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Transporting powder charges, U S Navy

Discussion in 'Naval Warfare in the Pacific' started by Dracula, Jul 12, 2015.

  1. Dracula

    Dracula Active Member

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    Everyone has seen the images of projectiles and powder canisters lying on deck during resupply operations. Since the canisters would hold more than one powder bag and the individual bags were pretty heavy, I've always wondered how the magazine crew opened and manhandled the bulky bags out of the canister. Now I know.

    Youtube
    The 12 inch gun battery- Barbette Carriage part 4- duties of the Ammunition Squad
     
    Dracula, Jul 12, 2015
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  2. USS Washington

    USS Washington Active Member

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    Do you have a link to the video?

    Edit-Never mind, I didn't know that was the actual title of the video until I copied and paste it to the youtube search engine, my bad and thanks for sharing.
     
    USS Washington, Jul 12, 2015
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  3. Takao

    Takao Ace

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    Coastal artillery is under the US Army

    Video
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIDIUXrA0os
     
    Takao, Jul 12, 2015
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    USMCPrice likes this.
  4. Dracula

    Dracula Active Member

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    True, but the packaging, transportation, and handling of the powder charges for main battery size guns, whether on land or shipboard, should still be the same with the difference being that shipboard processing of the charges would involve more mechanical power and less human exertion.
     
    Dracula, Jul 12, 2015
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  5. Takao

    Takao Ace

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    Yes, the navy seamen had it a lot easier than their Army brethren.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OmOQs0ziSU
     
    Takao, Jul 13, 2015
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  6. Victor Gomez

    Victor Gomez Ace

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    Having had experience in demilling cannon powder charges I see some areas of danger that go unmentioned. They involve the long term storage of powders and the resulting conditions that are created from that. The by product of stored cannon powder is ether gas and similar flammable gases. You can imagine how much may come out of a battery of canisters if they are opened up in a closed air environment and the resulting vulnerability to sparks and static electricity. Also one may find other liquid by products that result from powder storage that have similar static dangers not unlike that of nitro glycerin. The persons that open the canisters would only have a first breath detecting the gases as their senses go dead to any further exposure to those odors as is common with flammable gases so one is not always aware they are in a bad air environment. I see lots of complications for anyone working in the closed confines of ship compartments or dug in gun platforms. I have had to move crews opening canisters to the outside of buildings for them to recover exposure to the ether which literally puts them to sleep if they do not get moved to fresh air and are allowed to remain there for some time. It became a regular practice when demilling to open the canisters outside for aeration for a period of time before actually handling the powders. Any liquid residues found in canisters received very cautious handling.
     
    Victor Gomez, Jul 18, 2015
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  7. gtblackwell

    gtblackwell Member Emeritus

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    Did anyone ever discover the cause of the explosion in one of the turrets of the Missouri ?
     
    gtblackwell, Jul 18, 2015
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  8. Takao

    Takao Ace

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    IIRC, the 1904 explosion was attributed to a flareback( sometimes called an "after flame"). As problems were noted that the guns were not being cleared properly of unburnt gases and cinders, and that these would sometimes start a small flare back that would singe the sailors' clothes and skin.


    Or, do you mean the more recent explosion on the USS Iowa?
     
    Takao, Jul 19, 2015
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  9. Gromit801

    Gromit801 Member

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    USS Iowa
     
    Gromit801, Jul 19, 2015
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  10. lwd

    lwd Ace

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    NOte that the burster charges had a whole nother set of issues. Some of them, particularly in the period up through the end of WWII could form fery sensative compounds after reacting to metal including the steel the shells were made of.
     
    lwd, Jul 20, 2015
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  11. Takao

    Takao Ace

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    Takao, Jul 20, 2015
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