Into the Void: Battleship New Jersey's Armored Belt

In this episode we're exploring a rarely seen part of the battleship: the outer edge of the ship's armored belt.
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[@CS_Blitzen]

As someone who works in a shipyard, it would be my assumption that those "plated over" hatches were in fact soft hatches for construction of the vessel. We use soft hatches for access into voids during construction and also for running electrical leads and gas leads for welders, tools, gas axes etc. It saves you from running immensely long cables or hoses which A, reduce power at the tool, are a tripping hazzard and increase the chances of them being damaged. Once the work has been done the hatch gets welded shut, hence why it's called a soft hatch. A hard hatch by comparison is one that can be open and closed at will, i.e. a door for example or an escape ladder. The eyes welded to the shell plate would likely be for pulling the sheets in against the bulkheads and frames with come alongs or similar devices I would assume, another process that hasn't changed over the years.

[@adstaton8461]

At Newport News Shipbuilding, we called them sandblast plugs. I welded dozens of them on Lincoln and Washington back in the late 80s early 90s.

[@anexpertateverything4816]

Thanks for the insight. Makes total sense.

[@donnellupshaw2334]

Sounds like a scary story. Shipyard worker welded in the soft hatch void! Lol

[@brettany_renee_blatchley]

@@donnellupshaw2334 or Jimmy Hoffa? 🤔

[@imtableship1703]

@@donnellupshaw2334 that's Kilroy

[@jrdeckard3317]

"So you're a welder, huh?" 'Yup. Just got my license." "Okay, kid. You're assigned to work on the New Jersey. When you retire, you'll still be working on it."

[@Past10Performance]

As a welder i can smell and taste every boiler ive ever been in every time he crawls threw one of those inspection hatches

[@black07rr]

@@Past10Performance same here….this video made me think of a dead air space full of fly ash😂

[@mikehyde2336]

As a badass welder I would love to take part in keeping ships like the new jersey and Wisconsin maintained. How does one go about volunteering

[@crazyeyez1502]

Best thing about this channel... where else can you see deeeeeep down into the guts of a battleship?

[@darthrex354]

visit the right museum ship and make nice with the docents. Seem vaguely competent, demonstrate interest and maybe come back a few times. That's gotten me hands on time with a collection of civil war repeaters, access to the cockpit of 3 piston and 1 jet fighter as well as way too many AFVS. If you volunteer you will def get access to some odd places, but you will probably be doing something unpleasant in them. Oh also the ball turret of a b-24, but getting out of that was the hard part, not getting in.

[@crazyeyez1502]

@@darthrex354 sounds like a great plan. If I lived closer I would.

[@Melanie16040]

@@darthrex354 once got access to the cockpit of a Luftwaffe Tornado by asking the pilot nicely at an airshow they were at.

[@yeetandskeet]

@Bo Kian stfu bot

[@slagpeel4456]

Watch the anchor video. They go into the chain locker it's like 3 stories deep.

[@jimc3688]

The cameraman deserves a bit of credit too.

[@ghost307]

Only a bit?? Libby's totally awesome.

[@pilotsimms535]

@@ghost307 Brave too . .

[@jimmy_olds]

I was thinking the same thing

[@FaustoTheBoozehound]

Camerawoman

[@oatlord]

Also performing a safety function being there.

[@MrRoadchaser]

I'm sure those made great hiding spots from the chief.

[@warc8us]

Thats what I was thinking...Probably been a few hangovers slept off in those spaces, or contraband squirreled away inside!

[@longrider188]

Probably not. It looks like all the hatches were bolded down with al least 15 bolts, plus the spaces would need to be properly ventilated.

[@charlestorruella8591]

No anyone went down there would die for no ventilation

[@justinschmitz8034]

You would be swimming in diesel fuel

[@warc8us]

@@justinschmitz8034 Three different people have said this now. But the access hatch the curator used was directly behind a berthing. Obviously that part would not be filled with fluid and would be easily accessible to anyone with a wrench to remove the bolts for the hatch. In the video posted just the day after this one there is a similar void entrance the curator shows that appears to have graffiti painted inside.

[@FlakeSE]

Oxygen sensors are a must when doing stuff like this, would you really want your gravestone to say "it has been open since '91". Those are some deep deep rusty tanks.

[@maxstr]

Good point, never thought of that! Also he's not wearing any head protection in a place that wasn't designed for people to wander around

[@BrentThu]

Yea I'm surprised they are not wearing a air monitor, the rust in the space consumes the oxygen and can leave a very hazardous area. Something like a Dräger 2500 should be mandatory

[@bertiewooster3326]

Man they are lovely tanks not rusty at all !!

[@historicbeef]

@@bertiewooster3326 I’ll put that on a gravestone.

