Search found 7779 matches

by RF
Mon Oct 09, 2006 8:32 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Graf Zeppelin vs HMS Ark Royal and Victorious
Replies: 122
Views: 37243

Graf Zeppelin vs Ark Royal alone is a losing proposition for the Germans. Of course! The Germans are such incompetent fellows and lousy sailors. In every scenario potrayed here, in your opinion, there is a nil chance for the Germans to accomplish more than to be easily defeated. Being that the case...
by RF
Mon Oct 09, 2006 8:19 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Graf Zeppelin vs HMS Ark Royal and Victorious
Replies: 122
Views: 37243

yes, but i was focusing on the air superiority of the Bf vs. the Swordfish... wouldn't the combination of Bf, Ju be a better attack force, than just Swordfishes on the British carriers... I felt that two on one complicates matters, the GZ has two separate targets to contend with. Swordfishes are ce...
by RF
Mon Oct 09, 2006 7:59 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Reverse into Bay of Biscay?
Replies: 70
Views: 29846

Re: Going Backwards or giving up?

The Prime Directive of Nazi Germany was Invade, Defeat, Enslave and/or Kill/Exterminate. The Prime Directive of any military force is to hurt people and break things. Looking after your own military personnel is a secondary consideration. Military leaders have to expect casualties to achieve their ...
by RF
Mon Oct 09, 2006 7:43 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Reverse into Bay of Biscay?
Replies: 70
Views: 29846

Re: Going Backwards or giving up?

With a jammed rudder it would have virtually impossible to steer Bismarck except forwards with the weather on the bow pushing against it and balancing the tendency due to the rudder. This meant towards the British and Doom. RF and Co. have to accept that it is impossible, just as driving your car b...
by RF
Mon Oct 09, 2006 7:35 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Could Vichy have saved Bismarck?
Replies: 6
Views: 3746

Yes, you are right Wadinga. It was the capture of enigma rotors from German weather ships that enabled the actual decodes.
But as you say the experience from Operation Juno pointed the way.
by RF
Mon Oct 09, 2006 7:30 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Marschall instead of Lutjens
Replies: 179
Views: 40093

I incline to the view that Lutjens should have hung around Denmark Strait long enough to sink (or at least give a good pasting to) PRINCE OF WALES. He'd already sunk the HOOD, so he knew he had nothing more to worry about from her. Yes, I know those two CAs (SUFFOLK and NORFOLK) were in the area. O...
by RF
Mon Oct 09, 2006 7:26 am
Forum: Naval Technology
Topic: KGV Class Battleships
Replies: 99
Views: 57946

KGV Class Battleships

Given the problem with quadruple gun turrets on the KGV class battleships is there any reason for the arrangement of the A and B turrets, one four gun and one two gun, when alternatively they both could have been triple turrets?
The four gun and two gun arrangement seems odd.
by RF
Mon Oct 09, 2006 7:21 am
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: Francisco Solano Lopez
Replies: 5
Views: 2486

I've had a look. The first reference is quite comprehensive, thanks Marcelo.
by RF
Mon Oct 09, 2006 7:18 am
Forum: Naval History (1922-1945)
Topic: British Armed Merchant Cruiser tonnages
Replies: 4
Views: 1623

British Armed Merchant Cruiser tonnages

Technically speaking, are AMCs classed as merchant ships or as real warships?

Regarding U-boat and surface raider tonnages sunk, do AMCs sunk count as merchant ship sinkings?

It appears that U-boats include AMCs in tonnage sunk but not surface raiders - is there any rule on this?
by RF
Mon Oct 09, 2006 7:14 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Ajax vs. Leipzig
Replies: 12
Views: 3586

Ajax vs. Leipzig

Would the triple turrets of Leipzig prove superior to Ajax?
by RF
Mon Oct 09, 2006 7:13 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: WW1 Invincible/ Inflexible vs. WW2 Scharnhorst/Gneisenau
Replies: 43
Views: 15681

mike1880 wrote:
But the German ships would still have to come within range of the 12 inch to engage?
Why?
I am not an expert in WW1 naval gunnery so not fully aware of the shooting reach of Invincible/Inflexible so I infer from your query that Scharnhorst/Gneisenau would substantially outrange them. Yes?
by RF
Mon Oct 09, 2006 7:08 am
Forum: Books and Reference
Topic: Gunther Lutjens: a biography?
Replies: 13
Views: 6059

Gunther Lutjens: a biography?

Has anyone attempted a biography of Gunther Lutjens - I don't specifically mean a potted history of Rheinubung or Operation Berlin, but focussing on his earlier life, his WW1 experiences and the inter-war period?

Such a biography would I think be useful in reducing the enigma of Lutjens as a person.
by RF
Fri Oct 06, 2006 1:44 pm
Forum: Movies, Films, Documentaries and Games
Topic: BISMARCK news reels
Replies: 9
Views: 5151

Re: Good material

By the way did everybody realize that the last link on Ulrich post is about Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Adm Hipper operation Juno. They show June 1940 action against the HMS Glorious, Acasta and Ardent. You can clearly see Scharnhorst and Gneisenau guns in action and the smoke on the horizon of the ...
by RF
Fri Oct 06, 2006 1:36 pm
Forum: Movies, Films, Documentaries and Games
Topic: A new "Sink the Bismarck!" movie?
Replies: 115
Views: 89213

I think a docu-drama would be far better than a Hollywood movie - and cut out the showbiz names. It would be best possibly to focus on the German side, say on Mullenheim-Rechberg, on a style of format similar to ''Das Boot'' but it would require a good film director to pull it off. The difficult bit...
by RF
Fri Oct 06, 2006 1:27 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Hood vs. Prinz Eugen
Replies: 6
Views: 2065

Hood vs. Prinz Eugen

In another thread Karl has proposed Hood facing Bismarck in a straight one to one, with full broadsides from the off. Lets turn the coin - Hood and Prinz Eugen say at DS conditions. This initially sounds as one sided as Karls' proposition but PE did land two shells on Hood, one killing 200 sailors. ...