USS Arizona question

When you look at pictures of the Arizona (and those of her class) you see the two tripod masts, on top of each is a large three-story structure. I know they're called "fighting tops" but I've never read exactly what went on up there. These are large structures, much larger than was needed for look outs or even observing shell splashes. They couldn't have been well armored since the weight would have made the ship exceedingly top heavy. So, what functions were performed up there and how many men manned these things?

 

Harolds, I ,too, have long wondered why they were so big given their job. We laugh about computers providing too much information some of the time, it seems that many spotters could do the same

On a similar note, speaking of spotting shot, did all navies add dyers to their shells to aid it observing. I only recall seeing colored splashes from the Japanese and was it effective ? It would seem so if several ships were firing but rarely see it mentioned.

Gaines

 

The US did also, not sure if all navies did, but would assume so.

 

Opana,

The range finders were on the bridge, on the gun directors and on the turrets. I don't think they were in the fighting tops. While I agree that the elevation got them out of the smoke and gave them the ability to see far, I don't see why they needed two three storied structures just for observation.

Yes, Slipdigit, there were four 50 cals. on top of the rear structure (main mast).

 

Do you know how the water was colored? That must have been kind of tricky. Seems it would take a large amount of dye to produce noticeable color in huge water columns. Different ships on the same side would also have to use different colors from one another in order to spot their own shots, right?

 

The US, British, French, and Japanese all did. Not sure about other navies.

 

Here is what I found when researching for several books I have yet to write.

This is for when the USA modernized their BBs in the 1930s.

The crows nest had a three level structure.

The circular level at the top held the main battery director.

The next level down had the spotting positions for the main battery

The third level down was sided, and contained the controls (directors) for the secondary (anti-DD) battery

If I could figure out how to post pics, I would do so

 

1 Mark 20 Main Battery gun director was located in the top level of each tripod mast, this was the standard gun director of the time.

 

Ok, Takao, but what were the directors for just aft of the forward superstructure and on the sides? The illustrated drawing I referenced labeled these as the main battery directors. They seem to be somewhat armored. Was this a redundancy thing?

 

Those were the high-angle anti-aircraft gun directors. I think they were able to substitute as main battery directors in emergencies, but am not certain.

The best illustrated drawings of the Arizona is her "Booklet of General Plans" found here:
http://www.researcheratlarge.com/Ships/BB39/BOGP/

 

If I read those plans correctly, the directors just aft of the bridge were indeed the 5" AA directors. I hope the men who manned those fighting tops weren't prone to sea sickness!

 

There was a PBS program on the Arizona last week that featured one of the remaining Arizona survivors. He was in one of the 5" directors during the attack.
http://www.pbs.org/program/pearl-harbor-into-the-arizona/

 

Keep in mind that there were TWO sets of 5" guns. The lower level casemate guns on the forecastle deck (most refer to it as the main deck since it's larger than the aft deck, but truthfully the aft deck was the main deck) were 5"/51 mounts originally designed as anti-torpedo boat weapons. They were cumbersome and could not elevate worth anything to take on aerial attackers. The 5"/25s on the deck above (technically superstructure deck but colloquially the 'boat deck') had shorter barrels so they could be moved quicker and a different mount so they could be elevated. Don Stratton was in the Mk19 Director, which was different than the directors in the fighting tops for the 5"/51 guns.