The reason for battlecruisers

Warship design and construction, terminology, navigation, hydrodynamics, stability, armor schemes, damage control, etc.
paul.mercer
Senior Member
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Joined: Fri Mar 26, 2010 10:25 pm

The reason for battlecruisers

Post by paul.mercer »

Gentlemen,
Although never confirmed - for obvious reasons,but I have heard rumours that it was actually an 8" shell from PE that not only started the blaze on Hood but was the cause of her demise. If there is the remotest possibility of this being true then surely it means that the reasons for building battlecruisers to take on and chase away enemy cruisers was based on a false premise, because if Hood was vulnerable to 8" fire, then both Renown and Repulse would be the same. Admittedly it would take far fewer 15" to finish off a cruiser in a one to one scenario, but if taking on three or more
8" cruisers might well be different showering her with multiple hits - although I would still back the battlecruiser (I think!)
Your expert opinions please.
OpanaPointer
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Re: The reason for battlecruisers

Post by OpanaPointer »

The premise may be sound while the execution was faulty.
dunmunro
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Location: Langley BC Canada

Re: The reason for battlecruisers

Post by dunmunro »

paul.mercer wrote: Sat Feb 23, 2019 10:50 am Gentlemen,
Although never confirmed - for obvious reasons,but I have heard rumours that it was actually an 8" shell from PE that not only started the blaze on Hood but was the cause of her demise. If there is the remotest possibility of this being true then surely it means that the reasons for building battlecruisers to take on and chase away enemy cruisers was based on a false premise, because if Hood was vulnerable to 8" fire, then both Renown and Repulse would be the same. Admittedly it would take far fewer 15" to finish off a cruiser in a one to one scenario, but if taking on three or more
8" cruisers might well be different showering her with multiple hits - although I would still back the battlecruiser (I think!)
Your expert opinions please.

Hood was not vulnerable to 8in gun fire and the blaze on Hood did not cause her loss.
paul.mercer
Senior Member
Posts: 1223
Joined: Fri Mar 26, 2010 10:25 pm

Re: The reason for battlecruisers

Post by paul.mercer »

Thanks for your replies, out of interest, was ther not an occasion in the Mediterranean when one of the RN battlecruisers (I think it was Repulse) deliberately avoided action with some French Vichy cruisers which let to the Court martial of the Admiral in charge, although he said in mitigation that he had no orders to attack Vichy ships?
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