Search found 276 matches

by Francis Marliere
Tue Sep 13, 2022 12:02 pm
Forum: Military Conflicts Today
Topic: China and the Biden Administration
Replies: 31
Views: 6201

Re: China and the Biden Administration

Great posts, thanks.
by Francis Marliere
Wed Mar 23, 2022 9:53 am
Forum: Naval Technology
Topic: I need help determining where a WWII Naval Carrier's Damage would appear
Replies: 5
Views: 1469

Re: I need help determining where a WWII Naval Carrier's Damage would appear

The flight deck or the hangar full of fuelled and armed aircraft is a very vulnerable spot.
by Francis Marliere
Wed May 05, 2021 7:47 am
Forum: Naval History in General
Topic: the main armament of the General Belgrano
Replies: 29
Views: 6757

Re: the main armament of the General Belgrano

BobDonnald wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 10:08 pm Is the main armament of the Belgrano in 1982 not the surface to surface version of the French Exocet? Seems a gunship that distance from the landing sites is a minimal threat. However it is a war zone.
No, the cruiser did not have Exocets. However, her two escorting destroyers had 4 MM38 each.
by Francis Marliere
Wed Feb 03, 2021 4:37 pm
Forum: Naval History in General
Topic: the main armament of the General Belgrano
Replies: 29
Views: 6757

Re: the main armament of the General Belgrano

Yes please, post it. Thanks.
by Francis Marliere
Wed Feb 03, 2021 9:28 am
Forum: Naval History in General
Topic: the main armament of the General Belgrano
Replies: 29
Views: 6757

Re: the main armament of the General Belgrano

Gents, IMHO, Task Group 79.3 had absolutely no chance against HMS Conqueror. The two destroyers, Hipolito Bouchard and Piedrabuena were ex-US Allen M. Sumner FRAM II class DD.They had, as far as I know, a SQS-4 bow sonar, two triple torpedo tubes with Mk 44 torpedoes, and 2 Hedgehog ASW mortars. The...
by Francis Marliere
Mon Dec 21, 2020 8:57 am
Forum: Naval History Post-1945
Topic: USN carrier export
Replies: 2
Views: 3617

Re: USN carrier export

Marcello,

French and Spanish navies did use former Independence class CVL after WWII :
- USS Belleau Wood became Bois Belleau in French service (1953-1960)
- USS Langley became La Fayette in French service (1951-1963)
- USS Cabot became Dédalo in Sanish Navy (1967-1989)
by Francis Marliere
Fri Oct 02, 2020 8:59 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: A slower but fully capable Bismarck in the final battle
Replies: 8
Views: 2568

Re: A slower but fully capable Bismarck in the final battle

If Bismarck is still able to steer, I guess that she would run away, and proceed at best speed toward a French port. Rodney would probably be incapable to catch her. The German have nothing to gain in a confrontation with a superior enemy force. Strictly my opinion, of course.

Francis
by Francis Marliere
Wed Jun 24, 2020 9:04 am
Forum: Naval Weapons
Topic: Ships blowing up when the rolled over
Replies: 6
Views: 2866

Re: Ships blowing up when the rolled over

As far as I understand things, it is not the shells that explode in a magazine explosion, but powder bags. A ship that capsizes has taken heavy damage and may have some fires aboard. These fires as well as red hot fragment can ignite these powder bags.
by Francis Marliere
Tue Jun 23, 2020 9:24 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: French navy taken over by the kreigsmarine
Replies: 17
Views: 4295

Re: French navy taken over by the kreigsmarine

Paul, there is no easy answer. First, seizing the French ships can mean several different things. What is the repartition of ships betweeen Germany and Italy ? Are the ships modernized and how ? Second, the 'existing Mediterranean Fleet' is not crystal clear. the composition of the mediterranean Fle...
by Francis Marliere
Thu Jun 18, 2020 1:17 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: French navy taken over by the kreigsmarine
Replies: 17
Views: 4295

Re: French navy taken over by the kreigsmarine

Whichever combatant got their hands on the French ships, they would have been upgraded rapidly. Enhanced AA and AS capabilities are easy. I think Francis dismisses the value of these ships too easily. Sean, thanks for your interesting post. We do not agree on some points but it's normal. It's very ...
by Francis Marliere
Tue Jun 09, 2020 10:19 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: US fleet sail before attack on Pearl harbour.
Replies: 20
Views: 4271

Re: US fleet sail before attack on Pearl harbour.

Zimm's book is -still IMHO - a mix of excelent and discutable things. Zimm thinks that the air defense of the Pacific Fleet is trong enough to repell a Japanese air atatck and shoot down lots of planes. For the reasons you know, I don't agree with him. You're right that it's easier to hit a stationa...
by Francis Marliere
Tue Jun 09, 2020 8:30 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: US fleet sail before attack on Pearl harbour.
Replies: 20
Views: 4271

Re: US fleet sail before attack on Pearl harbour.

Steeve, the conditions are IMHO very different. In PH the antiaircraft fire was dense because the ships were anchored in a harbor. The distance between ships was small and a plane attacking a ship could be engaged by almost every ship in the harbor. That's the reason why so many Japanese planes were...
by Francis Marliere
Tue Jun 09, 2020 9:00 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: US fleet sail before attack on Pearl harbour.
Replies: 20
Views: 4271

Re: US fleet sail before attack on Pearl harbour.

My guess is that they would not use the modified torpedoes but the standard ones.
by Francis Marliere
Tue Jun 09, 2020 8:21 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: US fleet sail before attack on Pearl harbour.
Replies: 20
Views: 4271

Re: US fleet sail before attack on Pearl harbour.

To Francis: What makes you think Japanese AA was better than that of the US on Dec 7, 1941? I know the Japanese were pretty impressed when their second wave ran into significantly more flak than the first wave, and the ships in the harbor weren't fully manned even then. Japanese AA has never looked...
by Francis Marliere
Mon Jun 08, 2020 9:54 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: US fleet sail before attack on Pearl harbour.
Replies: 20
Views: 4271

Re: US fleet sail before attack on Pearl harbour.

One can never know what would happen, but all the elements of a first class disasters would be present. The USN carriers were not battle ready at the time, as the 'early raids' have shown. They had too few fighters, and their fighter direction was not up to the task. The planes lacked self-sealing t...