Naval History Forums

Hello Mr.Dunmunro, this is an old discussion that should not have been re-opened here (nothing to do with thread topic). You are right that British observations are (with T. Briggs exception) all in favor of Bismarck returning fire few seconds after British ships (05:53), but they are sometimes gene...

Hello all, interesting penetration data, however they don't take into account that Bismarck armor scheme was more complex and efficient than that: 320 mm belt (13") was backed by 100-120 mm slope plus 45 mm torpedo bulkhead, an equivalent of 600+ mm (due to inclination of plates) armor grade st...

Hello Mr. Mustang, seasickness is a purely physiological phenomenon true, but seasickness is caused by roll, pitch and jaw. Our ears are a biological kind of 'fire control system' that (in my case) cannot cope with movements in a stopped (or slow moving) boat, while they can if boat is steaming fast...

Hello Mr. Mustang, Except in calm waters, higher speed does tend to be correlated with an increased stability of the gun platform. In addition to Mr. Jurens statement, have you ever tried motion at sea on a boat making speed vs a stopped (or very slow) one ? I have (suffering seasickness). Plus 'Phy...

Hello all, Except in calm waters, higher speed does tend to be correlated with an increased stability of the gun platform. I feel this statement from Mr.Jurens (together with his other points) is key. Bismarck fire control system was modern, but her extremely slow speed made her rolling. pitching an...

Hello Mr. Mustang, Pitching and rolling are out of control of the rudder. I respectfully disagree: very slowly sailing ship in heavy seas pitches, rolls and jaws much more than high speed sailing vessels (see e.g. a ship stopped at see) and cannot take any course that minimize such movements. Plus B...

Hello, I think what Mr. Mercer and Mr. Malara say is correct: it was rudder damage that prevented Bismarck superior fire control from hitting and made her a sitting duck, unable to maintain a valid fire solution and unable to maneuver. Rodney and KGV opened fire at 08:47 and 08:48 respectively, with...

Hello Mr. Malara, yes, you are most probably right: I think phases are involved. Too much technical for me, but I feel that 2 large loops are capable of determining radio emissions bearing. I think also 'diamond' equipment (e.g. on aft mast of Prince of Wales) is not rotating, but it was able (thank...

Hello Mr. Nilsson, many thanks again for your explanation. Despite not being fully able to appreciate the technicality you describe, I understand that, thanks to two separate loops at 90° angle, the fixed antenna 'loops' devices are able to detect the bearing of the emitting source, without turning ...

Hello Mr. Malara, the very first radar, the British Chain Home, did not have rotating antennas. I understand how an 'active' radar can work without rotating antenna, because emitters have a lobe (e.g. 20° amplitude) and the return echo must be within this lobe (see e.g. Norfolk Type 286M radar durin...

Hello Mr. Malara, many thanks for Scharnhorst evidence, pointing to a similar equipment than on Bismarck. I would expect such an equipment being installed high in the ship with all around reception, not in front of a steel structure that would need the ship veering to receive in certain bearings. th...

Hello Mr. Nilsson, many thanks for explanation and detailed photographic evidence: I suppose that, also on older ships, small rotating antennas were replaced by 'large fixed wirings' around the main tower. However, I still don't see (surely due to my poor technical knowledge) how a fixed cabling (2 ...

Hello Herr Nilsson, many thanks for confirming there were RDF equipments, however I was unable to locate any 'loop' on Bismarck on available photos. Actually, there were rotating loops visible on Panzerschiffe (at least until 1938-40, see below from Graf Spee) but removed afterward. No similar loops...

Hello,
I wonder which was the way Bismarck detected bearings of enemy radio emissions. I have not been able to see on photos any rotating antenna used as radio direction finder on board, but I believe there actually was such RDF equipment.

Does anyone know how RDF was installed on KM ships ?

hans

Hello Mr. Dunmunro and Mr. Malara, you are both right but, in my poor opinion, an explosion of hit n.1 inside hull would have caused less damages: shell destroyed (passing through) watertight bulkhead between compartments XX and XXI even without exploding. Other watertight bulkheads were too far to ...