Battle Ship "New Jersey" BB-62
by Nicholas F. Starace II
SPEED: 33 KNOTS SHP: 212,000 DISPLACEMENT: 45,000 TONS LENGTH: 887’ BEAM: 108’ DRAFT: 35’ |
PERIOD: 1948 SCALE: 1/16" = 1’ MODEL COMPLETED - APRIL 1986 SCRATCHBUILT |
 The Real BB-62 Underway in 1944 |
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RADIO CONTROLLED OPERATING FEATURES 1. NO. 1 TURRET ROTATES 180 DEGRESS 2. NO. 2 TURRET FIRES THREE 16" GUNS 3. ROTATING RADAR ANTENNA 4. NO. 2 TURRET ROTATES 180 DEGREES 5. NO. 2 TURRET FIRES THREE 16" GUNS 6. FOG HORN 7. NO. 3 TURRET ROTATES 180 DEGREES 8. NO. 3 TURRET FIRES THREE 16" GUNS 9. TAPED MILITARY MUSIC 10. SIGNAL FLAG HOIST 11. SMOKE FROM FORWARD STAKE 12. SMOKE FROM AFT STACK |
13. ROTATING PORT CATAPULT 14. BLINKER LIGHTS 15. BATTLE SIREN 16. STEAM HORN 17. NAVIGATION LIGHTS 18. PORT MAIN PROPULSION MOTOR 19. STARBOARD MAIN PROPULSION MOTOR 20. DUAL RUDDER CONTROL 21. SUPERSTRUCTURE INTERIOR LIGHTS MANUAL OPERATING FUNCTIONS 1. ALL 5"- 38 TWIN CLOSED GUN MOUNTS ROTATE 2. 20MM OERLIKON GUNS ROTATE |
The USS New Jersey (BB-62) is one of four battleships of the 45,000 ton Iowa class. It is the latest, largest, fastest and most powerful the US Navy has ever had.
These ships are among the biggest battleships ever built. Apart from her imposing size and physical characteristics the “Big J” has an unmatched record of service to her country.
She has earned distinctions she shares with neither her sisters nor any other fighting vessel. She is the only battleship ever to have served in three wars. She is the most decorated warship in the annals of the US Navy.
Commissioned in 1943, this immense battlewagon took part in almost every campaign and island assault in the great US Pacific offensive of World War II. For much of the time she was Flagship of the aggressive Admiral William F. “Bull” Halsey as the fast carrier-battleship forces under his command ranged far and wide to strike the enemy. She was retired in 1948 only to be returned to combat in the Korean War. Her 16” guns hurled their 2,700 pound shells into enemy shore targets with devastating effect.
A decade later, “Big J” was again called from retirement to provide the same thunderous support at Vietnam. When she returned once again to inactive status in 1969, New Jersey had served in 26 major campaigns winning 16 battle stars and 13 ribbons, medals and citations. For 12 more years the great warship lay mothballed at a west coast anchorage. Few thought she would ever sail again, but in 1982 she was recommissioned to again protect the Nation’s security. She was modernized with missile armament and other changes that made her a more awesome weapon than ever before.
Decommissioned in 1991, this great lady was finally brought home to her “name” state in 1999 where she is enshrined as a museum; a memorial and tribute to those who have served in her in war and peace.