[@inuous]

Came to make the same comment of the dangers of enclosed spaces, and you beat me to it. I hope they're familiar with deaths (and rapid ones at that, people can be incapacitated so quickly after entering these spaces that you end up basically dead as soon as you enter, just because there's no way to save yourself, and no one can come to your rescue fast enough to save you either). I'd hate to see this guy ending up dead over trying to educate/entertain people.

[@Ashfielder]

What a colossal piece of metal that armoured belt is. Really puts into perspective the sheer industrial scale of these warships.

[@dont-want-no-wrench]

must have been something to see the yard when being built

[@stephenwise734]

I have always wondered about the armored belts and never, ever did I expect to see so deep in the hull of a battleship? Thanks.

[@stanbrow]

Agreed.

[@Tuning3434]

Iowa's had an internal belt, a design compromise that allowed for a larger inward angle on the plate, while still maintaining a nice blob of volume for torpedo protection, tanks and retaining displacement under normal condition. The 1.5 inch plate outside helps to protect against flooding due to low grade fire, and I think also serves as a decap-layer? It is however quite common to have external belts instead, that are bolted on the outside of the hull, as they are easier to replace after battle damage. There are some nice photo's of HMS Hood's construction where the hull is finished, and you can see the patches where the armour plates are to be fitted (warshipprojects.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/hood5.png)

[@rinzler9171]

I do believe this was done to help facilitate the Iowa class' great speed.

[@johncox2865]

I wouldn’t crawl down in that hole for love nor money.

[@MrNealSalo]

As I understand it, to improve resistance to armor-piercing shells, Iowa's armor was inclined and thus internal. Great Britain's King George V class by contrast, had external armor, thicker than Iowa's and not angled. It was visible from the outside of the ship. A lot of World War I dreadnoughts were also armored externally.

[@davidb.fishburn9338]

About those tabs, i'm betting that they were put on the plates at the shipyard when NJ was being built, were used to move the plates into position, and just left on there. No need to worry about removing them, as the spaces are not normal use space for the crew, and as such, the tabs are not in the way of anybody or anything.

[@legogenius1667]

I feel like if teams of people had gone into all these spaces and cut out all the unnecessary tabs and bit of metal like that, they could have taken thousands of pounds of weight off the ship lol. Then again, a few thousand pounds is almost nothing to a ship this big.

[@divarachelenvy]

yes for moving and even some for jigging purposes...

[@redenginner]

LegoGenius16 When the naval treaties ended there wasn’t much of a point to going after small items for weight savings.

[@legogenius1667]

@@redenginner It was just a thought that popped into my head when he was talking about the little metal piece. I guess it could have helped fuel economy, but eh...

[@wheels-n-tires1846]

That was my thought...seemingly random tabs to set the pieces in place with a crane?(???)

[@Laura-wc5xt]

Those grooves on the plate are not made by grinding down but by being machined on a planer, that is a huge machine where a single point tool like used on a lathe is moved across the material making a very large chip [.200 of an inch thick or more and maybe .500 wide or more] Giddings & Lewis and Gray were big manufacturers of this type machine. a very efficient way to make flat material out of very large plates. hope this helps....cheers....

[@jimzeleny7213]

Yes that would be the machine. Not seen so much these days

[@CTRLyurself]

That's a confined space, if you value your life you need a recovery pack and air quality sensors....

[@BattleshipNewJersey]

We've been doing this for decades, don't worry, we know what we're doing

[@CTRLyurself]

@@BattleshipNewJersey best to be safe rather than having an endless snooze... an air quality sensor is so cheap compared to the high price of me not having anymore videos of battleship new Jersey to watch! Do it for the fans!

[@wildtimbrown]

@@CTRLyurself You do realize that all you see is what you see, right? You have no idea what their actual safety protocols are.

[@historicbeef]

@@BattleshipNewJersey I am a confine space certified worker ( French is my first language) better safe than sorry. A small sensor is a must. I was working once and everything seemed to be fine sensor did go off. And it was not safe. You need forced air ventilation at least please. I have lost friends to that.

[@johnd4348]

welcome to the real world Karen. I have been in much smaller places.

[@jefferythomas4414]

The brackets or fittings are actually lifting eyes. They where welded on at the yard so a crane could lift the plate into position to be welded on to the ship. To remove them after the lift would be a waste of time and energy considering their location so they where left.

[@adstaton8461]

I worked as a welder at Newport News Shipbuilding and that little angle iron lug was not used to lift any significant amount of weight.

[@Past10Performance]

@@adstaton8461 angle would not be welded in that direction for lifting would be vertical to have the most strength. My thoughts went toward scaffolding mounting points

[@its1110]

Might use them to draw two pieces together during the hours it would take to weld them. Let the crane go on to other work.

[@ELMS]

I’m sure someone else has said this, but going into an enclosed metal space such as that is extremely dangerous. The steel draws oxygen out of the air as it rusts. You enter a pure nitrogen environment and it’s over. Be safe!

