Hello everybody,
Alberto Virtuani wrote:@Sean: very interesting considerations, however the 18 km distance of Hood from BS at 6:00 is not realistic.
We know PoW was firing her 13th salvo from 16450 yards distance (15041 meters) from BS hitting her . This happened just before Hood blew up.
How can the distance between Hood and BS at 6:00 be much more than this ?
Bye, Alberto
You are correct Alberto.
Both PoW and Prinz Eugen gunnery reports, associated to their own maps provide good enough data to reproduce the battle track.
Once correct speed's and Bismarck plus Hood are placed aside PG and PoW the map is done with no big difficulties.
Dave Saxton way to proceed is correct and my recent map does have just minor ( speed ) adjustment compared to the one he is using.
Than I placed the Norfolk track in there with no difficulties, bearing 276 ( 96 ) from PG and 18 from PoW at 05.35.
5 minutes at 30 knots course 240 until 05.40.
15 minutes at 30 knots on course 220 until 05.55.
5 minutes at 30 knots on course 270 until 06.00.
The result is the Diagram B attached to ADM 116/4351 on the Hood First Board of Inquiry on June 1941.
Norfolk was at 10 sea miles from Hood and 11 sea miles from Bismarck at 06.00.
It was average 13, 5 sea miles while on 220 during the 15 minutes parallel run from 05.40 until 05.55 and it was at 14,3 sea miles at 05.35.
PoW to PG at 05.35 is a bit more than 19 sea miles, while Hood to Bismarck at 05.43 is 17,5 sea miles distance, so Hood was correct and PoW underestimated the distance on her enemy report.
I know that on my map BS+PG run tracks versus Hood+PoW run tracks are a bit more distant than reality, .. and I choose 29 knots for Hood+PoW ( Rowell stated 28 as well as the board ) ... but that is ok, ... no big difference ... so I am on the safe side of criticism about willingness to bring everything as close as I can.
The result is only one, ... the Diagram B is correct ... and The Plot is an incorrect map.
Bye Antonio
In order to honor a soldier, we have to tell the truth about what happened over there. The whole, hard, cold truth. And until we do that, we dishonor her and every soldier who died, who gave their life for their country. ( Courage Under Fire )