Search found 4349 matches

by alecsandros
Tue Jun 25, 2019 10:06 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: More on KGV Class main armament problems
Replies: 318
Views: 42970

Re: More on KGV Class main armament problems

paul.mercer wrote: Tue Jun 25, 2019 9:38 am Gentlemen,
I hope and trust that this post will kill any further comments on the decision by Capt Leach to withdraw once and for all.
During the second battle of May 24th, Prince of Wales fired 41 shells of 48 ordered, for a firing efficiency of 85%.
by alecsandros
Tue Jun 04, 2019 7:59 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: More on KGV Class main armament problems
Replies: 318
Views: 42970

Re: More on KGV Class main armament problems

@northcape I once lauded you for your fair-play. Today you showed that you don't know what fair play is... Perhaps you are still young. For you to have the right to talk about what Antonio/Alberto did would first imply YOU would start reading their posts from the beginning... which you have not. Sam...
by alecsandros
Tue Jun 04, 2019 4:17 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: More on KGV Class main armament problems
Replies: 318
Views: 42970

Re: More on KGV Class main armament problems

The above chaos is obviously what has driven Mr Rico, the owner of this fine and praiseworthy forum, to seek the aid of Bill Jurens. I have known Bill for a LONG time. One would be hard pressed to find a more polite, helpful, even-tempered, reasonable, respectful, resourceful and intelligent gentle...
by alecsandros
Tue Jun 04, 2019 4:15 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Message Traffic heard by RODNEY 24 May 1941
Replies: 251
Views: 25583

Re: Message Traffic heard by RODNEY 24 May 1941

Fellow Contributors. What the captain of Cornwall "knew" about Japanese aerial capabilities and the top-level intelligence available to Somerville gleaned from examining the devastating raids by Nagumo's force on Pearl Harbor and Darwin are probably very different things. Captain Abe(?) w...
by alecsandros
Tue Jun 04, 2019 11:17 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: More on KGV Class main armament problems
Replies: 318
Views: 42970

Re: More on KGV Class main armament problems

Mr. Virtuani: I have read Northcape's post again quite carefully and cannot personally see anything provocative in it at all. It does not take sides, merely characterizing the debate itself as 'childish' and 'rediculous'. No participant is mentioned by name, and in fact -- as mentioned earlier -- N...
by alecsandros
Tue Jun 04, 2019 11:14 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: More on KGV Class main armament problems
Replies: 318
Views: 42970

Re: More on KGV Class main armament problems

@Paul Mercer I also think more damage would have been felt on Prince of Wales. However, I don't think her machinery could have been affected directly from 20km. Royal Navy immunity zone expectations were for KGV class machinery immunity from 15.000 meters (and up), against 15inch shells (although sp...
by alecsandros
Tue Jun 04, 2019 4:06 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Message Traffic heard by RODNEY 24 May 1941
Replies: 251
Views: 25583

Re: Message Traffic heard by RODNEY 24 May 1941

From what I remember, there was a debate on combinedfleet.com forum, about the loss of HMS Dorsetshire and Cornwall. Excerpts from one book (written by the late Captain of Cornwall, named Captain Abe IIRC), indicate that , at the time 'we (RN) considered the enemy's aircraft performance comparable t...
by alecsandros
Mon Jun 03, 2019 7:29 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: More on KGV Class main armament problems
Replies: 318
Views: 42970

Re: More on KGV Class main armament problems

Alecsandros wrote: "a better option would have been steadying at 20km from the enemy and pounding away with his 5 working heavy guns" This may be true provided it was tactically achievable, i.e. assuming Bismarck was willing to accept this situation, i.e. fighting at a constant range of 2...
by alecsandros
Mon Jun 03, 2019 11:18 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: More on KGV Class main armament problems
Replies: 318
Views: 42970

Re: More on KGV Class main armament problems

I realise this is probably going to go back (as many other threads have done) to Capt Leach's decision to disengage, but with the reliability of his guns in question I think he had no choice but to act to in order to save his ship. Although I admit that I am an RN fan,I do recognize the excellence ...
by alecsandros
Mon Jun 03, 2019 10:40 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: More on KGV Class main armament problems
Replies: 318
Views: 42970

Re: More on KGV Class main armament problems

The Baron states that Bismarck did not slow below 22 knots prior to the first Swordfish attack and only after the first torpedo hit did Bismarck slow to 16 knots for a short period to attempt repairs on the bow. Suffolk and Norfolk never reported a speed of less than 22 knots prior to the torpedo h...
by alecsandros
Mon Jun 03, 2019 9:00 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Message Traffic heard by RODNEY 24 May 1941
Replies: 251
Views: 25583

Re: Message Traffic heard by RODNEY 24 May 1941

Hi Alec, correct, but during the Indian Ocean Raid Somerville showed an even excessive "offensive spirit" against superior forces, and this is not something the RN usually condemns. Bye, Alberto It is possible, but from what IIRC at least, at the time of Operation C, Somerville expected t...
by alecsandros
Mon Jun 03, 2019 8:26 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Message Traffic heard by RODNEY 24 May 1941
Replies: 251
Views: 25583

Re: Message Traffic heard by RODNEY 24 May 1941

Hello everybody, "If Denmark Strait was a cover up how come PQ17 wasnt buried in the archives or the Force Z catastrophe?...the idea that there was a massive cover up is pretty laughable and an exercise in anglophobia" As well as HMS Glorious, it was simply impossible to totally "cov...
by alecsandros
Mon Jun 03, 2019 8:24 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: More on KGV Class main armament problems
Replies: 318
Views: 42970

Re: More on KGV Class main armament problems

Lutjens reduced speed but never below about ~20 knots. Lutjens and BrinkMann's immediate concern was to find fuel for PE. von Mullencheim describes speed reduction down to 16kts; other sources 12kts. It is a simple arithmetical calculus to be done to check this fact: if Victorious was at 350nm away...
by alecsandros
Thu May 30, 2019 7:30 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: More on KGV Class main armament problems
Replies: 318
Views: 42970

Re: More on KGV Class main armament problems

dunmunro wrote: Thu May 30, 2019 6:49 pm

I hope your stay in the hospital is/was brief and successful.
Thanks ,
unfortunately it will be alot more to it then today.

Hope the best for everyone on the forum, I think I'll be here one or two days next week.
by alecsandros
Thu May 30, 2019 7:23 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: More on KGV Class main armament problems
Replies: 318
Views: 42970

Re: More on KGV Class main armament problems

single handed combat against two efficient ships, and Leach was correct to disengage from the 1st action before his ship's mobility was further impaired. The ships were not efficient. Prinz Eugen accumulated various problems of gunnery, and Bismarck was firing extremely slowly for a ship on rapid f...