[sparkie2182]

Post war Norway........ HMS Birmingham..... Trondheim.

The stills were taken fronm a video showing the guns being fully elevated/depressed and swung.

I found the link......

https://www.reddit.com/r/Warships/c...have/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share

 

[henry1]

As to a better use for the gun barrels, when I was a pressure systems surveyor i had to inspect the high pressure chambers used to grow crystals for semi conductors and was told they had originally used 15" naval gun barrels modified to be sealed as they were perfect for the pressures and temperatures needed.

 

[sparkie2182]

Interesting info Henry.

Thanks for posting

 

[spongebob]

Rock-a-by Navy ?

 

[sparkie2182]

Health and Safety wouldnt be too pleased these days.

��

 

[skilly57]

Luv It!

Reminds me of Festival Week in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1955 or '56. The cruiser HMNZS Black Prince was tied up alongside, and a lot of matelots, dressed and painted up as pirates, came into the city centre about a mile away, rounded up all the kids they could find, and took us back to the ship! They had a canvas chute rigged from the bridge wing down to the wharf, so one could climb up the gangway, roam around the ship, swing the Bofors around & up & down, grab bags of sweets, fizzy drinks, lots of food, get to the bridge, slide down the chute, & then go and do it all over again! We didn't have the gun swings (that would have been memorable, especially as my father was an RN destroyer gunnery officer at the end of the war).
It wouldn't happen today - the Fun Police & OSH would have fits at sailors absconding with their kids back to a warship, then showing them a 'good time'.
I will never forget it.

Forgot to add, after WWII, my father transferred back into the army again as a captain in the RNZ Artillery - his rank in 1944 when he went RNZNVR and off to HMS King Alfred in Hove, Brighton. He served in J-Force, then K-Force, and by 1955 -'56 we were all living in Dunedin, where he was commanding officer of 3rd Field Regiment (Artillery). For the Festival Week Parade he and his troops had loaded a few 25-pounder guns onto GMC trucks to drive through Dunedin city centre during the parade. The gunners were firing thunder flashes in the 25-pounders, with the barrels stuffed with chicken netting to stop the thunder flashes leaving the barrels. So, while us younger kids were all taken down to the cruiser, my father's 'Other Boys' were shattering office windows all along the parade route with their 25-pounders!

As an aside, 2 years ago I was at the Hove Swimming Centre, which was HMS King Alfred during WWII. I have attached a photo of my father's intake in front of the building in early 1945, but this seaward side was covered by large extensions when I was there in July 2018. I was told the complex was about to be demolished. Has it happened yet?

 

[spongebob]

Skilly,I worked on Black Prince during 1953 when she conpleted her major refit after WW2. Service . We fitter apprentices were sent on board to scrape steam pipe flanges after completing our initial workshop instruction and tests .
I went on to help refit the boiler feed pumps and Weir VDA pumps , more scraping !
When she went on her final full speed and gunnery trials we apprentices from most trades were taken to sea for the ride and that remains one of my boyhood favourite memories . It was a beautiful calm day and we went out into the Hauraki Gulf and headed north to Whangarei heads building up to ful speed of 32 knots before doing an immergency full astern . It took a while to effect but the thrill was when the wake caught up with the ship and flooded across the quarter deck .
Then came the full rudder zig zag bit at near full speed and while firing a couple of broadsides with her four turrets of six inch guns .
We probably dissipated half of the NZ defence budget that one day .
A great experience .

Bob

 

[sparkie2182]

Great story, Bob

��

 

[YM-Mundrabilla]

As to a better use for the gun barrels, when I was a pressure systems surveyor i had to inspect the high pressure chambers used to grow crystals for semi conductors and was told they had originally used 15" naval gun barrels modified to be sealed as they were perfect for the pressures and temperatures needed.

Everything has an alternative use:

Even the mundane plastic crash hat can keep the sun off and also avoid bluemetal ballast bruising. (Jester)

 

[skilly57]

Bob, I had a similar experience on Waikato about 1970 or '71. We picked up a load of brass hats from Stout St in Wellington, let go at 0800, and raced off to Nelson at Warp Factor 10, (124 miles in 4 hours, so averaging better than 30 knots), tied up at noon, all for Admiral Saull to come aboard for luncheon! Sailed again at about 1330, and set the same cracking pace back to Wellington (the vibration was horrendous down aft, and the P.O.'s mess started dropping trays of empty beer cans over the back end, just to see how high the 'Aluminium Volcano' would get!) so the bigwigs wouldn't miss their buses home after work! But on the way back a few mortars (or was it hedgehogs?) were lobbed ahead of the ship after rounding Stevens Island. On arrival Wgtn, the chief stoker thought I was being a bit slow on the throttles, so leant over my shoulder and spun the Astern wheel open faster. This caused the shaft to 'jump', and wiped the thrust block! Not My Fault, and everyone got the night in!