alecsandros wrote:hi Byron,Byron Angel wrote:..... When comparing the gunnery efficiency of PoW versus Bismarck at Denmark Strait, I think it is necessary to keep in mind that neither PoW nor her crew were properly worked up. That materially affected her shooting. PoW's FC radar immediately proved u/s and IIRC barely any optical range readings were taken.
B
according to Bismarck AVKS-700 testings, Bismarck's crew was also insufficiently prepared in the critical aspects of main battery fire and AA defense...
Alex,
Denmark Strait was fought on 24 May 1941.
Bismarck had been commissioned on 2 August 1940, so had at least nine months to work up before the battle.
PoW was commissioned on 19 Jan 1941, having been rushed to completion with various teething problem still unsolved, so had perhaps four months to work up. PoW had undertaken only a single main battery gunnery practice before Denmark Strait. Her FC team in the battle was so unpracticed that they failed to recognize and enter into their FC table the radar range data being fed into the FC station by mechanical counter. I don't think that Bismarck's shortcomings were quite that dramatic.
Interesting web reference, go here -
http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20iss ... 20Navy.pdf
- or search under "Stuart E Paddon HMS Prince of Wales".
B