laststandonzombieisland

Teddy Roosevelt, considered by many to be the father of the huge US fleets of the 20th century, once said, ‘Speak softly, but carry a big stick’. Well, the 16-inch/50 caliber Mark 7 cannons of the US Navy’s Iowa class battleships were the biggest stick the country had for over 50 years.

In 1938, the world was steaming out of control towards war. Nazi Germany was building a class of huge battleships that carried 15-inch guns. Britain, France, and Italy were responding with huge new warships of their own with similar guns. Imperial Japan, not to be outdone by any navy, was building battleships with 18-inch guns. The US Navy had a few classes of warships that had 16-inch/45 caliber guns, which were no nerf pistols by any means, but with the naval arms race and the war drums beating, they wanted something bigger and better. This led to the 16-inch/50 caliber Mark 7.

And the navy is about to send a bunch of them to the scrapyard….unless  you want one..

Read the rest in my column at Guns.com

USS IOWA firing broadside of 16 inchers note the pressure wave from the muzzle blast