[@jackaw1197]

At 3:35 they specifically mention that these compartments have been opened and ventilated for a very long time. so I believe they are aware of the risks.

[@pamthevan7340]

@@jackaw1197 Ventilated in the land of confined spaces means there needs to be air movement - not just a top hatch left open.

[@Ganiscol]

He obviously survived, so there was no issue. And we clearly could see the amount of rust wasnt that bad anyway. And who knows, he may even have a device on him to measure the level of oxygen.

[@barklet6110]

They've commented in other videos that they use air testers before entering some of the more confined spaces

[@forrestnelson4429]

The "Kilroy was here" is awesome. I always find myself wondering what was going on in the world at that time. He's a brief synopsis of the U.S. at that time. President was Nixon, Jets only Super Bowl win, the Boeing 747 made its first flight, James Earl Ray admitted to assassinating MLK, President Dwight D. Eisenhower died, First person to die of HIV/AIDS, The Stonewall Riots for gay rights happened, First troop withdrawal from Vietnam, Ted Kennedy kills a campaign worker at Chappaquiddick, First man steps on the moon, 500, 1000, 5000, 10000 dollar bills removed from circulation, Woodstock happens, Manson Family murders happened, My Lai massacre happened, The chicago eight trial begins, The Brady Bunch premiers, Sesame Street premiers, Native Americans occupy Alcatraz, Frosty the Snowman first Airs, and Wendy's the fast food chain is created. Hell of a first year for Nixon.

[@seeingeyegod]

first person to die of AIDs was in 1969? Wow that's really surprising, I thought it was the early 80s

[@julieenslow5915]

@@seeingeyegod We didn't know what it was back then. And looking to this list, I now remember why lots of people really didn't want to remember that year.

[@seeingeyegod]

@@julieenslow5915 I am wondering how "we" ended up knowing what it was retroactively back to 1969.

[@julieenslow5915]

@@seeingeyegod Excuse me, every line seemed to be in the third person. I will reword for your sensitive eye. The general public was unaware of what AIDS was back then. I was a Sophomore in High School and our class on current affairs did not even touch on it.

[@seeingeyegod]

@@julieenslow5915 Yes the general public was unaware, but I was unaware that even scientists were aware of it. Do you have any insight into when the scientific or medical community knew it existed?

[@georgemusulin5812]

Regarding the cables mentioned early in the video, I recognized them as TLI circuits. (Tank Level Indicator) The gauges are on Broadway level outboard portside around frame 137.

[@stanbrow]

Thanks, I was thinking they were level indication myself, bit I am not familiar with the way things are done on a ship.

[@georgemusulin5812]

@@stanbrow Hi Stan! I am the chief electrician on USS IOWA. The level indicators are made by GEMS SENSORS co. They are phenolic floats on a stainless steel tube. Sometimes two or three of these assemblies are used if a tank is very deep. (one above another in series.) Just thought I would share this with you.

[@kainhall]

10:05 seeing a "killroy" in their is hilarious! . this is probably one of the most interesting videos ive seen ya make..... and its just about a "void" yet... their is a LOT of history and learning ya can do in that void space.... . very interesting stuff!

[@db4239]

You bet I would like to see a tank put on a special tour. I'm a thirty year deck officer aboard Great Lakes Ore Boats (1,000 feet), crawled all over those ballast tanks to see how our ship was doing. An Iowa Class tank would be a dream come true. I would appreciate every inch. Please allow this...

[@Laura-wc5xt]

As a Weldor, I would love to see closeups of the massive welds and also areas where there is machining done on the steel....Thank You for a great job you are doing...

[@CJOlin]

What's a "Weldor"? Having four different certifications for welding myself, I'm not sure what that is😂

[@TEHSTONEDPUMPKIN]

That last part with the wire and pipe ladder, that looks like a long way down.

[@Rammstein0963.]

I didn't know you COULD go INTO the armor and torpedo protection systems...I actually learned something today. Many thanks guys, keep up the good work. 😊✌️

[@stanbrow]

In a ship, or industrial environment, you almost always have some way to get everywhere. Never know when you are going to need to repair/clean/inspect something.

[@mrz80]

Almost every space on the ship is accessible somehow or other, even if only when in port or in drydock, so that it can be maintained and repaired as necessary. You don't want to have to torch an access to fix something. :D

[@matthewcaughey8898]

The Iowa class had a novel torpedo protection system they said with it flush against the hull. For the never built upcoming Montana class they were planning to going back to a torpedo bulge which would be added after the hull was built. The Navy Department decided that as much as a Montana would cost extra protection and slightly reduced speed was seen as acceptable

[@sergarlantyrell7847]

@@matthewcaughey8898 Except that it was pretty much the same as used on South Dakota... So not that novel... SD wasn't even the first to use it, as the King George V class which predated the SD was of the same type, and even that wasn't the first as the Nelson class of 1923 was the same type, only 20 years earlier than Iowa.

