http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5ATYPrZnSQ
Holly ****!
It must have been something to see a line of battleships cross the T on another line. Imagin 8 in a row, and probably firing a heck of a lot faster then that! If you listen you can hear the shells as they leave, they sound like jets!
I was on the Massachusetts, and was amazed by how tight the turrets actualy are. In the tropics going full bore I'm sure the temperature inside was insane! It was probably like standing in an oven, and the noise? They are metal boxe's, all the gunners must have had there ear drums blown out.
Now we just have the 5in guns:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4797991332150737215&q=5in+gun&total=32&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=2
Lame in comparison. The Massachusetts had more freaken 5in guns on on level, on one side.
Battleships are amazing, its hard to imagin how they could fit more weapons on one, between the 40MM quads and the 20MM doubles and singles mounted all over the place. Then you have the armour belt!
I still think we should have kept a couple in service. They would make a nice statement, moored in the proper ports...