Search found 1224 matches

by paul.mercer
Sat Apr 01, 2023 9:22 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Prince of Wales in front
Replies: 32
Views: 9903

Re: Prince of Wales in front

Hi Hans, Thanks for your reply, as you say Hood had the largest guns (in calibre) but PoW being a 'full blown' battleship with 10x14" guns in my opinion would probably be considered the more dangerous ship particularly as the Germans had no idea of her gunnery problems. Pre war, Hood had achiev...
by paul.mercer
Fri Mar 31, 2023 9:05 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: Prince of Wales in front
Replies: 32
Views: 9903

Re: Prince of Wales in front

If PoW had been placed in front of Hood and Bismarck had opened up on her as the leading ship Hood may have been able to make her turn in order to bring all her guns to bear then perhaps the battle may have gone a different way, quite possibly with PE receiving a few 14" or 15" shells whic...
by paul.mercer
Wed Mar 29, 2023 9:00 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: North Cape
Replies: 12
Views: 4030

Re: North Cape

double post!
by paul.mercer
Wed Mar 29, 2023 8:58 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: North Cape
Replies: 12
Views: 4030

Re: North Cape

Thanks for that Marcelo. I agree there is no real comparison with the Graf Spey battle but it would have been an interesting confrontation, I suppose the combined fire of 24 x 6" and 8 x 8" shells would have made a bit of a mess of Scharnhorst's upperworks, but I can't see them doing enou...
by paul.mercer
Thu Mar 16, 2023 10:10 am
Forum: Naval History in General
Topic: Design "feature" of R-class
Replies: 87
Views: 84628

Re: Design "feature" of R-class

Gentlemen, I know thar battlecruisers were designed for speed but I'm surprised that Hood had almost 3,500 tons more armour weight that Nelson and that some of the battlecruisers built between 1909-1912 had almost double Nelsons HP - is that correct or did the RN designers go backwards with their en...
by paul.mercer
Mon Mar 13, 2023 10:10 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: North Cape
Replies: 12
Views: 4030

Re: North Cape

Thanks for that Marcelo. I agree there is no real comparison with the Graf Spey battle but it would have been an interesting confrontation, I suppose the combined fire of 24 x 6" and 8 x 8" shells would have made a bit of a mess of Scharnhorst's upperworks, but I can't see them doing enoug...
by paul.mercer
Mon Mar 06, 2023 10:23 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: North Cape
Replies: 12
Views: 4030

Re: North Cape

Gentlemen, Just a point about Scharnhorst firing at the gun flash's maybe wrong on this but didn't Norfolk get hit because she was not using the flash less cordite like the other two 6" cruisers? Actually, as a major afterthought on the subject of the three cruisers taking on Scharnhorst on the...
by paul.mercer
Fri Mar 03, 2023 10:24 am
Forum: Military History and Technology
Topic: Naval turrets being used on land
Replies: 9
Views: 2123

Re: Naval turrets being used on land

I vaguely remember something about an 11" turret either from Gneisnau (sorry about the spelling) or from one of the pocket battleships being mounted on land (Norway?) but I may be wrong on this, it was something that Hitler did consider and apparently suggested to Admiral Raeder when he got fed...
by paul.mercer
Wed Mar 01, 2023 10:20 am
Forum: Hypothetical Naval Scenarios
Topic: North Cape
Replies: 12
Views: 4030

North Cape

Gentlemen, Just having a re-read of Scharnhorst's last battle when she originally met up against Norfolk, Belfast and Sheffield and turned away almost straight into the Duke of York guns. I did wonder what might have happened if DoY was not there or late arriving on the scene and Scharnhorst's capta...
by paul.mercer
Sat Feb 25, 2023 9:55 am
Forum: Naval History in General
Topic: Design "feature" of R-class
Replies: 87
Views: 84628

Re: Design "feature" of R-class

I think the limit to the speed of the QE is mostly a hull form and displacement issue. The original design displacement is 27000 tons without fuel. With ~ 3500 tons of fuel, the deep load should be under 31000 tons. As built, HMS QE already displaces 33260 tons at deep load at 1916 !. That is witho...
by paul.mercer
Sun Feb 19, 2023 10:17 am
Forum: Naval History in General
Topic: Design "feature" of R-class
Replies: 87
Views: 84628

Re: Design "feature" of R-class

Gentlemen,
If you had to choose between a rebuilt QE or the later 'R' class. which on would you pick as it seems that the 'R' was slower but a bit better protected but the later QE's had better main gun elevation?
by paul.mercer
Wed Feb 08, 2023 10:25 am
Forum: Naval History in General
Topic: Design "feature" of R-class
Replies: 87
Views: 84628

Re: Design "feature" of R-class

Thanks Thorsten, that's very helpful. I still like the old QE's though!
by paul.mercer
Tue Feb 07, 2023 10:28 am
Forum: Naval History in General
Topic: Design "feature" of R-class
Replies: 87
Views: 84628

Re: Design "feature" of R-class

...that Warspite in her original form took one hell of a lot of punishment at Jutland after her rudder jammed but still survived... as far as I know 13 major hits but only one 12" hit the 520 lb main belt (penetration) and detonated behind armour in unknown location(for me).... that means: mai...
by paul.mercer
Fri Feb 03, 2023 10:58 am
Forum: Naval History in General
Topic: Design "feature" of R-class
Replies: 87
Views: 84628

Re: Design "feature" of R-class

Another double post, must keep fingers off mouse!
by paul.mercer
Fri Feb 03, 2023 10:56 am
Forum: Naval History in General
Topic: Design "feature" of R-class
Replies: 87
Views: 84628

Re: Design "feature" of R-class

Gentlemen, I admit I do have a soft spot for the QE's, my father served on both QE and Valiant in the early 30's first as a Midshipman and later as a Lieutenant and I still have some of the photos he took at the time (somewhere!) While I bow to everyone's superior knowledge of the armour layout etc,...