Question about RPC firing while turning the ship

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tommy303
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Re: Question about RPC firing while turning the ship

Post by tommy303 »

According to the Bureau of Ordnance, the 16-in 45 and 16-inch 50 triples had Remote Power Control as built, and older vessels received RPC (also known as Auto Control) during wartime refits or rebuilds. As a comparatively new technology, however, it might have taken some time for it to be made reliable and crews properly trained in its use; conversely, it might have been a case of officers not entirely trusting the new technologies.

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Re: Question about RPC firing while turning the ship

Post by dunmunro »

Both Washington's and Massachusetts' Nov 1942 Action Reports state that FTP control was used for the 16in turrets. Massachusetts' report actually complains that every effort should be made to to fit Automatic gun control ASAP, as 16in gun layers were unable to accurately follow their pointers for the entire hours long engagement.
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Re: Question about RPC firing while turning the ship

Post by tommy303 »

Thanks for that Duncan.

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Re: Question about RPC firing while turning the ship

Post by Thorsten Wahl »

The information on Washington and Massachusetts using FTP can also be found in "Operational history of US fast battleships"
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Re: Question about RPC firing while turning the ship

Post by alecsandros »

Thorsten Wahl wrote:The information on Washington and Massachusetts using FTP can also be found in "Operational history of US fast battleships"
How does this compare to Friedman's details about RPC mounting starting with 1940 on all US fast battleships ?
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Re: Question about RPC firing while turning the ship

Post by Dave Saxton »

I ran across an old article (70's) by Freidman were he states that the new firecontrol systems on cruisers and the fast battleships had "severe teething problems" all the way into 1945. He notes that Willis Lee and other sent memos into BuOrd complaining about poor shooting accuracy. I'll see if I can locate the article this weekend and learn the details better.
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Re: Question about RPC firing while turning the ship

Post by alecsandros »

Ah, ok Dave.

As an addition, I'm pretty sure Iowa and New Jersey were using full RPC during the action off Truk (chasing of Nowaki and sinking of Katori).

Details of the RPC installed on USS Wisconsin, as of Jan 1944, available here:

http://www.eugeneleeslover.com/VIDEOS/U ... _tour.html
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Re: Question about RPC firing while turning the ship

Post by Thorsten Wahl »

Dave Saxton wrote:I ran across an old article (70's) by Freidman were he states that the new firecontrol systems on cruisers and the fast battleships had "severe teething problems" all the way into 1945. He notes that Willis Lee and other sent memos into BuOrd complaining about poor shooting accuracy. I'll see if I can locate the article this weekend and learn the details better.
The reactivation report of New jersey during the 80 state that they had feedbackproblems (same as at commissioning) with their guns as they show oszillations when RPC was on.
(Bismarck had the same problem according AVKS report)
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