Search found 1223 matches

by paul.mercer
Tue Mar 12, 2024 9:09 am
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: The USA Presidential election 2024
Replies: 9
Views: 347

Re: The USA Presidential election 2024

Here in the UK we are looking at a General Election sometime this year with the main contest being between two dysfunctional parties as usual, with all the other smaller parties being also-rans. What many people in the UK do not understand is how on earth a great country like the USA cannot find two...
by paul.mercer
Tue Mar 12, 2024 8:52 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: New Book: A Most Gallant Fight
Replies: 4
Views: 1306

Re: New Book: A Most Gallant Fight

Hi Mike,
I looked up the book on Amazon and it looks fascinating, the only problem is that it seems to be available mainly on Kindle ( which I don't have) and the paperback edition is priced in dollars.
Is it available in the UK as a paperback and priced in Sterling?
by paul.mercer
Fri Feb 23, 2024 9:26 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: closing up bismarck during daylight action
Replies: 10
Views: 2498

Re: closing up bismarck during daylight action

This is a little off topic, but presumably when being closed up for action all the watertight doors would be shut and most of the ship sealed off, so if Bismarck was scuttled surely at the end of the battle, surely this would make it even more difficult to sink her. I'm presuming that the watertight...
by paul.mercer
Mon Jan 15, 2024 10:36 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Redesigning Bismarck
Replies: 45
Views: 31345

Re: Redesigning Bismarck

Hi All, It often forgotten that ships operate at the boundary layer of two fluids, one vastly less dense than the other. However air can move at far higher velocities and thus exert considerable effect on the course of a ship through wind resistance (windage). The larger the hull and superstructure...
by paul.mercer
Mon Jan 01, 2024 10:44 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Best Holiday Wishes to All
Replies: 3
Views: 14739

Re: Best Holiday Wishes to All

Wishing you all a very happy and prosperous New Year
Paul
by paul.mercer
Wed Dec 06, 2023 10:12 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: How might China attack Taiwan
Replies: 3
Views: 7479

Re: How might China attack Taiwan

Gentlemen,
I think It also depends how far the USA would go to protect Taiwan and whether they would be prepared to start a war with China over it.
by paul.mercer
Wed Oct 11, 2023 9:22 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: How close was the final battle?
Replies: 256
Views: 2215078

Re: How close was the final battle?

Hello Mr. TTTT, German survivors accounts are reported by both Brennecke (who summarized several survivors accounts) and Baron von Müllenheim-Rechberg (G.O. and survivor himself). They both say that it was Rodney that hit Bismarck fore turrets. While Baron reports one generically decisive hit on Bi...
by paul.mercer
Mon Oct 09, 2023 9:28 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: How close was the final battle?
Replies: 256
Views: 2215078

Re: How close was the final battle?

Gentlemen, A lot has been written and discussed about Bismarck's final battle, but one thing does puzzle me a bit, Rodney's shooting has been criticized on occasions, but if the conditions at the time were very bad and she did not have a full complement of her regular crew then surely opening fire a...
by paul.mercer
Tue Sep 26, 2023 11:09 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: How close was the final battle?
Replies: 256
Views: 2215078

Re: How close was the final battle?

Hi Mustang, I don’t think that anyone would want to ban you from the Forum, most Forums have some ‘controversial’ subjects which are often quite useful in awakening interest, particularly when it has occasionally been a bit ‘dormant’ for a while, (one went to 151 posts on this Forum a while ago). I ...
by paul.mercer
Sat Aug 26, 2023 9:27 am
Forum: Naval History (1922-1945)
Topic: the sinking of the Musashi
Replies: 1
Views: 3438

the sinking of the Musashi

Gentlemen. re the sinking of the Musashi, I read somewhere that while he sister ship Yamato has been discovered blown apart into two bits, the Musashi was completely destroyed (even more than Hood) because all four of her magazines exploded at once - would that be possible as it would have taken one...
by paul.mercer
Sat Aug 26, 2023 9:17 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Bismarck and European battleships vs.US battleships - hull shape and seakeeping qualities.
Replies: 32
Views: 58799

Re: Bismarck and European battleships vs.US battleships - hull shape and seakeeping qualities.

Gentlemen,
Out of interest, I've often wondered if the long slender bows on the Iowa's would have been very vulnerable in fight either from shells or bombs?
by paul.mercer
Sat Aug 05, 2023 11:17 am
Forum: The Age of Sail (1571-1860)
Topic: Tacking & Wearing
Replies: 14
Views: 20648

Re: Tacking & Wearing

Hi Byron,
Most interesting, I suppose how quickly it can be done depends entirely on the training of the crew and the competency of the officers, presumably in the days of sail the RN were some of the best!
With regard to the word 'Spanker', is that what is often referred to as the 'Mizzen'?
by paul.mercer
Mon Jul 24, 2023 9:40 am
Forum: The Dreadnought Era (1906-1921)
Topic: The surrender of the High Seas Fleet remembered
Replies: 16
Views: 26333

Re: The surrender of the High Seas Fleet remembered

Interestingly, I watched the program again, and when it came to what to do with the German ships it actually said that both France and Italy wanted a quarter share, but the US did not want the UK to have any at all because they were capable of building enough new ships to enable them to have an Atla...
by paul.mercer
Sun Jul 23, 2023 8:58 am
Forum: Naval History (1922-1945)
Topic: Strangest ship misidentification
Replies: 19
Views: 13263

Re: Strangest ship misidentification

Gentlemen, don't forget HMS Sheffield attacked by Swordfish aircraft miss identifying her for Bismarck!
by paul.mercer
Sat Jul 22, 2023 9:43 am
Forum: The Dreadnought Era (1906-1921)
Topic: The surrender of the High Seas Fleet remembered
Replies: 16
Views: 26333

Re: The surrender of the High Seas Fleet remembered

Gentlemen, Just watched a documentary on the scuttling of the German fleet at Scapa Flow, it stated that that after WW1 the US, France Italy and of course the UK all wanted a share of the ships particularly the British who actually wanted the lot! As it happened the agreement was for the ships to be...