It seems to me that a discussion about the height of the splashes from German or British ships is irrelevant, really.
What is interesting is this:
Captain Leach. He, and no other, is a thorn in the side of those who believe that Denmarck Straits´ result was purely an "accident" or mere luck with the blowing of Hood and the nearly destruction of PoW. Leach, who was almost court martialed by the RN because of his conduct during this battle was spared and retained his command (only to die seven months later at hands of the Japanese). If RN spared him from a court martial and let him at command of his capital ship MUST be, at least, because they found nothing bad with his behaivor which is the proof that PoW was in lethal danger at 6:05 am, May 24th, 1941 when he ordered the retreat from the battlefield and cover himself with a smokescreen.
Why did he do that?
Because PoW was in shape to pursue combat against Bismarck?
Because Hood´s blowing and PoW´s pounding was the product of luck?
Or because the German aiming was hammering his ship so bad that a couple of minutes more and he would be at the command of a wreck?
HE RETREATED. He didn´t continue the combat at DS: his ship was without a bridge because Bismarck blew it. He was hit many times from Bismarck and PE in less than 5 minutes.
As commander of his ship and responsible for his crew he knew that PoW was not enough not only to combat Bismarck but to merely sustain combat damage. That´s why he retreated.
And this proves two things:
1. That the result of DS was not "mere luck", but proficient naval conduct from the Germans and that the British underestimated their enemy and overestimated their chances.
2. That PoW was in danger, greater than many admit because to do it was to negate the "common wisdom" of British tradition of victory and that Bismarck was something heavier than they want to grant.
Best regards.
Shell spread
- Karl Heidenreich
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- marcelo_malara
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This is apparently very unusual. A recent search indicated this is only known to have happened a couple of times. Unlike bombs, shells don't have a large explosive filler. Compare photos of shell splashes and bomb hits sometime. With a bomb hit there is often a large underwater disturbance some distance around, where with a shell hit there isn't.marcelo_malara wrote:Both. Ships are damaged by shells exploding nearby in the water.
- marcelo_malara
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Shell Splashes
All,
I've always considered that HE shells explode on impact with the water, making a big disturbance, whereas AP shells, if their delay fuses are activated at all, explode only at depth with their smaller charges, so the surface effect is only from kinetic energy.
Conceivably, PG firing HE might have caused bigger splashes than Bismarck. Any thoughts?
Since both German ships were zigzagging around dodging imaginary torpedoes and nearly colliding with each other, and Bismarck was shielding PoW from PG's fire at the end of the action, not all German naval conduct that day was that proficient.
I imagine nobody who has not been in a small enclosed space, when a 15" shell passes through with its shockwave, fills the air with shrieking shards of metal, smashes fellow crewmen into pulp and then splashes their blood and entrails all over the compartment, can fully understand all the factors in Leach's decision. PoW exchanged fire with Bismarck later the same day, on pretty even terms, so Leach's retreat was just a tactical withdrawal, German disorganisation failed to capitalise on it.
All the Best
wadinga
I've always considered that HE shells explode on impact with the water, making a big disturbance, whereas AP shells, if their delay fuses are activated at all, explode only at depth with their smaller charges, so the surface effect is only from kinetic energy.
Conceivably, PG firing HE might have caused bigger splashes than Bismarck. Any thoughts?
Schneider and his Gunnery dept were very proficient, but straddling is what you aim to achieve but only luck can give you hits, and a penetrating hit to Hood's magazine was very lucky.but proficient naval conduct from the Germans
Since both German ships were zigzagging around dodging imaginary torpedoes and nearly colliding with each other, and Bismarck was shielding PoW from PG's fire at the end of the action, not all German naval conduct that day was that proficient.
I imagine nobody who has not been in a small enclosed space, when a 15" shell passes through with its shockwave, fills the air with shrieking shards of metal, smashes fellow crewmen into pulp and then splashes their blood and entrails all over the compartment, can fully understand all the factors in Leach's decision. PoW exchanged fire with Bismarck later the same day, on pretty even terms, so Leach's retreat was just a tactical withdrawal, German disorganisation failed to capitalise on it.
All the Best
wadinga
"There seems to be something wrong with our bloody ships today!"
- marcelo_malara
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I think that the main splash comes just from the kinetic energy of the projectile hitting the water. Anyway, should it come from the explosive charge, the 15" APC have a 18.8 kg and the 8" HE 6.54 kg, so the splash would still be bigger.Conceivably, PG firing HE might have caused bigger splashes than Bismarck. Any thoughts?