[@wheels-n-tires1846]

As great as the guns, turrets, and engineering spaces are, this is another level of cool...!!! Things that nobody ever gets to see. Tanks and voids are so blah yet theyre really interesting!! Thanks Ryan and crew for taking the time and effort to let us see the little things. Clearly you were excited about the lil discoveries just like we were!!! 👍👍

[@jima3345]

9:40 Those fittings remind me of a habit a supervisor of mine had in my early years working in engineering departments. He would indicate several 5/16 dia. holes to be placed sporadically in mechanical components which appeared to have no function. When someone asked their purpose, he responded; "you never know when you might need them".

[@michaeldea6599]

I would never go in a tank that Libby doesn't go in. She seems to have a good sense of whether it's doable/ah hell no .

[@BattleshipNewJersey]

Ryan climbed into the lower tank and then immediately said, yeah, you're not going to do this one. He was right.

[@spaceskipster4412]

@@BattleshipNewJersey how deep was the sludge in the bottom of it ? 🙄

[@BattleshipNewJersey]

Barely measurable, more a coating than a puddle

[@oatlord]

@@BattleshipNewJersey are these considered confined spaces for oxygen issues?

[@BattleshipNewJersey]

Nope. These are not considered confined spaces. Theyve been open and ventilating for 20 years.

[@Fataliac]

Yes! Another "pit of death" video. My favorite. Along with the chain locker, shaft alley, and that one point in the catacombs that went down into the black. (I'd love to see a flash photo taken down there) Thanks for this!!

[@wdcjunk]

That microphone really works a lot better than your old ones.

[@terrygardner3031]

I love the information just wish some of the spaces Ryan goes to didn't have such a bad echo that makes understanding what he said.

[@waverleyjournalise5757]

Remember Ryan, the first rule of enclosed spaces - If Hatch Secured With Bolts, Secure your Air Supply! I know what you said about the prioer ventilation, but other locations may have lesser stewards than thou!

[@markam306]

Ryan, At the very least you should be monitoring the oxygen level in the confined spaces before you enter. An explosion meter and H2S monitor are also good. OSHA stresses vessel entry more than anything else, based on workplace fatality statistics. We would hate for anything to happen to you !!

[@BattleshipNewJersey]

This isn't a confined space. It isnt sealed and is well ventilated. We are trained professionals and have been doing this for decades. In response to other comments, no this hatch isn't bolted, its wide open and has been for decades.

[@markam306]

Ryan, Glad you are cautious, keep up the good work !!

[@stanbrow]

@@BattleshipNewJersey Nit certain I see how you are confident of the circulation here?

[@richardcurtis556]

It is not necessary for a space to be sealed to be "confined". Any space that is not ventilated withfresh air or is able to accumulate hazardous gasses is confined. People have been killed in an industrial environment by gasses accumulated in a depression in the ground . VERY DANGEROUS STUFF!

[@philwalmsley1116]

Ryan, another outstanding video. I firmly believe that one day, during your crawls through the catacombs, you will find my father’s initials (GJW, JR) from when he assisted with the building of BB62 during WWII at the Yard.

[@Gilbertmk2]

This is pretty dang cool. I worked in aircraft fuel tanks for a bit and this video reminded me of that. I saw the zip zag seam welded. I take it that's how they reinforced the seam to ensure it didn't fail under fire. Pretty cool.

[@guidor.4161]

Was wondering what that was...

[@BattleshipNewJersey]

The zig zag seam gives more space for the welder to build up the seam creating an even stronger connection.

[@robertlitman2661]

@@BattleshipNewJersey It also prevents a "stress riser" from forming at a crack, where a long continuous weld can unzip.

[@wheels-n-tires1846]

Was gonna ask about that...

[@CJOlin]

The zig zag welding and the repeated build up weld beads, was also because welding had just been integrated into ship building and they weren't quite sure of its strength, compared to riveting.

[@rg3412]

You’re doing a fine job exposing the secrets if this battleship.

[@toastnjam7384]

When my ship (USS Kitty Hawk) returned to North Island in 71 for maintenance and refit after a Nam deployment I was temporarily assigned to the fire watch division. Our job was to follow a civilian welder with a fire extinguisher and I got to see the massive voids and other part of the ship that were sealed off. I only had to put out one small fire. It was the most skate job I had in the Navy BTW.

[@danielpittman889]

I arrived in Little Creek only to learn that my new home, USS Saipan, was in Cuba. Before they decided to fly me down there and put me to work for real, I did TPD at the shipyard recycling pile. Climb around piles of ship parts, sorting out steel and aluminum parts into huge steel hoppers. Shoot the shit with the boys, take long lunches, no muster, jumpsuits and ball caps. Now that was a skate job! I'd have done that for six years and been one happy machinist mate.

