from Boston so Falls River is doable if you go there.
Hey, I live up near there. Slept on board a few times with the bsa. Lots of fun at battleship cove.
Also, love your content.
NOOO I want more ! Thank you Drach, brings back very pleasant memories for me, and I get to learn a few things. 😄 When you get back to Jolly Old England I hope you take the time to make an 8 hour or 8 1 hour videos of your USA trip
44:44 with the image upload issue, it looks like the ghost of Drach is haunting Battleship Cove.
Lol
A blast to see a local attraction through new eyes. Thanks. The PT boats are beautiful
If you are ever in Western New York State, you need to stop by the Buffalo NY Naval Museum. The USS The Sullivans, despite her recent issues is worth touring along with the Little Rock (converted to a Missile Cruiser in the 60s). Then you can go to Erie PA and see the War of 1812 Brigg Niagra at the Erie Naval museum.
He visited on his second trip.
you forgot SS-246 the Gato Class Submarine USS Croaker
I commented on the other one, but this one seems to have more views at the moment so I figured I'd share here too: I am 100% biased about the Massachusetts, because I am a bay stater, a Masshole if you will, but I genuinely think that while there may be bigger, more impressive battleships, out there, they aren't better ships. Big Mammie did all the things battleships are meant to do, completely crushed it in those roles, saw combat in the Atlantic and Pacific, took hits as she dished them out, dodged torpedoes, and yet never lost a soul to enemy action. She rained hell on her foes again and again, first and last 16" shots of the war for America, and still she brought her boys home safe, that makes Massachusetts better in my opinion. The Iowa's are beautiful, Texas is old and storied, the North Carolina was a carriers best friend but Big Mammie got her hands dirty and earned her rest as a museum, she has stories to tell, I'm glad we've given her a second role in retirement to tell them
I like the North Carolinas--they are sleek, modern, rid of the features leftover from pre-treaty battleships II gun casemates, odd turret layouts, tripod masts, etc. That said, no class conveys a sense of power like the South Dakota class. Their compactness says slugger, a real take-it-and-dish-it-out brute.
My Sister’s husband was born and raised in Fall River, (in fact his name was the same as the Officer named on the sign at the entrance about the Militia). We visited the USS Massachusetts in either 1969 or 70’. If I remember correctly the powder display was taller than I was at the time.
When you first announced your tour schedule like two years ago I asked if you had ever been on a big ship as it appeared to me you did not know how long it would take to tour one. Was I right? Still think you should have seen the British liner at Long Beach because, well, its British and even bigger than the battleships. I took the self guided tour and litterally ran through it and it took like 2 hours. It has part of the hull cut away so you can see a propeller. The turbines were slowly rotating to prevent flattening of the bearings. Then I saw the Spruce Goose.
Fascinating as always. Glad to see there are so many museum ships, though I'd wish for the maintenance to be a bit better. But I understand, you do what you can afford. That's even true for much smaller boats.
Even as a member of a battleship's crew, the broad beam still is amazing. It just doesn't show as much on the Iowas because of their length. Tons and guns is a magazine article description of Massachusetts. The rail system would have made the transfer of a shell from turret three to the fwd turrets in the 2012 movie "Battleship" instead of dragging it down Broadway, the passage running fore to aft through engineering but not as dramatic. I love the attention to the "Big Mame" but the editing left a lot to be desired. Saddest of all is the neglect of the ship's paint. All of that running rust and peeling paint would drive a Chief Bosun's Mate apoplectic. Looking forward to your Olympia stop (been there seen that 2021) and New Jersey (ditto 1986).
There's a fixed video linked in the first pinned post. Not much rust cleaning going on in the winter; the visit was in April.