Iowa Class Battleships and the 16" gun
- Thread starter archerynut
- Start date
Yes, they were.
IIRC the Musashi (Yamato's sister ship) took 17 bomb hits and 10 aerial torpedo hits before she finally sunk.
On the other hand, HIJMS Shinano (the third of the Yamato class before she was converted to an aircraft carrier) took 4 submarine torpedoes from USS Archer-Fish (a Gato-class submarine) and sunk on her maiden voyage in 1944.
Those beasts were designed to slug it out with enemy ships of the same class and could take one helluva beating. They could also dish it out pretty good, too.
IIRC the standard for US battleships was one full broadside salvo every 30 seconds in WWII. With radar ranging for the guns, that meant that you got hit every 30 or so seconds. I wouldn't want to be on the ship on the receiving end!
USS Washington and USS South Dakota blew a Japanese fleet to the bottom of Ironbottom Sound in late 1942 off Guadalcanal. The Japanese ships were on their way to bombard Henderson Field on Guadalcanal when they were intercepted by Washington and South Dakota (btw, South Dakota had one of her 3 turrets out of commission). South Dakota was badly hit and retired from the scene, while Washinton fired 8 salvos at HIJMS Kirishima (Japanese battleship) and "reduced her to a wreck in a matter of minutes".
Yes, they were.
IIRC the Musashi (Yamato's sister ship) took 17 bomb hits and 10 aerial torpedo hits before she finally sunk.
On the other hand, HIJMS Shinano (the third of the Yamato class before she was converted to an aircraft carrier) took 4 submarine torpedoes from USS Archer-Fish (a Gato-class submarine) and sunk on her maiden voyage in 1944.
Those beasts were designed to slug it out with enemy ships of the same class and could take one helluva beating. They could also dish it out pretty good, too.
IIRC the standard for US battleships was one full broadside salvo every 30 seconds in WWII. With radar ranging for the guns, that meant that you got hit every 30 or so seconds. I wouldn't want to be on the ship on the receiving end!
USS Washington and USS South Dakota blew a Japanese fleet to the bottom of Ironbottom Sound in late 1942 off Guadalcanal. The Japanese ships were on their way to bombard Henderson Field on Guadalcanal when they were intercepted by Washington and South Dakota (btw, South Dakota had one of her 3 turrets out of commission). South Dakota was badly hit and retired from the scene, while Washinton fired 8 salvos at HIJMS Kirishima (Japanese battleship) and "reduced her to a wreck in a matter of minutes".
i read that book "battleship at war the story of the washington".it was a great book that interviewed a lot of veterans from that ship.the south dakota blamed washington for the pounding it took during the ironbottom sound fight that sank the kirishima.SD said that washington actually fired on them -- so washington called the SD the "$hitty $ick" after that.
i have visited the new jersey in camden new jersey and the north carolina in wilmington north carolina.i enjoyed the NC better 'cause it was a self guided tour.the NJ is guided so you're led around by guides--veterans and guys who maintain and help fund the ship...
p.s. the NC is supposed to be haunted...
- Location
- Southern Vancouver Island
Although these ships were heavy duty fighters, and packed one heluva punch with their
main guns, aerial bombing along with torpedo assault quickly put these big boys out to
pasture.
The aircraft carrier fleets dominated the main battles of the wars back then, and mostly still do.
Big battleships, beautiful as they were, just are not quantifiable in today's theater of war.
To top it off, supercavitating torpedoes like the Shkval II will easily take out a carrier fleet
with one shot.
Welcome to the future boys and girls......It sucks!
main guns, aerial bombing along with torpedo assault quickly put these big boys out to
pasture.
The aircraft carrier fleets dominated the main battles of the wars back then, and mostly still do.
Big battleships, beautiful as they were, just are not quantifiable in today's theater of war.
To top it off, supercavitating torpedoes like the Shkval II will easily take out a carrier fleet
with one shot.
Welcome to the future boys and girls......It sucks!
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But there have be some that were sunk by anywhere from one to 10 shells.
"...for a sea borne assault..." Not done any more. Think helicopters. In any case, years ago, the USN was going to put a small flight deck on one of their BB's for Harriers as I recall. It became too expensive to keep them in operation and the U.S. Boat People didn't have the trained and exprienced bodies to man 'em.
"...Yamato's sister ship was the Musashi...." Both of which were reduced to floating rubble by flying boat people.
"...Yamato's sister ship was the Musashi...." Both of which were reduced to floating rubble by flying boat people.
infideleggwelder
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
one(1) to sink Hood. broke into three pieces. only three survivors.
one torpedo made Bismarck unable to steer, then was just a matter of time.
one torpedo made Bismarck unable to steer, then was just a matter of time.
Took just ONE to sink the Hood.
Grizz
I had wanted to say that. But, after reading after action reports of the Battle of the Denmark Straight the Hood took from what I can decipher 4 hits.
Then it took the hit that penetrated the 4 inch magazine, causing a pillar of fire which spread to the 15 inch. This fire then most likely traveled through the fuel tanks to the forward 15" magazine.
My original comment was made in remarks to shredder's comments in post 63. He was giving facts of total number of hits that particular ships took before sinking. During the final battle, a total of 2,876 shells were fired at Bismarck from 0847-1019, most at relatively close ranges. During that time, it is possible that as many as 300-400 shells hit the Bismarck.
A good but long read can be found here.
lejarretnoir
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- 162km from Connaught
Battleships became obsolete during WWII. They make excellent bombing and torpedo targets.
Smaller, faster destroyers with missile capability and Phoenix type "Mini-Guns" make more sense, but in reality the submarines rule the seas now.
Smaller, faster destroyers with missile capability and Phoenix type "Mini-Guns" make more sense, but in reality the submarines rule the seas now.
kschneider
Regular
- Location
- southern ontario
The future of naval warfare. The Freedom class Littoral Combat Ship. Able to operate in shallow water at over 74kph. The U.S Navy's pirate hunters.
Taken in my hometown. The USS Fort Worth LCS 3. On her way to be commissioned in Texas.
USS Fort Worth in Lake Erie.
USS Freedom LCS1. Flagship of the Freedom Class of Littoral Combat Ships.
USS Independence LCS2
http://www.veledaiv.ca/u-s-pirate-hunting-ship-the-new-littoral-combat-ship-lcs-uss-independence/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LFzHhU-Rro
Taken in my hometown. The USS Fort Worth LCS 3. On her way to be commissioned in Texas.
USS Fort Worth in Lake Erie.
USS Freedom LCS1. Flagship of the Freedom Class of Littoral Combat Ships.
USS Independence LCS2
http://www.veledaiv.ca/u-s-pirate-hunting-ship-the-new-littoral-combat-ship-lcs-uss-independence/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LFzHhU-Rro
This is it: cost vs. benefit. The bombardment of a battle ship is still useful for shore targets if you can protect the ship from other threats.
As for aircraft carriers, they achieved supremacy in the age when there were no missiles, just as battleships had done in the age before aircraft and aircraft carriers. As we have not had a 1st level conflict that has demonstrated the vulnerability of a/c carriers to missiles and modern torpedoes, they still enjoy the status the battleship had before WWII.
As shown at Midway, even carriers at the height of their power were vulnerable if caught with their air cover busy elsewhere. In fact their lack of armour made them more vulnerable than battleships and heavy cruisers. That is why the USN adopted the armoured flight deck of the Royal Navy a/c carriers for example.
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The "future of naval warfare" is a pretty dim one if the LCS is to be taken as evidence of it. You might have been better served by posting pics of the Zumwalt class, at least in the spirit of the thread, firepower, and the evolution of the battleship.