[@stevenrice47]

Last week, me: "Which part of the ship have you NOT been in?" "Well, there is that one void..." Ryan delivers!!!

[@XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX981]

And Libby too!

[@mikegardner762]

yeah lets not do a sewage hold/tank tour

[@trevorn9381]

@@mikegardner762 I am pretty sure they just pumped the sewage into the ocean. The Navy didn't have to worry about enviro wackos like Greenpeace raising Hell if they flushed the toilets into the ocean or pumped some oily bilge water overboard back then.

[@BattleshipNewJersey]

We not only did have sewage tanks, that we still use so won't be going in, we also had several run ins with Greenpeace activists, mostly upset about the possibility of nuclear weapons on board.

[@MrTexasDan]

This vid is too cool for words. I always wondered what the tanks, armor plates, and hull welds look like. Hells yeah add it t the tour. I'm 60 years old and would climb in without hesitation!

[@andrewdeboer7435]

Excellent video! So glad you are cranking out these videos. Couple of suggestions: - Give the viewer some orientation directions: “to my left is outboard, and I’m facing forward.” - It would also help to point to the place where you are on a model of the ship. It would be clearer for us civilians than showing the position on the plan.

[@BattleshipNewJersey]

We do include maps of the ship for this purpose.

[@kainhall]

@@BattleshipNewJersey right... i saw the map but it still took me a second to figure out which side is the water side.... and what side is the "core/middle" side . we are just asking for a quick "to my left is the water"....... that way people who arnt good with maps can still learn

[@mrz80]

@@kainhall It's fairly easy to tell in this particular video, since the main armor belt slopes outward at 19deg.

[@its1110]

@@mrz80 outward as you go up or outward as you go down?

[@mrz80]

​@@its1110 The belt is inclined so that it slopes outward as you go up, so that incoming fire strikes the belt at an oblique angle, thus increasing the effective thickness of the armor and increasing the chances the projectile caroms off or breaks up before penetrating.

[@MisterHolaMan]

I'm told the extra space above was always in the design, was intended to be sealable as a wartime auxiliary fuel tank and some of the blueprints were modified during the renovations

[@peltel2222]

Thank you Ryan! This is a young mans exploration task for sure. It’s like the best playground for adults ever made. We appreciate your efforts and documenting all these areas. We all love the videos. Enjoy it while your young. And keep an extra pair of pants or two on hand at all times. Split pants are a hazard of the trade!!!

[@julieenslow5915]

Sounds like the voice of experience. I would definitely have those pants on hand!

[@brettany_renee_blatchley]

As I am getting older and losing my flexibility and mobility, I'm thinking there is no way I could get through these places now whereas I would have had a blast exploring even a couple decades ago.

[@driven01]

I'm so fascinated by these Iowa class ships. I've always had a dream of being able to explore the entire ship like this. However, the claustrophobic part of me is happy that someone else just did this instead. :-)

[@bobkuhl]

I'd also like to thank all the commentors who are thoughtful enough to provide missing/new information. Not only do I enjoy watching and learn things from the videos, but I also really enjoy the comment section and learn so much from there as well. This is true with all the New Jersey videos. So thanks guys!!

[@tarf1a]

The construction of this ship is incredible. The amount steel that went into each ship is astounding. Many thanks!

[@gregkientop559]

Wow, this was an adventure that I never expected I could take. You are awesome!

[@RaivoltG]

I never thought I'd be this interested in ships like this. I subscribed and look forward to seeing your other videos! This one was pretty cool!

[@67daffy]

Simply awesome showing us the insides like this, well done Ryan hope you stay as curator doing a fantastic job on these videos.

[@buzzardbatemotorsports7913]

love these videos , to see all the hidden spaces is just awesome.

[@kasperv967]

Extremely cool! It's one thing to read about the armored belt from an academic perspective, but seeing you climb down around it is not exactly what I expected! Appreciate the highlight of the graffiti as well. Having worked in a very old heavy industrial plant, it's hilarious to chart the graffiti and in-jokes that built up in the furthest darkest corners over the decades haha.

[@Custerd1]

9:11 - they're cupholders. :-P But seriously, holy cow, this is really great stuff! Thank you for this intimate look at a part of the ship that no one ever gets to see.

[@johnserrano9689]

Absolutely beautiful. I need to thank you for finally giving me the one video I asked you for. I know you guys have so many things going on, not to mention recording, editing and posting so I really do appreciate it. Finally get to see everything, only been waiting a couple months after requested, but years long before that so this is going to be an Ass kickin' video 😎

[@Laura-wc5xt]

well done, always enjoy your tours...

