Search found 141 matches

by Ersatz Yorck
Wed Mar 27, 2013 2:34 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Bismarck used as bait
Replies: 19
Views: 4098

Re: Bismarck used as bait

Suppose the Bismarck was used as bait to draw the British fleet over wolfpack submarine screens, I understand the Germans had such screens in place any takers on what would have happened if this would have been used? It proved notoriously difficult to coordinate submarines and surface ships in both...
by Ersatz Yorck
Wed Mar 20, 2013 8:26 pm
Forum: The Dreadnought Era (1906-1921)
Topic: Adm Troubridge-right/wrong-in the GOEBEN AFFAIR
Replies: 67
Views: 31068

Re: Adm Troubridge-right/wrong-in the GOEBEN AFFAIR

Yes I recall that too. But no one survived from the Good Hope or the Monmouth, so it must have been hard to investigate.
by Ersatz Yorck
Wed Mar 20, 2013 2:14 pm
Forum: The Dreadnought Era (1906-1921)
Topic: Adm Troubridge-right/wrong-in the GOEBEN AFFAIR
Replies: 67
Views: 31068

Re: Adm Troubridge-right/wrong-in the GOEBEN AFFAIR

I doubt it would have been possible for Troubridge to arrange a night interception of the Goeben. It is not so easy to intercept an enemy force at night, nor was night fighting the preferred method for RN heavy units at the time. A day battle is far more likely, and Goeben would have all the advanta...
by Ersatz Yorck
Tue Mar 19, 2013 3:16 pm
Forum: The Dreadnought Era (1906-1921)
Topic: Adm Troubridge-right/wrong-in the GOEBEN AFFAIR
Replies: 67
Views: 31068

Re: Adm Troubridge-right/wrong-in the GOEBEN AFFAIR

I wonder if Henry Harwood's tactic in the next war would have worked on the Goeben. Split the Goebens fire by having two ships engage on opposite flanks. That would only have worked if Souchon or Ackermann had mismanaged the battle the way Langsdorff did. Much better for the Goeben to pick off the ...
by Ersatz Yorck
Mon Mar 04, 2013 10:49 pm
Forum: Naval History (1922-1945)
Topic: Sinking of HMS Glowworm
Replies: 9
Views: 4610

Re: Sinking of HMS Glowworm

That the Hipper was "severely damaged" might be an exaggeration though.
by Ersatz Yorck
Fri Mar 01, 2013 9:48 am
Forum: The Dreadnought Era (1906-1921)
Topic: SMS Nassau
Replies: 18
Views: 24751

Re: SMS Nassau

Thanks Delcyros! Interesting. German dreadnoughts are usually credited with a better TPS than British ones. Part of torpedo resistance is of course better subdivision and greater pumping capacity and more auxiliary generators which is usually superior in German ships. Looking at the TPS-system in yo...
by Ersatz Yorck
Mon Feb 25, 2013 10:40 am
Forum: The Dreadnought Era (1906-1921)
Topic: Invincible's torpedoes
Replies: 6
Views: 10767

Re: Invincible's torpedoes

I have a recollection of reading that some predreadnought had ship's boats equipped with torpedoes, but I cannot remember which one or from which country.
by Ersatz Yorck
Wed Feb 13, 2013 1:44 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Were battleships actualy usefull in WW 2 ?
Replies: 81
Views: 13940

Re: Were battleships actualy usefull in WW 2 ?

The interesting thinmg with the Japanese Navy was that they developed a lot of equipment to attack the enemy battlefleet in assymetric ways, like long range torpedoes, submarines, carrier borne aircraft, long range torpedo bombers, night attacks by destroyers etc, all in the belief that they needed ...
by Ersatz Yorck
Mon Feb 11, 2013 11:28 pm
Forum: The Dreadnought Era (1906-1921)
Topic: Adm Troubridge-right/wrong-in the GOEBEN AFFAIR
Replies: 67
Views: 31068

Re: Adm Troubridge-right/wrong-in the GOEBEN AFFAIR

The British DDs were short on fuel and could not have kept up in a high speed engagement. So no chance for a torpedo attack. The only reasonable outcome is that a number of the British CAs would have been demolished, but maybe not sunk. After all, the Goeben only needed to slow them down and escape....
by Ersatz Yorck
Mon Feb 11, 2013 11:23 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Were battleships actualy usefull in WW 2 ?
Replies: 81
Views: 13940

Re: Were battleships actualy usefull in WW 2 ?

Soviet subs only became a real threat when Finland had surrendered. Before that the Soviet Navy was effectively bottled up in Kronshtadt by massive minefields. Even the Soviet *cough* battleships :-).
by Ersatz Yorck
Sun Feb 10, 2013 11:29 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Were battleships actualy usefull in WW 2 ?
Replies: 81
Views: 13940

Re: Were battleships actualy usefull in WW 2 ?

@Ersatz York The KM operations n the Baltics in 44/45 are an example that you can do NGFS without supremacy of air and sea I would say that they are exactly the type of operations you use your major surface units for when they have nothing else to do and must justify their existence. And they did w...
by Ersatz Yorck
Sun Feb 10, 2013 6:24 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Were battleships actualy usefull in WW 2 ?
Replies: 81
Views: 13940

Re: Were battleships actualy usefull in WW 2 ?

The question of cost effectiveness came up before both the New Jersey's Vietnam deployment and the re-activations of the Iowa's during the 80's and are reported in Muir's book. In testimony before congress it was pointed out that the average cost or a warplane was $2 million and the cost of trainin...
by Ersatz Yorck
Sun Feb 10, 2013 7:30 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Were battleships actualy usefull in WW 2 ?
Replies: 81
Views: 13940

Re: Were battleships actualy usefull in WW 2 ?

Not saying Battleships were ineffective in shore bombardment, I was just doubting they were cost effective.
by Ersatz Yorck
Sat Feb 09, 2013 8:11 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Were battleships actualy usefull in WW 2 ?
Replies: 81
Views: 13940

Re: Were battleships actualy usefull in WW 2 ?

The Italian RM are another navy that may have been better off having built other ships. However, what would they do once the British start hammering them with long range (some would say medium range) gunnery? Use aircraft (better ones than they had and with better pilots). Or submarines. Extending ...
by Ersatz Yorck
Fri Feb 08, 2013 10:00 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Were battleships actualy usefull in WW 2 ?
Replies: 81
Views: 13940

Re: Were battleships actualy usefull in WW 2 ?

Let me put it this way: In may 1941, what would you rather have if you were admiral Raeder: One 50000 ton battleship and one 20000 ton cruiser ready for action or 70 additional 1000 ton submarines ready for action? Note that this is twice the number of German uboats operational at that time. Battle...