Naval History Forums

Hello Frank (if I may), you are right re. FuMO designation (a nightmare). I'm not sure that different aspect of FuMO22 and FuMO23 antennas in photos were not simply due to presence (or absence) of a protective grid in front of dipoles array, but we agree both were basically the same radar. However, ...

Hello Mr.fsimon, thanks for your explanation re. range resolution. It perfectly makes sense. I think that FuMO22 and FuMO23 were basically the same radar. I'm uncertain about any difference, even looking at your table, possibly only lobe switching actual usage: can you confirm FuMO22 was using such ...

Hello Mr. fsimon, thanks for providing these most detailed info: a great piece of job! Would you mind to share your sources specifically re. https://www.kbismarck.org/forum/download/file.php?id=4100: 1) No Panzerschiff ever mounted a 6x2 meters antenna before 1944 (when already heavy cruiser). I hav...

Hello Mr. lwd, Germans were uncertain for a while: on Prinz Eugen, according to Jasper, he never understood he was fighting battleships, but apparently Brinkmann did; according to Baron also aboard Bismarck it took a while, at least until British open fire, but not later. Anyway, at least Lütjens un...

Hello Mr.TTTT, you write: ' Thanks, interesting to hear about the 28cm guns - it makes sense. They seem to have done rather good in actual combat, though. '. Possibly 'large' dispersion of Scharnhorst's guns helped to hit HMS Glorious @ 24 km, as suggested by Mr. Jurens. Hello Mr. fsimon, thanks so ...

Hello Mr. TTTT, I don't have any info re. US and Japanese guns, and very few for British ones. Bismarck class 38 cm guns, according to German documents, were best guns among German large calibers (28 cm, 20,3 cm and even 15 cm) at least at usual battle distances. 28 cm from Scharnhorst class were th...

Hello Mr. Angel, thanks for your correct description of German fire practice. However, please don't forget usual initial 'Vollsalve' fired as a broadside (8 guns) aimed at correcting bearing (and possibly warm-up guns) more than range. It is mentioned (as well as 'Gabelgruppe') in P. Jasper gunnery ...

Hello, In addition to speed emphasis, I have always thought that "non-classical" shape of US BB's was due to Panama Channel max width of 33.5 meters. Bismarck could not pass through (36 meters), while US designers were required to design their BB's to enable moving them quickly from one oc...

Hello Mr. kodexof731, AFAIK Admiral Scheer had her radar fixed at sea by crew members during her spectacular two oceans cruise in 1940-1941, when U-124 delivered spare triode to replace defective one, before her return to Germany. Replacement at sea is not described as "exceptional" by Adm...

Hello Mr. kodexof731,
re. 20 mm, C/30 were replaced with C/38 in 1941.
re. 37 mm, C/30 were present on board until 1944.

Therefore, answer to your question depends on exact date on which you want to model your ships.

hans

Hello Mr. TTT, AFAIK, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau had same max belt thickness of 320 mm. 350 mm is an error, repeated in many publications, and refers to a second proposed project (slower but more heavily armored) that was not approved. (please see discussion here: http://www.kbismarck.org/forum/viewt...

Hello Mr. Quantumny,
IMHO photos do not relate to same ship. Structures/fittings/camo are not similar.

However, I'm no expert of German support ships and cannot help further.

hans

Hello Mr. Dunmunro, I see my kind request to stop diverting the thread is not listened at. I have pointed out that 05:52 or even 05:53, as BS open fire time, is inconsistent with distance data officially reported from both German ships, but you prefer to trust more some generic observations (e.g. ' ...

Hello Mr. Dunmunro, your statements are based on British observations only (from remote ships, and even not in agreement among them). However any German open fire at 05:52 or 05:53 (as you seem to claim) would be against all official German reports written by German officers (who ordered this open f...

Hello Mr. Michael L , my money would be on twins against Alaska and Guam too. I would even consider Gneisenau machines more reliable than Scharnhorst (at least historically) and their armor scheme as far superior. Due to 11" light shell, slight advantage to Alaskas at extreme ranges, but hits a...