[@Tankbrusher]

thanks for that video! this is exactly the kind of stuff I'd like to see more of in the future: Stuff we normal ppl can not see by reading, visiting and looking at pictures. Hope to see you giving us more insight into off limits areas. Doesn't even need to be highly educational. Want to see the very lowest deck next : )

[@jeremyneufeld6541]

I could've watched three hours of this. Give me more!!!

[@BazBear65]

Another great video! Ryan, you seem so much more comfortable, and hence smoother, in front of the camera than you did in your early videos.

[@edevans5991]

New question: How big a container ship could the New Jersey pull out of the Suez Canal?

[@SpartacusColo]

Or just blow it up?

[@killman369547]

She could probably do it. The New Jersey is capable of producing 440,000 horsepower from her 4 steam turbines. But anyone wanting to bring those back online are going to run into a few headaches including the navy who doesn't want the steam systems working on the ship.

[@notmenotme614]

My chain of command... "Who needs a tug when you've got hundreds of servicemen with a shovel"

[@matthewcaughey8898]

You’ve got 16 inch guns just pulverize the blockage and sift the scrap when your done

[@MrBen527]

Probably!

[@pilotdane]

I is interesting to see the combination of welded and riveted construction. And, I'm glad you mentioned the ventilation. I get shivers when I see someone going down into a steel tank without a big yellow hose blowing in fresh air.

[@Thorbrook]

absolutely love yalls videos

[@CountryBoyMoto]

I was on the void team inspection crew in 87’. We had to go in to as many as we could, dewater, inspect and sometimes chip them out and paint. It was a spooky situation in some of them even in dry dock lol. I got a LOC for my efforts. (Crew member 86’thru 89’)

[@ISU-KV-]

this man is so lucky to have this job, he deserves it and is very passionate about it. It is a great job because he has access to anywhere on this awesome war machine.

[@Digmen1]

Wow. I have aways (for 50+ years) been fascinated by what they meant as armoured plate. I have recently got a few good books on British battleship construction. But this is the time I have even seen the plates close up. Its pretty scary down there! Thankyou so much

[@sitdownstar]

As I watched the video and you had to talk about not really knowing how certain things really were, I realized that an incredible amount of knowledge about how these ships were built and operated is just gone. The people who were there are gone. I also realized how great it is that you're doing these videos and keeping alive what we do know and sharing it.

[@rp1645]

Thank you RYAN for your excellent Narrative and information on these Capital Ships. I find it near on the welding that it was " V" shaped bulky large plates to match up. Not just a simple weld line.

[@museuminsider1814]

The tour, and overlay of the Ship's map are quite helpful and interesting.

[@byronking7266]

Bravo for climbing down into those tight spaces, and double-bravo for recording it. (Looking at you, camera-dude.) I know that people can get used to a lot of things, but that is a tight fit into a very isolated volume. You addressed the "air" issue, but when I was in the Navy we always tested void air, and there was even someone called the GFE (gas-free engineer) who signed off pre-entry. And we used to post people at the entrance, with safety lines and a direct line to call for help if necessary. Depending on the ship, the commanding officer or executive officer were on notice for void-space entries... Along with medical. Not uncommonly, CO/XO and/or med people would drop by for a visit during the evolution to see how things were going.

[@stevenda22]

This is amazing, thanks for filming it.

[@walterretlaw4051]

06:35 How big these welding chord..!!! Wow..!!! Thanks for this video.

[@Gunny1971]

I want a hard core route. Disclaimer could be something along the lines of-"You will get dirty. You will track foul smelling oil and grease behind you and into your automobile. You will get cut, scraped and possibly bruised. Mementos from this tour will be a deep seated appreciation to the young men who did this daily in service to our great navy and a very sore and black fingernail, along with at least one new curse word." Sign me up and take my money.!

[@trailhog86]

Love the videos where Ryan has to put on his head lamp and squeeze into places!👍

[@martinharrold946]

Amazing to see the amount of engineering that went into these ships.

[@seatedliberty]

You could create a special “Hi-Lo” tour where you take just 3-5 people through the tanks, void spaces, and catacombs as well as up to the radar on the O-11 level. It would have to be a premium priced tour offered once every other weekend or so, but I’m sure there are enough battleship fanatics out there to where it would be worthwhile.

[@BattleshipNewJersey]

We offer these sorts of tours as private tours with Ryan for $500. We can't guarantee access to all of these tanks. But anywhere we think we can safely get you

[@TheFreaker86]

@@BattleshipNewJersey must the guests on that tour sign a waiver of some kind? Like accepting denied liability and assuring physical fitness. Considering the possibility of hurting myself I would expect that and sign it without batting an eye.

[@apairon2]

Considering there are people who will take a tour of chernobyls reactor control room. Im sure there are people who would get a kick out of getting stuck in one of them tanks.

