Search found 3825 matches

by lwd
Wed Jul 11, 2007 1:46 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Yamato vs. Spruance´s Battleships
Replies: 93
Views: 33588

From "Iowa Class Battleships" by Malcomb Muir, discussing the attempt to sink the retreating Japanese destroyer Nowaki: "The New Jersey and Iowa opened fire at 35,000 yds. Both ships straddled the Nowaki on the first salvos, but the destroyer was disappearing in the sun glare, haze a...
by lwd
Wed Jul 11, 2007 1:43 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Yamato vs. Spruance´s Battleships
Replies: 93
Views: 33588

They may be useful at 40,000 yards but in a BB vs BB engagement optics aren't going to give you a good fire control solution beyond ~30,000 yards. It simply becomes too dificult to distinguish where the splashes are in relationship to the target......... That doesn't speak well of the quality or th...
by lwd
Tue Jul 10, 2007 7:51 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: WW2 German surface fleet vs. WW1 British surface fleet
Replies: 7
Views: 4379

I take it this is considering a non upgraded Grand Fleet. Given the German advantages in speed, fire control, range, and armament I'd see them winning in a series of engagmenets unless some of the British DDs were able to score with torpedos or they managed to lure the Germans into a close range due...
by lwd
Tue Jul 10, 2007 7:39 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Yamato vs. Spruance´s Battleships
Replies: 93
Views: 33588

I read somewhere that the USN was considering engageing Yamato with Lee's BBs. It might have been less expensive in lives than attacking with planes but it certainly would have put more at risk. Ny impression is that while officially the US may have considered the Yamato a 16" gun ship enough e...
by lwd
Tue Jul 10, 2007 6:05 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Yamato vs. Spruance´s Battleships
Replies: 93
Views: 33588

...It's not correct that optics were only usefull at less than 30k yards. Optics could be useful to 40k. They may be useful at 40,000 yards but in a BB vs BB engagement optics aren't going to give you a good fire control solution beyond ~30,000 yards. It simply becomes too dificult to distinguish w...
by lwd
Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:56 pm
Forum: Military History and Technology
Topic: World´s bloodiest battle ever?
Replies: 87
Views: 63548

You have to be very careful using numbers from the Roman historians. They continued some of the Greek traditions of exagerating the numbers particularly of their opponents. This might well depend on what you call a battle. For instance some of the actions invovling the Mongols were pretty bloody. If...
by lwd
Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:50 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: USS Arizona vs. Bizmark
Replies: 129
Views: 38526

From what I've read of the action I'm not at all convinced that Bismark could have destroyed PW before the latter got her guns back in action. If she fails to do so she could easily have become "decisivly engaged". The expected outcome of that would be both ships heavily damaged. POW has m...
by lwd
Mon Jul 09, 2007 7:49 pm
Forum: Books and Reference
Topic: Battle of Midway new book
Replies: 2
Views: 2685

I've read it. I consider it excelent. A strong emphasis on telling it from the Japanese side. First couple chapter delve into the politics, history, and doctrine of the Japanese navy. Most of what happens is described from the Japanese point of view. They've used Japanese sources a lot which few US ...
by lwd
Mon Jul 09, 2007 5:40 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Battle of The River Plate: Round 2
Replies: 34
Views: 14013

I thought Spee had taken enough damage that she wouldn't have made it home in any case. Somthing about the loss of her freshwater plant I think.

Given that she had disabled one ship but shot up 2/3rds of her ammo what are her chances of disablieng 2 additional cruisers before running out of ammo?
by lwd
Mon Jul 09, 2007 5:16 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: USS Arizona vs. Bizmark
Replies: 129
Views: 38526

From what I recall POW got much of her main armament back on line fairly quickly. Indeed she reengaged Bismark and I believe got at least one stradle. I'm less sure on this but I believe she was ordered to disengage by the Admiralty at that point. I believe in the end POW did more damage to Bismark ...
by lwd
Mon Jul 09, 2007 4:38 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Nelson, Rodney, King George V and Prince of Wales against...
Replies: 16
Views: 9145

A taskforce comprised of the Iowa's and thier escorts (say a dozen or two DDs and a few cruisers and a CVL for scouting and eliminating the Axis scout planes) could probably do it. The older US 16" gun BBs could probably do it as well but would have a harder time forcing the action.
by lwd
Mon Jul 09, 2007 4:24 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Yamato vs. Spruance´s Battleships
Replies: 93
Views: 33588

Resuretcting a fairly old thread but... My impression was that for fireing over 30,000 yards something other than ship based optical fire control was called for. I believe the prewar planning of the Japanese was to use arial observation at those ranges. Is this correct? In this scenario Yamato can't...
by lwd
Mon Jul 09, 2007 2:54 pm
Forum: Naval Technology
Topic: Real armour penetration
Replies: 15
Views: 9704

Did the 16" round that ended up in Jean Barts (fortunatly empty) secondary magazine go high order? Didn't at least one other round get into what would have been vital areas had she been at sea?
by lwd
Fri Jul 06, 2007 8:27 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Graf Spee vs. Cumberland
Replies: 19
Views: 8210

tactically I think GS probably has an edge but strategically she doesn't. Odds are she would have to use up a large portion of her 11" ammo on Cumberland and even so may not sink her without resorting to torpedos. In return there is a good chance that Spee will take enough damage that her chanc...
by lwd
Fri Jul 06, 2007 4:50 pm
Forum: Naval History (1922-1945)
Topic: Battleship Top Ten
Replies: 626
Views: 128755

Re: Dear RF,

... But if we discuss WWII's battleships only, then i ask myselfe how you can decide it? We have not so many battleship combats in this history. There is no combat between Iowa and Yamato :-) There is only Bismarck which sunks Hood and made 4 hits on PoW and recieved 3 hits by PoW. ... There are fe...