Description
1941 U.S. Navy Mark IV 16-Inch Propellant Tank from USS New Jersey BB-62
Item Overview
This original U.S. Navy Mark IV propellant tank was manufactured in 1941 for the 16-inch naval-gun ammunition system. It later served aboard USS New Jersey (BB-62), as confirmed by its shipboard stencil. The tank remains unrestored with its original olive-drab paint, identification marks, handling hardware, and service wear. It is empty and bears a “CERTIFIED EMPTY” marking. The tank shown in the product photographs is the exact item the customer will receive.
Item Description and Markings
The tank carries embossed manufacturing information, Navy explosive-storage markings, USS New Jersey identification, inventory numbers, and inspection or certification stencils. Worn or incomplete characters are identified as partially illegible rather than guessed.
- Embossed on the removable cover: “16" TANK MK. IV”
- Embossed manufacturer marking: “T.A.C.U. CO.”
- Embossed manufacturing year: “1941”
- White body stencil: “PROPELLANT EXPLOSIVES SOLID”
- White body stencil: “CLASS B”
- White body stencil: “CG 11-A”
- White body stencil: “WT 115 LBS”
- White body stencil: “CU FT 10.306”
- Black shipboard stencil: “U.S.S. NEW JERSEY BB62”
- Black certification stencil: “CERTIFIED EMPTY”
- Black certification line: “BY LT. KOL JESKY”
- White inventory or inspection code: “ALN CH83D001.003A”
- Stamped metal number: “223619-1”
Identification and Features
This is a reusable metal powder tank made for the separately loaded propellant charges of a U.S. Navy 16-inch gun. Its features include a cylindrical body, heavy removable cover, rotating locking lugs, integral handles, and fittings for shipboard handling. The original finish and markings have not been repainted or restored.
- U.S. Navy 16-inch Tank Mark IV
- Original 1941 manufacture
- Documented USS New Jersey BB-62 association
- Original olive-drab paint and stenciling
- Removable locking cover and handling hardware
- Empty military-surplus display item
- Exact photographed item supplied
Function
The Mark IV tank protected bagged propellant from moisture, damage, contamination, and rough handling while it was stored or moved aboard ship. One tank held three propellant bags for a 16-inch/50-caliber gun. A complete full-service charge used six bags, so two tanks supplied the propellant for one full-charge firing. The bags were removed in the gun’s powder-handling area and sent through protected hoists to the turret.
Documented End-Item Application
Mark IV tanks supported the 16-inch/50-caliber Mark 7 guns carried by the Iowa-class battleships USS Iowa, USS New Jersey, USS Missouri, and USS Wisconsin. USS New Jersey mounted nine Mark 7 guns in three triple turrets. The ship’s name and hull number stenciled on this tank document its association with BB-62, although the surviving markings do not state when it was first placed aboard.
History of the Mark IV Propellant Tank
This tank was made in 1941 during the rapid expansion of the U.S. Navy before America entered World War II. Mark IV tanks were intended for full-service 16-inch propellant charges and became part of the ammunition supply system used by the Iowa-class battleships. Their strong, reusable construction allowed serviceable tanks to remain in Navy inventories through later ship reactivations, ammunition transfers, training, and storage programs.
History of USS New Jersey BB-62
USS New Jersey was launched at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on December 7, 1942, and commissioned on May 23, 1943. She served during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and Cold War operations after her 1982 recommissioning. Her career included carrier escort, coastal bombardment, fleet command duties, and naval gunfire support. She was decommissioned for the final time in 1991 and is now preserved as a museum ship in Camden, New Jersey.
16-Inch Mark 7 Weapon-System Background
The 16-inch/50-caliber Mark 7 was the main gun of the Iowa-class battleships. Each ship carried three turrets with three guns per turret. The system used separately loaded projectiles and cloth propellant bags. Common ammunition included a 2,700-pound armor-piercing projectile and a 1,900-pound high-capacity projectile. Powder tanks were a vital part of the system because they protected the propellant until it was moved from the ship’s magazines to the guns.
History of Use
Powder tanks traveled with the ship’s ammunition supply and were stowed in protected magazine spaces. Official Navy photographs show 16-inch powder charges being taken aboard USS New Jersey in 1968. During her September 1968 to April 1969 Vietnam deployment, the battleship fired 5,688 rounds of 16-inch ammunition against targets in North and South Vietnam. Tanks of this type supported the demanding storage and handling work behind those firing missions.
Condition
This tank is offered in unrestored military-surplus condition. It retains original paint, embossed information, shipboard stencils, inventory marks, and empty certification. The exterior has scratches, paint loss, rubbed areas, stains, and other honest handling wear from service and storage. Several markings are faded or incomplete. No propellant or explosive material is present. The exact tank shown in the product photographs is the tank the customer will receive.
Ideal For
This original USS New Jersey artifact offers strong display value, documented ship association, and direct ties to the Iowa-class 16-inch gun system.
- U.S. Navy and battleship collections
- USS New Jersey displays
- Naval-artillery museums and exhibits
- World War II and Vietnam War collections
- Military-history research and preservation
- Large-scale ordnance and ammunition displays
Approx length 21", Approx width 21", Approx height 54", Approx weight 76lbs.
Pictures are stock images of our inventory. Unless otherwise noted, you will not be receiving the exact item shown in the pictures. The pictures are representative of the item’s general condition. The item you receive might be slightly better, or worse, condition than was shown in the pictures.
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