16"/50 caliber naval gun

[cmshoot]

Information stolen from this month's American Rifleman magazine.

In reference to the 16" naval gun.

The classification "16/50" caliber means that the gun fires a shell 16" in diameter, and the length of the bore is 50 times its diameter (50x16" = more than 66 feet). Weighing in at about 390,000lbs, the gun has 96 rifling grooves with a twist of 1 turn every 25 calibers. Maximum service pressure of the 16"/50 caliber gun is 18.5 tons per square inch - or 444,000ft/lbs - with typical muzzle energy of 355 mega joules, or almost 262 million ft/lbs. from 28,000yds away, the nearly 2.5 ton armor-piercing projectile is designed to penetrate 16" thick armor plating.

 

[roscoe1911]

I need one

 

[REDX]

My Last reenlistment when I went Indef was in front of the Mighty MO's 16" guns

 

[cmshoot]

My Last reenlistment when I went Indef was in front of the Mighty MO's 16" guns

I got to call for fire using the guns of the Mighty Mo in Subic Bay, Philippines. IIRC, we were targeting Red Beach. Awesome experience.

For 3 days while doing jungle patrols, they were my fire support. As a LCpl with less than 2 years in service, this was some responsibility. Of course, it's not like there was anything that would attack us that would be a legitimate target for a 16"/50 gun!

The last night before the Mo left port, they fired a full broadside onto Red Beach. It was pitch black out........an awe inspiring blast to see at night. We were told that it was going to be the last full broadside she fired, but I don't know if that was true or not.

 

[REDX]

Nah she fired some during the Alien invasion a couple of years ago

 

[cmshoot]

The time frame is about right. I believe that it was late 1991 or early 1992 when they were in the Philippines while I was there.

 

[ADAduckhuntr]

26 inch thick armor from Japanese Yamato class battleship ( WW2), pierced by a US Navy 16-inch gun. The armor is on display at the US Navy Museum ...

 

[REDX]

 

[Torn]

I got to call for fire using the guns of the Mighty Mo in Subic Bay, Philippines. IIRC, we were targeting Red Beach. Awesome experience.

For 3 days while doing jungle patrols, they were my fire support. As a LCpl with less than 2 years in service, this was some responsibility. Of course, it's not like there was anything that would attack us that would be a legitimate target for a 16"/50 gun!

The last night before the Mo left port, they fired a full broadside onto Red Beach. It was pitch black out........an awe inspiring blast to see at night. We were told that it was going to be the last full broadside she fired, but I don't know if that was true or not.

Back in the early 80's I would sit up in the control tower at NAS Cubi Pt. (Subic Bay, PI) and launch A6 & A7 strikes softening up Green Beach and Red Beach before the surface ships pounded it from the bay. Afterwards the MAU (Marine Amphibious Unit) would go land and start their hell raising. Sure was fun to watch and since it was so close the windows in the tower had large cracks from the concussions.

Only thing that beat that was a few cold San Miguels at the Mariposa bar in Olongapo.

 

[cmshoot]

Back in the early 80's I would sit up in the control tower at NAS Cubi Pt. (Subic Bay, PI) and launch A6 & A7 strikes softening up Green Beach and Red Beach before the surface ships pounded it from the bay. Afterwards the MAU (Marine Amphibious Unit) would go land and start their hell raising. Sure was fun to watch and since it was so close the windows in the tower had large cracks from the concussions.

Only thing that beat that was a few cold San Miguels at the Mariposa bar in Olongapo.

I was with A Co Marine Barracks Subic Bay, in the Jungle Operations Branch in the early 1990's. Mariposa isn't one of the bars I know, must have changed names by my time. Lots of good ones up and down Magsaysay Avenue and Gordon Avenue.