[@angrydragonslayer]

@@apairon2 autoerotic asphyxiation is weird

[@ghost307]

@@angrydragonslayer Whatever floats your boat.

[@spaceskipster4412]

Jolly interesting video. Thanks and best wishes from the UK. 👍🏼 🇬🇧

[@johnhamilton1740]

Viewer: That was the craziest place Ryan's been too! Ryan: Hold my beer.... Seriously - what's left?

[@its1110]

Inner Bottom

[@TheRichard991]

Love the void space videos! please explore the triple bottom if possible, and stay safe!

[@seantu1496]

Always love the video's of exploring the never seen parts of the ship. As something to do, talk to an iron worker who would have been building the ship, my best guess is the "hatches" and "fittings" you found are there to make their jobs easier to get the thing built, and really serve no other purpose. What would also be interesting to see, if you can get into the same place in an Iowa/South Dakota class where they had to fix damage, and see what's there.

[@BattleshipNewJersey]

Heres an interview with one of the people who helped build the ship. Its been 80 years, the memories of specific details of why hooks are in one place or another are tough kzbin.info/www/bejne/fKmXqKKwd8mmrKc

[@scottwilliams2453]

since i was a little kid i always was fascinated by the thickness of armor in ships, always wondered how they could float, there is very little on battleship armor, but finally after all these years i have finally seen the armored belt, i heard it was sloped at 30 degrees and was in between an exterior and internal part of the ship with bilges, thanks new jersey!!!!!!!!!!!! My brother built a model ship of the arizona and he told me the armor was 15'' and i thought no way it would sink.

[@michijimc9753]

The machining marks on the lower armor were made by a machine called a shaper. The operator would setup the piece of steel using sine plates to get the angle correct. The shaper has a moving hard onto which a substantial cutting tool is affixed. The moving head traversed the length of the machine and then indexed over the width of the cutting tool which produces the grooves you see in the armor. Thank you for your fascinating content. My wife an I are supporters of the battleship USS North Carolina.

[@Bob4golf1]

VERY Interesting. I'm a volunteer on Wisconsin and have always wondered about access to the armored bulkheads. I'll have to check out some of the void access plates. Thanks for this!

[@wildtimbrown]

And somehow the safety "Karens" have nothing to say about you going into NEWLY opened "confined spaces". My guess is that is exactly what all the concern is properly aimed at.

[@drewdurant3835]

You’re basically the only channel with content on battleship belts

[@apieceofdirt4681]

This guy has one of the coolest jobs ever. He’s in charge of a battleship!

[@kevinconville3199]

Brought back some eerie memories!

[@Electronzap]

That's really cool that a book is coming out about the making of armor on a ship.

[@BazBear65]

I got the impression it's going to cover the whole story of the Big Lady's design and construction, not just the armor.

[@Electronzap]

@@BazBear65 Nice :)

[@colosseumbuilders4768]

There was originally going to be one book on the construction of the ship but the material grew and grew so that there will be multiple books, The first one will be on the layout and features of the ship. The 3D drawings of the armor are done but will have to be in a later book.

[@garywayne6083]

I've been in the coal lockers on the Olympia - I'd climb down into a tank for sure! Was cool popping my head up into the space between the armored deck and splinter deck, this looks better to actuall get in to

[@UBNsoldier]

I'd happily volunteer to go craw along all these spaces to do a thorough inspection of the ship or run repair/repainting work. Been to New Jersey before as a tourist, always wanted to work on a ship like her as a volunteer in my off time from work

[@ghost307]

I just watched the Iowa channel where they went into the fuel tank. Based on the amount of safety equipment that they had and the size of the tank you guys made a good call by staying outside of it.

[@richmantz7579]

I really enjoy these video's. Really interesting. Next time I'm in the area, I will come and visit!

[@matthewcook7051]

It’s ok to say that sketchy ladder was freaking you out. I’m not afraid of heights but am very claustrophobic. No way would you ever find me in that space. As a matter of fact I had to walk outside just to finish this video. Thanks for your great work

[@stanbrow]

Much greater risk in that space was assurance of a breathable atmosphere. There is no circulation in spaces like these, and as soon as he saw liquid at the bottom, he probably should have exited, as he had not equipment with him to assure he had a safe breathable atmosphere.

[@BattleshipNewJersey]

As we say in the video, this is a well ventilated space that's been open for 20 years.

[@joshuasill1141]

Its not so much the height I'm afraid of . . . its the fall down

[@61futura]

Very informative. Thanks.

[@MasonSStarkey]

thanks for making these videos

[@toms1348]

Man....I'd love to take that tour! Cool stuff.

[@rolfmissing4554]

I thank You for this and other videos. I hope to some day make it over to the US and visit the ship

[@grast5150]

Not sure the average public could handle a tank tour. As a former Submariner, I do not have a problem with tight spaces but that is probably not the norm. I would love to see these spaces. Later.

