ORIGINAL: Buck Beach
I think I understand, but want to clarify (I am tweaking as we go along), change the WV and the Maryland to match the upgrade schedule of the Colorado and set the full upgrade (boogie) to in April/May 1943. Is that it?
Not .. exactly. They all started out different, and the first and second cuts at CO and MD did slightly different and staggered updates. But around 11/42 or so, they were sufficiently similar that they could run through a set of ‘Class’ updates. MD got her twin 5”/38s in ’45 after she got whacked and had to do yard time. This was also planned for CO, but she didn’t get whacked, so no opportunity came up. Nevertheless, it was scheduled, so …
WV is a bit problematic. She didn’t get the initial blister mod, and still had her 3”/50s instead of 1.1” quads. If she wasn’t whacked at PH, it was very likely she would get the blister mod (I believe mandatory) the AA mods and perhaps (very perhaps) the main cage replaced by the tower. I doubt the replacement, because of the readiness requirement, which could be accommodated by the blister mod, but not by topsides restructuring. But given MDs issues with aft directors, it might have been seen as desirable – still thinking on that one.
So from 2/43 on, we have Class upgrades. But on about 3/43, there is a “conversion” option available, that takes forever, but results in a full boogie rebuild. You can stick with the “upgrade” path and get some pretty nice BBs at the end of it. Or, you can yank 1, 2, or 3 of your best oldies, and keep them out of combat for months and months, and get some prettier, and somewhat better, BBs in 1944.
Think this reflects the thinking of the Board and portrays the options just a skoosh better than trying for historical perfection across the years.
Think I had best send you a class file with all background thoughts - it pertains to all the Big Five (Tennessees and Colorados), King Board, BuShips update docs, etc..
Looks something like this.
