U.S.S. New Jersey Walkthrough
After fifty-eight years of service, the battleship New Jersey has retired for the fourth and final time. She is now permanently berthed on the Delaware in Camden, NJ near where she was built. Directly across the river from her is the U.S.S. Olympia.
These pages contain over one hundred pictures of the New Jersey taken from the modeler's point of view. Rather than sweeping vistas, most of the pictures are of details that get bypassed in most photographs. The image are rather large at about 200KB each and each page has about ten pictures so unless you have a high speed line it will take a while for them to download.
The New Jersey underwent continual changes during her career.
o After her first shakedown cruise during W.W.II, the originally open Navigation bridge was enclosed with a curved structure that followed the curves of the conning tower within. Later during the war this was replaced with a squared off bridge as on the Missouri and Wisconsin.
o After W.W.II all of the 20mm guns were removed as were many of the 40mm guns. The catapults were removed and a square structure was built aft of the number 3 turret.
o Some time between 1947 and 1951 the number one turret lost its rangefinder.
o During Lyndon Johnson's War a helipad was added on the after deck, all of the 40mm guns were removed with two of the tubs becoming swimming pools, the DISCONE antenna was erected on the forecastle, and the distinctive "ears" on the mainmast were added to contain electric countermeasures equipment.
o During the 1980's major changes were made to the superstructure. All, except for the two at the stern, of the [now empty] 40mm gun tubs were removed. The large crane at the stern was removed. Four 5" gun turrets were removed to make room for platforms mounting 8 quad tomahawk cruise missile launchers and 4 quad harpoon anti-ship missile launchers. Four phalanx close defense Gatling guns were also added.
o Finally, changes were made as part of her renovation as a museum.
This is a work in progress. We have many more pictures still to scan and upload.
