Search found 212 matches

by Mostlyharmless
Wed Jun 13, 2012 11:29 pm
Forum: World War II
Topic: FW190 v others
Replies: 32
Views: 31194

Re: FW190 v others

I think the 190 was a very, very good fighter, flexible and adaptable. It suffered at altitude, which is where it was needed when the bombing campaign got cranked up. The 190D was better, but very few and still somewhat inferior to the -47 and -51 at altitude... Rough parity, maybe, using a generou...
by Mostlyharmless
Wed Feb 22, 2012 10:01 pm
Forum: Naval Weapons
Topic: Gun turret of HMS Ajax / HMNZS Achilles
Replies: 2
Views: 2749

Re: Gun turret of HMS Ajax / HMNZS Achilles

I live within 30 miles of Bath and have never heard of a gun turret from HMS Ajax. As Bath is not a port, it would have required effort to put it there. The site describing it is Canadian, so they may not have checked. The photographs show an identical turret down to the pattern of marks on the side...
by Mostlyharmless
Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:00 am
Forum: Naval Weapons
Topic: Torpedo protection
Replies: 6
Views: 3917

Re: Torpedo protection

I seem to remember reading that counter flooding in Yamato was controlled from a station outside the armoured citadel. Naturally Murphy's Law caused that station to be hit by a bomb from a dive bomber. Although the USN and the RN must have made extensive tests of various possible Torpedo Defence Sys...
by Mostlyharmless
Tue Jan 31, 2012 11:30 pm
Forum: World War II
Topic: BMW 801 and Diamler Benz 605 in action- recently.
Replies: 5
Views: 2197

Re: BMW 801 and Diamler Benz 605 in action- recently.

These are restored originals with original motors rather than replicas. 109s with Merlins have different cowlings and the exhaust ports are above rather than below. The motor is a 605. I am not an expert but the 109 seems to be an E. It would have had a DB 601A-1 or Aa or possibly a DB 601N if the ...
by Mostlyharmless
Sat Jan 21, 2012 9:54 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Franco-Italian Naval War, 1940-41
Replies: 45
Views: 12391

Re: Franco-Italian Naval War, 1940-41

Francis - The C.R.42 Falco was used as a fighter-bomber and, on those missions, carried two 220 lb bombs under their wings. The damage to Formidable was done by the Falcos and Stukas. However, those German built Stukas were flown by Italian pilots so I consider their damage to be done by the Italia...
by Mostlyharmless
Mon Jan 09, 2012 6:26 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Bismarck construction flaws
Replies: 397
Views: 284497

Re: Bismarck construction flaws

Wertheimer's comment is based on the faulty premise that the German arrangement must trade off horizontal protection. I suspect that it is slightly more complicated. A battleship's survival may depend on the armoured raft from the keel to the main armoured deck. If damage causes flooding above the ...
by Mostlyharmless
Mon Jan 02, 2012 12:20 pm
Forum: Naval History (1922-1945)
Topic: Yamato turret rotation time?
Replies: 4
Views: 4284

Re: Yamato turret rotation time?

Although not directly relevant to Yamato, somebody has collected film clips of some IJN ships at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRmUxH0bWO0 including film of a Nagato class turret rotating to give an idea of earlier Japanese practise. They seem to have cheated by including a clip from the British at...
by Mostlyharmless
Thu Dec 22, 2011 11:35 pm
Forum: World War II
Topic: What happened to the Generals
Replies: 3
Views: 1468

Re: What happened to the Generals

The British were the most imaginative. According to Wikipedia "During World War II Trent Park was used as a special prisoner of war camp for captured German generals and staff officers. They were treated reasonably hospitably with special rations of whisky and regular walks in the grounds. Many...
by Mostlyharmless
Wed Nov 23, 2011 3:49 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Bismarck construction flaws
Replies: 397
Views: 284497

Re: Bismarck construction flaws

.... The 37mm Flak was probably less effective than 40mm Bofers, but it was far from "useless". The cyclic rate of fire of 80 rounds per minute per gun hides the fact that weapon could fire an 8 round clip in less than 3 seconds. It could be effective in bursts and could extend the light ...
by Mostlyharmless
Thu Nov 17, 2011 10:06 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: construction time
Replies: 6
Views: 1969

Re: construction time

If we compare the construction of KM Bismarck and USS Iowa, we find that the time between the contract and the laying down was shorter for Bismarck than Iowa (16th November 1935 to 1st July 1936 versus 1st July 1939 to 27th June 1940). The time on the ways was comparable with 30 months for Bismarck ...
by Mostlyharmless
Thu Oct 27, 2011 7:58 pm
Forum: World War II
Topic: Operation Sea Lion
Replies: 62
Views: 16800

Re: Operation Sea Lion

I hope that the discussion has just about established that the Germans had no chance of successfully invading Britain in Summer 1940 or indeed later. Even if the BEF been destroyed at Dunkirk, it is still very unlikely that an invasion might have succeeded. Fans of alternate history such as myself h...
by Mostlyharmless
Sun Sep 25, 2011 11:05 am
Forum: Naval Weapons
Topic: Projectile fire questions
Replies: 28
Views: 15023

Re: Projectile fire questions

Just to help you keep the code simple, I should mention another minor effect. Because the shell is spinning, there will be a gyroscopic effect keeping the nose of the shell pointing slightly above its actual course. This will initially cause lift and then during the descent will slightly increase th...
by Mostlyharmless
Sat Sep 24, 2011 9:57 pm
Forum: Naval Weapons
Topic: Projectile fire questions
Replies: 28
Views: 15023

Re: Projectile fire questions

It would appear that the Germans at least believed that the reduction in air density at high altitude could give a useful increase in range as their coastal defence mountings allowed 52 degrees elevation. Examples are http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNGER_15-52_skc34.htm and http://www.navweaps.com/...
by Mostlyharmless
Wed Sep 07, 2011 10:33 pm
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Richelieu vs. South Dakota
Replies: 78
Views: 23539

Re: Richelieu vs. South Dak

One question that puzzles me is why Massachusetts' 16” shell could get through Jean Bart's 150 mm armoured deck without even being slowed enough to explode before it passed through the 40 mm armoured deck into the (empty) 155 mm magazine. I have seen it suggested that French homogeneous armour conta...
by Mostlyharmless
Mon Aug 29, 2011 11:24 pm
Forum: The Dreadnought Era (1906-1921)
Topic: The African Queen?
Replies: 2
Views: 8517

The African Queen?

I just found the story of the MV Liembs AKA Graf Goetzen on the BBC website at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14677418. Enjoy!