[@allawa]

This is amazing keep up the videos!

[@clydecessna737]

Note: When entering a closed steel or iron tank it is possible that the oxygen in the air has been consumed by the rusting process. After Pearl Harbor attack a USN diver went into such a tank where he lost consciousness and died before anyone knew he was missed.

[@tonymanero5544]

At the museum, there’s an about 16x16” diagram “If You Can Cut the Ship in Half” which clearly shows the in blue the armor belt inclined (inward) about 20 degrees from the horizontal axis, and the tapering of the belt below the waterline. That would show viewers the wall angles created by the inclined armor belt. On the South Dakota Class, I never understood why the hull cutout was necessary and how it joined the armor belt. With the Diagram you guys produced for the Jersey, I could visualize how the cutout sits on top of the belt which along with the armored deck, and bulkheads formed the armored citadel. Back to the Jersey and Iowas, the diagram shows only 4 decks plus the double keel. The 37 feet waterline would have provided for at least 3 decks plus decks above the WL. There is a famous picture in the book Fighting Fleets 1944, printed in wartime, showing the Iowa hull at the bottom point at the bow bulbous point and it looked like a tall office building. The industrial capacity of America to build the most powerful navy up to that time is legendary.

[@robertlewis2]

Being able to enter spaces that are not normally occupied is a great interest to me. It's like exploring an old haunted house.

[@SkeeterPondRC]

Heck yeah! Id love to crawl through there!

[@ouroboris]

I thought I was weird for being fascinated by the lower decks and guts of a ship like this. It was my darkest secret. Now I'm too old & fat to be crawling around like this so it's nice to have you young gents do it for me.

[@voiculiviu9130]

Very interesting view of the void spaces of a battleship.I would have guessed that they were more frequently inspected during the vessel's Service. I know a thing or two about void spaces and tanks on board ships and I would recomend getting a personal gas detector whenever going inside any such spaces. The rust inside eats oxygen and creates carbon monoxide and going deep inside the structure prevent natural ventilation as there is no airflow.

[@alfredwilson7276]

When as a kid growing in San Diego in the sixties, once the New Jersey was here to practice fire it's 16" guns using San Clemente Island as target. San Clemente sits about 40 miles off the coast between Los Angeles and San Diego, roughly due west of Camp Pendleton, is the farthest south of the Channel Islands and just below famed Catalina. Back in the day was used as a sea and aerial target range by the Navy and still operated by the Navy but not as a range which stopped after the Vietnam war ended. In fact since, there's been a huge conservation effort to restore the Island back to it's natural habitat and I believe now only used for Navy Seal and flight training for the Navy/Marines. When ships like New Jersey came to train, all of SoCal was put on alert because the western night sky would light up like lightning whenever they fired off their guns. We were far enough away to not hear the booms but spectacular nevertheless and I'm sure coastal residents in nearer to the Island weren't spared the booming. I remember when the New Jersey was here though because San Diego then had a large Navy/Marine presence, still does, local authorities and Navy made a big deal about it. I believe she had recently been recommissioned(?) and was here to practice before heading to Vietnam but I may be wrong. Spectacular seeing the flashes!

[@riverbluevert7814]

Excellent video.

[@minstan7415]

My uncountable thanks to your effort to show & share the precious information. The step shaped section of the armour belt in the middle of video looks like the point where the Class A armour belt and Class B armour belt meets. Because both armour belts have different installation method, there's level difference relative to the backing plate surface even though their tickness at meeting point are the same.

[@brianwilson4861]

These videos are awesome. Battleships are in about the same class as the great pyramids of Egypt. It seems impossible that humans are capable of constructing something so massive. I've visited the USS Alabama years ago when I was a kid. That was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. Unless you've seen one first hand I don't think that you could imagine how big a battleship is. Thank you for sharing this. I really like to see videos like this. Places in the ship that some people wouldnt find interesting. I'd like to see the view from the highest spot on the ship. You probably already have a video posted. I'll see if I can find it.

[@mrz80]

Yeah, he's been up the tower a time or two, clear up to the rangefinder and out atop it (O-10? O-11?)

[@josephstevens9888]

Ryan - those look like some fairly tight places. As a kid I would love to crawl around those void space - not so much now! I hope you or anyone else doesn't get trapped down there. Interesting video; especially about the graffiti from 1969.

[@TanabiGoat]

I'd love if a tank was part of the tour :) I'll definitely have to come visit your ship someday.

[@imdoctorsan]

I've hiked the Grand Canyon, climbed up to a cliff house at Mesa Verde and other Indiana Jones stuff, so, sure. A deep crawl into battleship New Jersey's bowels would be heaven for me. Bring it on.