Search found 23 matches

by WestPhilly
Wed Jul 25, 2012 2:48 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Best U.S. cruisers at the river Platte
Replies: 110
Views: 24489

Re: Best U.S. cruisers at the river Platte

The slower Graf Spee could not have controlled the range. If Spee had concentrated on, presumably, the heavy cruiser, the two Brooklyns would have closed on Spee to unleash an avalanche of 6" shells. The four 6" secondary mounts on Spee would have been no deterrent against the Brooklyns, t...
by WestPhilly
Sun Mar 06, 2011 3:34 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Bismarck v Warspite
Replies: 20
Views: 8775

Re: Bismarck v Warspite

Tiornu wrote:Understatement! Especially for the forward barbettes.
The forward barbettes were less well protected than the after barbettes? Or do you mean the forward part of the barbette, as opposed to the sides?
by WestPhilly
Fri Jan 14, 2011 5:23 pm
Forum: Naval History (1922-1945)
Topic: Battleship Vittorio Veneto
Replies: 100
Views: 29753

Re: Battleship Vittorio Veneto

If only I understood all this. Is it fair to say that V. V. was roughly equivalent to its European contemporaries, at least in terms of a traditional gunnery engagement?
by WestPhilly
Tue Jan 04, 2011 1:02 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: French Battleships
Replies: 14
Views: 10015

Re: French Battleships

The Dunkerque was at least as well protected (and Strasbourg still better) against 11-inch shellfire as the German twins were against French 13-inch shellfire. The same is almost certainly true of Richelieu as compared to other contemporary European Battleships.
by WestPhilly
Sun Nov 21, 2010 5:09 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: KGv class with different guns
Replies: 145
Views: 19049

Re: KGv class with different guns

On page 4, RF said: But a POW with 8 x 15 inch at DS - the same armament effectively as Hood - might have been interesting....[/quote] The problem POW had at DS wasn't a lack of 15-inch armament, it was the newness of the ship itself and an inexperienced crew. It was also having Hood as a consort. R...
by WestPhilly
Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:31 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Ersatz Yorck vs Hood
Replies: 9
Views: 3357

Re: Ersatz Yorck vs Hood

tommy303,

It wasn't the poor quality of British armor piercing shells that blew up four of their battlecruisers in 25 years - 3 in one day! - it was their inability to stand up to German armor piercing shells. The Brtish battlecruisers could hit, they just couldn't be hit.
by WestPhilly
Tue Apr 27, 2010 4:19 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Ersatz Yorck vs Hood
Replies: 9
Views: 3357

Re: Ersatz Yorck vs Hood

Knowing that Hood was blown up - just like three other British battlecruisers at Jutland a generation previous - I don't see how you can come to this conclusion.
by WestPhilly
Wed Jan 14, 2009 11:16 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Dunkerque and Strasbourg vs. Bismarck
Replies: 9
Views: 3895

Dunkerque and Strasbourg vs. Bismarck

Much as I thought two KGV's had a very good prospect of success vs. Yamato, I'm inclined to think along the same lines in this scenario.
by WestPhilly
Mon Dec 29, 2008 9:40 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Dunkerque V Kongo
Replies: 11
Views: 3688

Re: Dunkerque V Kongo

I'm thinking the more modern - with particular regard to damage control - and more powerfully armed Dunkerque prevails in this contest. Her better protected sister-ship, Strasburg for sure.
by WestPhilly
Sun Nov 09, 2008 7:13 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Two KGV's vs. Yamato
Replies: 333
Views: 47468

Two KGV's vs. Yamato

Just wondering; could two modern "treaty battleships" handle a contemporary built without treaty restrictions?
by WestPhilly
Sun May 11, 2008 5:58 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: The Duelists
Replies: 59
Views: 9258

Re: The Duelists

For any decisive gunnery duel to occur, a range of inside 20,000 yards - closer to 15,000 yds - is necessary. We tend to sometimes get carried away with ships' long-range shooting ability but we must remember that hits at long range were few and far between. (Warspite and Scharnhorst each scoring a ...
by WestPhilly
Sat May 10, 2008 8:56 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: The Duelists
Replies: 59
Views: 9258

Re: The Duelists

1. Very tough call, maybe Rodney. No, Nagato. Hell, I don't know. 2. Hood. No qestion about it. 3. Scharnhorst. The 12" gun was magnificent, but that's all Alaska has going for it. Scharnhorst was well-protected against 12" shells and her own 11" were too much for the thin-skinned Ala...
by WestPhilly
Fri May 02, 2008 5:12 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: KGV vs Hood to the end!
Replies: 91
Views: 23101

Re: KGV vs Hood to the end!

Two KGV's vs. Tirpitz? Anyone who believes this would not end in a rout for the English has much to learn about the under-estimated KGV class.
by WestPhilly
Mon Dec 10, 2007 7:10 pm
Forum: Naval History (1922-1945)
Topic: Aircraft vs. Battleships. Case Closed!
Replies: 14
Views: 4508

Aircraft vs. Battleships. Case Closed!

On December 10th, 1941 Japanese bombers and torpedo planes proved once and for all the superiority of aircraft vs. battleships. Unlike at Taranto and Pearl Harbor, two important precedents were set on this day: Prince of Wales and Repulse were in open water and free to maneuver, and more importantly...
by WestPhilly
Thu Sep 06, 2007 4:10 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: H.M.S. Rodney damage
Replies: 66
Views: 48996

I hate to straddle the fence, but here I go. I don't think there is any question that the Iowa's were the best BB's ever built- in terms of their combined qualities such as speed, protection, firepower, A.A. ability, endurance etc. However, if we accept as a hypothetical that another BB is willing t...