Hello everybody,
coming back to a more realistic (and hopefully productive) discussion, leaving back all the above fantasies:
Byron Angel wrote: " I would estimate that Bismarck straddled Hood by her third salvo and likely ultimately scored three or four hits"
The only sure hit was the one that caused the explosion. A straddle is reported atr the third salvo but no hit is reported by anyone until 05:57:30 (boat deck hit coming from Prinz Eugen), Briggs accounts for another hit on the spotting top (quite after the boat deck one) just before the explosion (I would say it's probable), Tilburn speaks about an explosion at the base of the fore superstructure just before the explosion (but this may have been the explosion of a ready-to use ammunition locker IMHO). I would say 2 hits (possibly 3) , but of course we will never know for sure.
Byron Angel wrote: "The more interesting comparison would be to compare the gunnery of the two ships between 0553 and 0602."
and this is exactly the interval defined by McMullen (
http://www.hmshood.org.uk/reference/off ... 09guns.htm)!
This is the PoW firing interval we are trying to compare, both in the "annoying table" (
download/file.php?id=3435) and in the following list of gunnery parameters.
Of course for Bismarck we have only a different 14 minutes interval (from 05:55 till 06:09) and we can compare these two intervals only with the available data, averaging figures and getting some interesting results however.
All the facts and the figures we can compare based on these intervals are listed here below (originally posted here
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8491&start=315#p82614) and nobody (except Mr.Jurens generic initial comment (
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8491&start=300#p82603) and Mr.Angel here above about the hits on Hood) has seriously commented on them, correcting me if needed and
acknowledging what cannot be countered.
1) PoW
actual RoF was very slightly better (
1.89 vs 1,85) than Bismarck (assuming 108 ordered shots for Bismarck, much better if less than 108).
2) PoW
output loss was larger than Bismarck's (
26% lost shots vs 14%) due to mechanical problems / human errors
3) PoW
effective RoF (
1,4-1,5) was slightly less than Bismarck's one (
1,6-1,65) but still in line with it (due to larger output loss).
4) PoW
effective # shells delivered / minute was clearly higher than Bismarck's (
7-7,4 vs 6,4-6,6).
5) PoW found her target before Bismarck, and
hit the enemy less minutes (
3) after having opened fire than Bismarck (
3.5-4)
6) PoW hit the enemy form a much
longer distance (from around
4000 yards more)
7) PoW was initially heavily handicapped by having only the fore turrets bearing for the first 8 salvos, and despite that, she hit first.
8) PoW hit only
3 times vs the
5 probable hits achieved by Bismarck, therefore her
hit rate was worse than Bismarck's
9) In addition Bismarck had to switch target (this had probably not much impact, but it has to be kept into account). PoW had no such a problem.
10) No ship was able to hit enemy when maneuvering in emergency (PoW turned however 20° to port without affecting much the gunnery).
11) The 3 hits of PoW inflicted more serious damages to BS than vice-versa (while BS was devastating against Hood).
Does anyone feels necessary to add/correct/remove any of the above ? Please, one point at a time, to have a productive discussion, not mixing anything together...
Bye, Alberto