Thanks for the correction, OSM. However, I read once that on the RN Battleships during WW2, quite major damage could be sustained to all sorts of loose equipment on the ship when a salvo was fired from the main guns.
I saw the 'New Jersey' let loose one day (with what I would assume was less than a full broadside). From 8,000' (and, I can assure you, to seawards of the ship!), it was VERY impressive. As my captain pointed out to me at the time, every shell that the NJ threw from its main armament weighed as much as a Volkswagon Beetle. (Edited to add, after seeing Milt's post above: "Milt, I do believe I was one of your bright eyed, bushy tailed Boggies at the time.")
Apologies for the thread drift, but I find myself waiting with some anticipation for the first pictures of both ships to be made public - and to give the thread (an admittedly tenuous) aviation spin, if any FO thinks he's hard done by with some crusty captain he has to endure for two, or maybe eight hours in an airliner, I urge him to get his hands on David Salter's book (mentioned above) about the life that he endured for months as XO on the Voyager.
Last edited by Wiley; 30th Mar 2008 at 09:37.