The 16-inch Naval Gunfire Shells Used By the New Jersey
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The large caliber guns were designed to fire two different 16-inch shells: an armor piercing round for anti-ship and anti-structure work and a high explosive round designed for use against unarmored targets and shore bombardment. A third type of ammunition for delivering tactical nuclear warheads was developed subsequently.
The Armor-Piercing shell weighed 2,700 lb and was designed to penetrate the hardened steel armor carried by foreign battleships.
For unarmored targets and shore bombardment, the 1,900 lbs. These shells would create a crater 50 feet wide and 20 feet deep upon impact and detonation, and could defoliate trees 400 yards from the point of impact.
Later the US Navy began a top-secret program to develop nuclear naval shells with an estimated yield of 15 to 20 kilotons. These shells were designed to be launched from the best seaborne artillery platform available, which at the time were the four ships of the Iowa class.
Original file name 3731215415_c657998d87_o.jpeg
Original file name 3731215415_c657998d87_o.jpeg
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The 16inch Naval Gunfire Shells, USS New Jersey, Battleship New Jersey, BB62, Iowa Class battleship, The Black Dragon, The Big J, United States Navy, US Navy, American Battleship. National Register of Historic Places, New Jersey Register of Historic Places, World War II on the National Register of Historic Places, Battleship Museums in the United States, Delaware River, Camden, Wiggins Park, Camden County, The Delaware River Region, New Jersey, NJ, Jersey, The Garden State
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