Search found 200 matches

by RobertsonN
Wed Feb 22, 2012 10:59 pm
Forum: Naval History (1922-1945)
Topic: Battleship Vittorio Veneto
Replies: 100
Views: 29777

Re: Battleship Vittorio Veneto

The other figures for deck penetration of the 15/50 that were given in that September 1942 document (and for which there is no obvious ambiguity due to misprints) are: 67 mm @ 19000 m, 74 mm @ 20000 m, 105? mm @ 24000 m and 124 mm @ 26000 m. A lighter 824 kg SAP shell with a 20 m/s higher MV of 870 ...
by RobertsonN
Wed Feb 22, 2012 5:46 pm
Forum: Naval History (1922-1945)
Topic: Battleship Vittorio Veneto
Replies: 100
Views: 29777

Re: Battleship Vittorio Veneto

I have just otained a copy of 'The Littorio Class' (English translation) by Bagnasco and de Toro. It must surely be one of the most complete studies of a battleship class ever published, and together with 'Warships after Washington' by Jordan means an unexpectedly good start to the year for batteshi...
by RobertsonN
Sun Feb 19, 2012 11:08 pm
Forum: Naval Weapons
Topic: Danger space, hitting space
Replies: 18
Views: 43636

Re: Danger space, hitting space

In Breyer's Marine-Arsenal series booklet there is a photocopy of an official longitudinal plan of Schlachtschiff F with all armor thicknesses shown. The hull sides above the (60 mm) fore and (80 mm) aft belts were a uniform 35 mm Wh throughout. This would have been enough to initiate fuze action (1...
by RobertsonN
Sun Jan 15, 2012 8:30 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Bismarck construction flaws
Replies: 397
Views: 284539

Re: Bismarck construction flaws

Do you have specific information about the Bismarck's pumping capacity in relation to contemporary battleships?
by RobertsonN
Sat Jan 14, 2012 7:56 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Bismarck construction flaws
Replies: 397
Views: 284539

Re: Bismarck construction flaws

A couple of points about the pros and cons of the low armored deck on Bismarck. Assume that this deck forms a flooding boundary, (a) the lower boundary for shell hits from above and the upper boundary for underwater damage from mines, torpedoes and shell hits that pass underneath the belt. Undoubted...
by RobertsonN
Mon Dec 05, 2011 10:16 am
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: Hard times
Replies: 9
Views: 3181

Re: Hard times

I agree with your point about deficit financing. A country in trouble can either borrow more money if they can simply print it. The problem with eurozone countries (Greece, Spain, Italy, ... ) is that they don't have their own currency and so can't print or do QE. The advantage to Britain of not bei...
by RobertsonN
Sun Dec 04, 2011 1:10 pm
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: Hard times
Replies: 9
Views: 3181

Re: Hard times

Two points: (1) It is difficult to increase defence spending when the State is threatened with bankrupcy. This puts the predicament of politicians in the 1930s in perspective. (2) The main events are playing out in continental Europe and again Germany is the main player. Neither Obama nor Cameron wa...
by RobertsonN
Wed Nov 30, 2011 7:41 pm
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: Hard times
Replies: 9
Views: 3181

Hard times

British politicians of the 1930s are frequently criticized for not modernizing ships such as the Hood, Repulse and the R class battleships. Yesterday's statement by George Osbourne was like a flashback to the 1930s, which makes their (in)actions more understandable. Osbourne announced that the Gover...
by RobertsonN
Tue Nov 29, 2011 4:28 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Hood gets a proper refit - now what?
Replies: 35
Views: 15441

Re: Hood gets a proper refit - now what?

Agreed. Neither Offord nor Okun IIRC factored in the quality factor for the Hood's main armor relative to current (1940 era) armor. Offord was asked if Hood's armor might have deteriorated due to age. He replied this was very unlikely because the armor was bolted to the hull and so was not subject t...
by RobertsonN
Tue Nov 29, 2011 10:00 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Hood gets a proper refit - now what?
Replies: 35
Views: 15441

Re: Hood gets a proper refit - now what?

The above analysis might have worked. However, while the analysis of both Offord and Okun showed that Hood's main belt + the protection behind it was safe with Bismarck 40 resp. 37 deg before the Hood's beam, both suggested it was vulnerable by 20 deg. Hence, my suggestion to increase the scarp from...
by RobertsonN
Sun Nov 27, 2011 6:50 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Hood gets a proper refit - now what?
Replies: 35
Views: 15441

Re: Hood gets a proper refit - now what?

Yes, I agree. The longer the battle lasts, the more damage there will be all round, which is much more of a disadvantage to the Germans, because of the greater distance to their bases and the more reinforcements that the British can bring up. A fully refitted Hood, irrespective of the details, would...
by RobertsonN
Sun Nov 27, 2011 12:14 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Hood gets a proper refit - now what?
Replies: 35
Views: 15441

Re: Hood gets a proper refit - now what?

The only point that might cast doubt on the authenticity of these drawings is the fact that the original broad forward engine room is shown and any refit would likely have included new, more compact, machinery and more compartmention. On the other hand, they do show new broader and higher bulges as ...
by RobertsonN
Fri Nov 11, 2011 10:05 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Hood gets a proper refit - now what?
Replies: 35
Views: 15441

Re: Hood gets a proper refit - now what?

The Hood had less potential to benefit from the kind of refit Renown received because it already had small tube boilers and geared turbines whereas Renown originally had large tube boilers and direct drive turbines. Additionnally, in Hood the emphasis was on vertical protection, whereas in Renown (a...
by RobertsonN
Thu Nov 10, 2011 9:16 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Hood gets a proper refit - now what?
Replies: 35
Views: 15441

Re: Hood gets a proper refit - now what?

Offord's testimony in the 2nd inquiry, was that a 1600 lb 15 in shell with an MV of 2721 ft/s could penetrate 10.5 in of armor with the Bismarck 40 deg ahead of Hood's beam at 16500 yds. The actual 1760 lb 2690 fps shell would have achieved rather more, about 11.3 in IIRC. As for the 7 in belt, Okun...
by RobertsonN
Tue Oct 11, 2011 8:57 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Duke of York & Renown at Noth Cape
Replies: 38
Views: 7593

Re: Duke of York & Renown at Noth Cape

The Scharnhorst should have had an advantage over Renown for ranges under about 16500 yds. At this distance Breyer gives the penetration of the 11 in as 14 in (18 in at 8600 yds and 11.4 in at 20000 yds, so it fell rapidly with distance). IIRC, the fighting instructions for Scharnhorst did give the ...