Sealion II hits Yamato instead of Kongo
Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2014 11:39 pm
On November 21, 1944 Sealion II hit Kongo with 2 torpedoes of the 6-torpedoes salvo running at the depth 8 feet. Kongo sunk 3 hours later.
However, Kongo wasn’t alone there as Yamato, Nagato and smaller ships were also present.
Let’s assume that Yamato was a target of aforementioned salvo and:
• was hit with four torpedoes running at the same depth of 8 feet,
• distribution of hits: 1 - 25 meters (80 feet) from the bow, 2 - below of second turret of main artillery, 3 – in area of machinery plant, 4 – aft, behind the citadel, but without any direct damage to propellers, rudders etc.
Was there any chance that Yamato would be sunk in the result? She was giant, but her system of underwater protection was far from being perfect. In December 1943, Skate hit Yamato with one torpedo in place where her underwater protection system was widest, but she ended with 3000 tons of water in hull.
Kongo aggravated her damages while trying to run from pursuing Sealion II. I believe that Yamato would try (would have to try) to do the same. I assume however that there would be no additional hits for Sealion II as all Japanese ships would be protecting Yamato.
In my opinion there are 30% chances that Yamato would be sunk (Shinano was sunk after 4 torpedo hits, but she had untrained crew, was only partially completed and definitely not battle ready).
However Yamato wouldn’t be able to get to Japan with such damages (if she try, she would eventually sink on the way). Only way to save her would be decision to steer to Formosa/Taiwan. I don’t know however if was there any port with infrastructure necessary to conduct repairs of such scope on such a big ship. If not, for some time she would face similar fate to Takao’s in Singapore. However, sooner or later American aircraft carriers would destroy her.
However, Kongo wasn’t alone there as Yamato, Nagato and smaller ships were also present.
Let’s assume that Yamato was a target of aforementioned salvo and:
• was hit with four torpedoes running at the same depth of 8 feet,
• distribution of hits: 1 - 25 meters (80 feet) from the bow, 2 - below of second turret of main artillery, 3 – in area of machinery plant, 4 – aft, behind the citadel, but without any direct damage to propellers, rudders etc.
Was there any chance that Yamato would be sunk in the result? She was giant, but her system of underwater protection was far from being perfect. In December 1943, Skate hit Yamato with one torpedo in place where her underwater protection system was widest, but she ended with 3000 tons of water in hull.
Kongo aggravated her damages while trying to run from pursuing Sealion II. I believe that Yamato would try (would have to try) to do the same. I assume however that there would be no additional hits for Sealion II as all Japanese ships would be protecting Yamato.
In my opinion there are 30% chances that Yamato would be sunk (Shinano was sunk after 4 torpedo hits, but she had untrained crew, was only partially completed and definitely not battle ready).
However Yamato wouldn’t be able to get to Japan with such damages (if she try, she would eventually sink on the way). Only way to save her would be decision to steer to Formosa/Taiwan. I don’t know however if was there any port with infrastructure necessary to conduct repairs of such scope on such a big ship. If not, for some time she would face similar fate to Takao’s in Singapore. However, sooner or later American aircraft carriers would destroy her.