Search found 1528 matches

by tommy303
Wed Jun 21, 2006 7:12 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Prinz Eugen's Performance at DS Battle
Replies: 58
Views: 22878

I would like to see the turret myself. I think, with modern forensics being what they are, we could figure out the exact point of impact and detenation.
Unfortunately the main battery turrets are all upside down in the mud and impacts against the armour are pretty much obscurred.
by tommy303
Wed Jun 21, 2006 6:25 pm
Forum: Naval History (1922-1945)
Topic: German Words
Replies: 13
Views: 4208

I would hazard a guess that Germany was adopting the standard definitions of the various international naval treaties starting with the Washington conference and applying them in German.
by tommy303
Sat Jun 17, 2006 2:04 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Prinz Eugen's Performance at DS Battle
Replies: 58
Views: 22878

I could be completely wrong or misinterpreting the gist of the thread, but it seems to me we are talking about two different hits--the hit at 0902 which initially put Bruno out of action whilst on a forward bearing, and a subsequent hit which caused the rear of the gun house armour to be blown off a...
by tommy303
Fri Jun 16, 2006 5:27 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Prinz Eugen's Performance at DS Battle
Replies: 58
Views: 22878

The fuze would work against any armour thickness and in any AP or SAP type shell so long as the shell did its part. The problem was not the fuze detonating the shell early, but the explosive undergoing concussive detonation. I believe the Japanese used TNA (trinitroanisol) as an explosive instead of...
by tommy303
Tue Jun 13, 2006 4:37 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Prinz Eugen's Performance at DS Battle
Replies: 58
Views: 22878

Tiornu has a good point concerning fragments from the shell nose. Splinter propagation tends to be directional in relation to the position of the fuze since the detonation wave of the filler is direction from nose to base in a point detonating shell and base to nose in a base detonating shell. My un...
by tommy303
Thu Jun 08, 2006 9:31 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Prinz Eugen's Performance at DS Battle
Replies: 58
Views: 22878

I think it is a little premature to absolutely say the shell would have exploded before it reached the PoW's torpedo bulkhead had the fuze worked properly, since one would have to know how far it travelled underwater. However, it is true that if it hit far enough away the fuze might have detonated t...
by tommy303
Wed May 24, 2006 5:44 pm
Forum: Naval History (1922-1945)
Topic: Raeder failed strategy
Replies: 10
Views: 5636

Raeder avoided the Fuehrer's visit to Bismarck because he knew Hitler would ask when she was to be committed to action, and he knew Hitler would get nervous as the time approached and possible order the operation cancelled for no particular military reason. Raeder of course had been presented by the...
by tommy303
Tue May 16, 2006 9:16 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Bismarck steering gear?
Replies: 13
Views: 7202

Hallo Ulrich, I should imagine, that had the temporary loss of control been due to a mechanical or electrical fault, it might have taken some time to track down the problem and put right. However, Bismarck appears to have regained control very quickly, which is in line with a mix up at the helm cons...
by tommy303
Tue May 16, 2006 1:59 am
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Bismarck steering gear?
Replies: 13
Views: 7202

Hi Ulrich, The helm console consisted of a right and left rudder button. On Bismarck there were helm consoles on the peacetime navigation bridge--one in the wheel house and one on the open gallery in front of the wheel house. The latter was normally used when docking or manouvering in harbour so tha...
by tommy303
Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:05 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Bismarck´s un ending arguments
Replies: 56
Views: 29467

And them comes the notion of the defective AP shells. I would hesitate to call the shells defective, although there were instances of some duds, particularly in base fuzed projectiles which should have gone off but did not. One 38cm and one 20,3cm hits on PoW were definite duds, and two others may ...
by tommy303
Thu Mar 23, 2006 6:22 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Torpedoes on Bismarck???
Replies: 37
Views: 17690

A ship encountering a mine directly in its path will usually take the hit not dead on the bow but farther aft along the side. This is because a ship moving through the water creates a pressure wave which will swing a tethered mine outwards, and as the bow wave pressure lessens, the mine swings back ...
by tommy303
Wed Mar 22, 2006 11:40 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Torpedoes on Bismarck???
Replies: 37
Views: 17690

None whatsoever. They are much more a liability than an asset in my opinion, which is why most 1930s battleships entered service without them In the traditional role of the battleship, there would have been few opportunities to use them.
by tommy303
Wed Mar 22, 2006 6:18 pm
Forum: Bismarck General Discussion
Topic: Torpedoes on Bismarck???
Replies: 37
Views: 17690

The recommendation for torpedos aboard KM capital ships was made by Fleet Commander Luetjens following his return from the raiding cruise with Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. His recommendation was that the torpedo was more efficient than main, secondary or tertiary armament in sinking a merchant ship qu...
by tommy303
Thu Feb 09, 2006 11:58 pm
Forum: Naval Weapons
Topic: Distribution of fire
Replies: 4
Views: 3156

These two sources are a good place to start for the US and RN systems

http://www.eugeneleeslover.com/FIRE-CONTROL-PAGE.html

and

http://www.hnsa.org/doc/br224/index.htm
by tommy303
Fri Feb 03, 2006 11:50 pm
Forum: The Dreadnought Era (1906-1921)
Topic: Jutland recurrent themes
Replies: 51
Views: 44269

I believe Hipper said something to the effect that his own losses were not worse only due to the poor quality of the the British shells.