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1 on 1: Sharnhorst vs Rodney? My money is on Rodney!A personal view is that if the Germans had abandoned the B + T and instead had continued with the Scharnhorst design, one priceless advantage would have been the availability of another capital ships about 18 - 24 months earlier than the B + T. At a strategic level this would have given the RN a serious problem as only the Hood could really match them one to one, and that wasn't a sure thing by any means.
1 on 1: Sharnhorst vs Rodney? My money is on Rodney!
1 on 1: Gneisenau vs Nelson? My money is on Nelson!
Either of them (or follow-on class members) vs any KGV class battleship? My money is on the heavier ship with the heavier guns.
Either I have seriously misunderstood you, or I seriously disagree!
In theory. Theory doesn't fare well in contact with reality. Weather and sea state, proximity to shore, fuel stores all play havoc with theory.Scharnhorst will be able to engage and disengage from Nelson at will.
Guarding convoys is paramount; QE and R class dreadnaughts are adequate to protect convoys from surface raiders.So by 1940s a lot of the British big gun battleships are now very limited in their roles they can play.
Commerce Raiding was a principal task for S&G, when they weren't holed up in port repairing bomb damage.Scharnhorst as a commerce raider is a bit daft. A light cruiser can do that.
My question, as an member of this aviation forum, what's the aircraft connection?
Or can we just start posting about anything that's painted grey, olive, khaki, or camo? I'll go next, who had the best TP in WW2? GERMAN ARMY ISSUE TOILET PAPER | Spandau Militaria Shop
Or.... we could post topics unrelated to aviation in its proper place WW2 General
Yes, and that was my point, plus we had a little fun. No harm, imo.You do realize we have a NON AVIATION section, right? As well as an off-topic section...
Yes, and that was my point, plus we had a little fun. No harm, imo.
The very nature of the battlecruiser is to use your speed advantage to escape anything larger than itself. But then again, your last sentence applies to the entire German surface fleet, do not risk taking damage, so flee at every opportunity. Had Scharnhorst and Gneiseneau been upgunned in time for summer 1941, we could have seen Tirpitz, Bismarck, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, along one of the Deutschland class and Prinz Eugen sail together into the Atlantic. Now that would be a real nightmare to the RN, since they only have three KGV class and (without hindsight) Hood that have the speed and protection to fight such a force.My thinking is that the Scharnhorst wouldn't go anywhere near a Rodney, Nelson or even the Warspite or R class as she cannot afford to take any damage.
Since all this talk is about stuff occurring in the North Atlantic, this thread belongs in "Off Tropic", right?
Alright, is anybody going to up-pun me on this?
It would be a fantastically strong force but it could lose Germany almost its whole navy in a single action.The very nature of the battlecruiser is to use your speed advantage to escape anything larger than itself. But then again, your last sentence applies to the entire German surface fleet, do not risk taking damage, so flee at every opportunity. Had Scharnhorst and Gneiseneau been upgunned in time for summer 1941, we could have seen Tirpitz, Bismarck, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, along one of the Deutschland class and Prinz Eugen sail together into the Atlantic. Now that would be a real nightmare to the RN, since they only have three KGV class and (without hindsight) Hood that have the speed and protection to fight such a force.
You went there. I am honoured to have served with youSince all this talk is about stuff occurring in the North Atlantic, this thread belongs in "Off Tropic", right?
Alright, is anybody going to up-pun me on this?
If carefully planned, it could be made to occur in a U-Boat killing field.It would be a fantastically strong force but it could lose Germany almost its whole navy in a single action.
Seriously?1 on 1: Sharnhorst vs Rodney? My money is on Rodney!
1 on 1: Gneisenau vs Nelson? My money is on Nelson!
Either of them (or follow-on class members) vs any KGV class battleship? My money is on the heavier ship with the heavier guns.
Either I have seriously misunderstood you, or I seriously disagree!
If everything goes to plan. Bismarck was severely damaged by three hits buy shell fire and then crippled by two torpedo hits. Almost all the others were damaged by mines and torpedoes. The problem for such an ambush out in mid Atlantic is where do they withdraw for repairs or to refuel, the Channel dash happened because Brest and St Nazaire were getting unsafe. If all of that lot were damaged at the same time, where would they all go?If carefully planned, it could be made to occur in a U-Boat killing field.