Naval History Forums

Thanks (as always) Wadinga and Bill for your replies. Looking at it from the points that you both have made it would seem that Mr Mearns theories are at best incorrect or perhaps out-rightly misleading. However it is interesting to see how some ships exploded as they rolled over while others did no...

Cordite appears to have possessed some peculiar characteristics. Once ignited, it would continue to combust even underwater in the complete absence of air. That combustion would in turn produce an array of volatile unstable gases which, if confined, would spontaneously deflagrate when a certain pre...

Hi HMSVF, Welcome back, Re the Barham, do you know if anyone has found the wreck? I did a search a few months back and a oceanographic survey site were saying that they had found the wreck... https://www.merlinburrows.com/found-hms-barham-1941/ No pictures or scans though. Whether they have them an...

Hello all,long time! I saw the documentary and was flabbergasted that the second explosion theory was still being pushed forward. I was shouting at the television "no,no,no"! Even a numpty like myself can see that a 600 ton conning tower isn't going to be launched in the manner described, ...

The gun started loaded and the loader had a round in his hands and another wedged between his knees

Firing half cocked?

Gentlemen, I'm sure we may ave discussed this before somewhere, but if the Bismarck had made it back to Brest and then came out with the twins it would have caused a mighty problem for the RN. But what about the logistics of keeping three large ships at sea, with very few 'friendly' ports to go to ...

Hello Bill and all, I'm sure I've seen a photo of a reversing US carrier, but as you point out it's an emergency conditions technique. Also we are talking about a four shaft installation and a fully operational rudder set fore and aft to increase "deadwood" , not to mention minimised wind...

Hello Wadinga, A-S-H says that Bismarck geometry (ship dimensions, propellers distances and diverging shafts) was favourable to steering with engines in astern motion. Also the bow anchor drag is explicitly considered by this expert as sufficient to maintain a stable course 110° with wind and sea s...

Often times, I hear people (Probably fans of the ship) praise it so much for its reputation of sinking the Hood and taking a lot of punishment during its final battle. Some people even go as far as to say it was *the* best battleship of its time. But is the Bismarck really that good? Was it deservi...

No 'blowing out of the water' required, or appropriate. Certainly the precise location of a particular shell hit, except in very unusual circumstances is largely a random process, which one might well characterize as being represented by 'luck'. What is little appreciated is the inherent variabilit...

During Bismarcks testing in the Baltics with rudders locked at zero it was not possible to steer with engines. So they new it was an impossible task This is what I said earlier. The crew would have known there ship inside/out. If it could be done they would have done it. It wasn't for a lack of bra...

Thanks everybody!

Shells and armour plate please! I read a lot online in regards to shell performance and the quality of armoured plate and see a lot of very complicated mathematics! Now Ill be honest I feel like a limbo dancer sometimes when I read posts about this subject because everything goes over my head! I hav...

Serigo wrote: "About Bismarck steering problems, It’s obvious that at least one of the rudder was still operational, mean attach to the pope, otherwise the ship wouldn’t have steering problems. So blow it up. Could you please clearify if that’s true because otherwise I don’t know what was the ...

Hi RF, That's a very good point although it would seem that after the torpedo hit and Lutyens statement to the crew that moral was not very good and according the the 'Baron' in his book moral was not very good on the bridge either. Re leaving Rodney behind and KGV taking Bismarck on by herself, I ...