Inside the history: The Mark 6 16"45 caliber gun on USS Massachusetts and its history.

The first episode in our "Inside the History" series focuses on the 16"45 caliber MK 6 guns in three turrets on USS Massachusetts, their operation, and historical use. Battleship Gunner's Mate Tom Lowney discusses the operation, comparisons to the Iowa-class 16"50, and battles that this gun system participated in on North Carolina-class and South Dakota-class battleships.
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Note: Image of French battleship Jean Bart in Casablanca reveals damage from both USS Massachusetts and aircraft from USS Ranger. Aircraft from RANGER caused most of the destructive views seem in this image.

[@Train115]

Oh nice, the comments are on for this video. Good to see you guys have started putting out content too! Been watching Battleship New Jersey's stuff for a while, and theyve just started releasing their Battleship Cove videos.

[@patbateman6729]

Thank you Gunny for this facsinating detailed information on the 16/45s and 16/50s,, and thank you for your service Mr. Lowney.

[@greentland]

Its like a naval version of This Old House!

[@Guitfiddlejase]

My Grandfather helped build her.. The yard mainly built smaller ships..Cruisers. Destroyers. Liberty Ships. Jeep Carriers. ..but they were indeed awarded the contract on B.B 59! My dad told me it was quite an exciting thing to have a battleship contract! Love her..

[@B1900pilot]

I grew-up in Falmouth, MA and visited USS Massachusetts MANY times since 1967 or so. She is a beautiful ship, and Ive enjoyed visiting her and look forward to seeing her this summer. Thank you for the videos from areas of the ship not open to the public. Would like to see the diesel generator compartment in the future:-) Maybe the steering engine too! Great videos, and learned a lot about our ship. I was fortunate to be aboard the USS New Jersey underway in 1988…

[@metaknight115]

I would love to visit her one day. People like to drool all over the Iowas, specifically Missouri, but this bad girl is the coolest American battleship ever built in my opinion.

[@inerlogic]

I remember taking the tour as a boy scout 30-odd years ago and the guy talking about the guns said they could launch a Volkswagen bug 20 miles :)

[@battleshipcove-americasfle2150]

That is true!

[@inerlogic]

@@battleshipcove-americasfle2150 it's an image that stays with ya

[@williamsteinhour4876]

Great information!! Please invest in better mics.

[@MrTexasDan]

Excellent! First rate video. Thanks guys.

[@battleshipcove-americasfle2150]

Thank you for visiting with us!

[@joshuariddensdale2126]

I know there was an investigation into the 16" shells after the action between Massachusetts and Jean Bart because several shells failed to detonate.

[@battleshipcove-americasfle2150]

Many of those were also due to using armor piercing shells against bombardment targets such as El Hank.

[@metaknight115]

Yep. People like to act like the duel was a one sided massacre, both ships were fairly handclapped

[@The_Harbinger]

Great video, good work!

[@battleshipcove-americasfle2150]

Thank you for visiting with us and for the comments! We look forward to posting more as we move forward!

[@haljames624]

Thank you. one of the best turret vids ,

[@battleshipcove-americasfle2150]

Thank you. We will have more with Tom and our gun systems in future videos

[@haljames624]

@@battleshipcove-americasfle2150 'great to hear and to see them, And to hear from the vets of your ships as I do from the Big J down here in nj.

[@battleshipcove-americasfle2150]

@@haljames624 Both great battleships!

[@haljames624]

@@battleshipcove-americasfle2150 YES they are . youtube is the only battleship fix right now, waiting for this covid to be over so I can get back to chipping and painting on the big j

[@battleshipcove-americasfle2150]

@@haljames624 Excellent! Thanks for helping to preserve our naval history!

[@johnpower8356]

Love ❤️ the Massachusetts BB-59

[@jamespenna8850]

Big Mamie !

[@Raowhs23]

Great video

[@battleshipcove-americasfle2150]

Thank you for visiting!

[@Raowhs23]

@@battleshipcove-americasfle2150 I love visiting the cove. I keep going back!

[@mikec7848]

I heard that the mamie has the longest shot from her 16”

[@battleshipcove-americasfle2150]

Good point...research has shown that BIG MAMIE may have the longest shot 16" shell on a moving target ever. We will discuss in another video!

[@CRAZYHORSE19682003]

@@battleshipcove-americasfle2150 The Iowa engaged the Japanese destroyer Nowaki at 35,700 yards and straddled her on the first salvo. That is nearly the maximum range of the 16 inch 45 caliber gun.

[@BlackHawkBallistic]

@@CRAZYHORSE19682003 Iowa, and her sisters, had the newer 16"/50 guns

[@CRAZYHORSE19682003]

@@BlackHawkBallistic LOL I was a gunners mate on the USS Iowa, I know.

[@metaknight115]

I believe the longest ranged shot belongs to the IJN Yamato, who fired a shot that hit the escort carrier White Plains from almost 20 miles during the battle off Samar

[@taofledermaus]

Don't tell anyone but I like your presentations better than NJ's channel.

[@isaacwest]

>:0

[@brandongouge]

😂 I agree. There’s something about the awkwardness of Sandwichki that I’ve come to like though

[@michaellansdon5595]

U forgeting yamto and enterprise Yorktown and hornet

[@jermasus]

Ah yes yamto, my favorite ship