Best naval fighter

[plan_D]

Well the Tipitz was taken out of the Atlantic occasion when the Commandos blew up Nazaire harbour.

The Hood blew up so dramatically because the Navy gunners stored cordite around the turret to increase fire rate but storing cordite around the turret is against Royal Navy regulations, even then, after the Battle of Jutland in World War 1. If they had kept it down below and kept the fire doors closed it wouldn't have been so bad, but in the heat of combat you want to be firing as much as possible, they were just unlucky.

The Bismarck was, to save argument, one of the greatest Battleships ever.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

The British were also terrified of the Tirpitz, Scharnhorst, Gneisnau, Graf Spee

why would we be skared of the Graf Spee, w bought it off them and it still had their latest RADAR onboard, bonus or what, and the two ships that were technically the biggest of the war, the japanese ones, can't remeber their names, are said to be the biggest sakrafice, they only carried enough fuel for a one way voyage.................

 

[plan_D]

We still had the largest navy in the world anyway. Plus the Bismarck badly damaged the Prince of Wales, a King George V class Battleship which was with the Hood at the time of its demise.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

the thing about the prince of whales was that it was still getting kitted out when it met the bismark, it still wasn't up to full armourment or armour, it went on to see servise in the pacific, where it was sunk in an air attack.............

 

[plan_D]

I read it got sunk by at least 5 Torpedos but they think it might have been 6. Which is pretty good for survival.

 

[Lightning Guy]

At the time of the Bismarck battle, the Prince of Wales was having serious trouble with he 14in guns. Nevertheless she severly damaged Bismarck with some shots that hit below the Bismarck's belt.

The Japanese ships were the Yamato and Musashi, 72,000 tons loaded and 18.1 in guns. At Okinawa, Yamato was carried only enough fuel for a one way mission because that was all the Japanese could scrap together, not because that was all she could carry.

 

[plan_D]

Bigger doesn't always mean better, but I think in terms balance the Bismarck had it. The Prince of Wales was not fully operational, and did have troubles but the fact is the rookie crew hit it, and took it out of the intial fight with the Bismarck.
It did rejoin as they hunted it towards France though. The only thing that stopped the Bismarck was the Swordfish striking its rudder.

 

[Lightning Guy]

No bigger doesn't mean better. The American Iowas were better than the Yamato and a better balanced ship that the Bismarck.

 

[plan_D]

The Bismarck one on one without aerial support on either side could probably match and beat them. Then again, as with aircraft it depends on the crew. The Bismarck crew were well trained but green.

 

[Lightning Guy]

Match at beat who, an Iowa? Not likely. Iowa - best battleship guns ever, better armor scheme that Bismarck, better shells, better fire control. One-on-one Iowa takes Bismarck.

 

[plan_D]

It only had an extra inch on its gun size and one extra gun. The 5 inch would not really make much difference as it would have had to get close for them. Plus the Bismarck had several 6 inch and 4 inch cannons if you wanted to bring the 5 inch into the equation.
It comes down to the luck of the day, and skill of the crew.

 

[plan_D]

The Bismarck also looks better...

 

[Lightning Guy]

I will agree on looks. To mean the German ships always looked, well, mean, which is how a warship should look.

Yes the Iowa only had a 1in advantage in shell diameter, but look at the stats. Iowa's shells were nearly 1,000lbs heavier than Bismarck's and that is a huge difference. That equates to a broadside salvo 10,000lbs heavier. A huge advatage to Iowa.

That being said, human skill and luck are probably the two most important factors in detemining the outcome of any battle in any arena. Still, Iowa was the better ship.

 

[plan_D]

Yes, I can't deny that. The Bismarck crew, I imagine would have seen more action if they both met, unless the Iowa was crewed with already veteran crew, I don't know.

 

[cheddar cheese]

best naval fighter has to be the zero 8)

 

[Lightning Guy]

I think somebody is just trying to get these threads back on topic. The Zero has got to rank behind the Hellcat, Corsair, Sea Fire, and Shiden.

 

[cheddar cheese]

i dont think so, the zero is a great plane 8)

 

[Lightning Guy]

Didn't say it wasn't, I simply said those others mentioned were better.

 

[cheddar cheese]

nah, the zero was consistently good throughout the war 8)

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

NOTHING, not even a shiden could out manouver a Zero, but to get that manouverability it had to give up allot of armourment and armour, not so good, but if it had both like the shiden, the americans wouldn't stand a chance..................