Posted on 10/08/2021 7:52:36 AM PDT by Onthebrink
We need to watch out for Tic Toc more than UFO tick tacks
In other words, about average for '19FortyFive'.
As for rules of engagement and the type of aircraft involved, keep in mind that Mitchell's crews weren't allowed to drop aerial torpedoes.
Even before George Kenney adopted the British and German technique of skip-bombing, the aircraft showed its effectiveness against a ship.
Quite true. Moreover, when a large, organized force of gunships approach, carriers must flee. At close quarters, gunships beat carriers because carriers have minimal guns and need security and hundreds of miles of maneuvering room to launch and retrieve aircraft, their main weapon system.
Aka the Battle of Leyte Gulf
The only thing that save the carriers was the unbelievable courage of the destroyers and destroyer escort crews and the miscalculation of the Japanese Admiral.
True...but not sure how a hypersonic cruiser with a small suitcase nuke(or a mini MOAB) would do.
I don’t think she ever engaged a Panzer unit but the story is still pretty interesting.
https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/uss-texas-flooded-on-purpose/
OSTFRIESLAND was also anchored, had no AA defenses, and no damage control.
Conceptually the heyday of the armored battleship was over, but as these things go, weapons systems buy a couple more decades after a few upgrades and some mission changes.
What really killed the Battleship was the anti-ship missile which could kill over-the-horizon and be mounted on unarmoured destroyers & light cruisers that were far more economical.
They sure came in handy while island hopping towards Japan. Iwo Jima Okinawa etc
I think they meant both 230lb and 600lb bombs were dropped. not 230 600lb bombs...
Practically any time a Battleship came in for a refit during WW2 they were increasing the AA armament. It was a case of “never enough.”
Nothing is unsinkable.
American criticism of Kurita's conduct may also reflect our assessment of a loss of the transports as the greatest danger to the US invasion of the Philippines, while the Japanese conceived of the battle as a chance to deliver a devastating blow to the American main fleet carriers and thereby delay or avert the US invasion of Japan.
Very true even for non capital ships like destroyers. But the learning curve didn't really cut in until 1943.
Later in the war, particularly as kamikaze attacks became prevalent, the navy found that 20mm was too lightweight also and the upgrades to 40mm quad mounts for knockout power were extensive.
Still, the biggest gamechanger in shipboard AA was the proximity fuze. No direct hit needed for a kill.
And within sight of a barbarian shore, they cut a fabulous figure.
It was suicidal to send them out without air cover, but their Admiral thought destroyers with their (inadequate) AA was protection enough. When they reported being under attack, he called for more destoyers.
Torpedoes got 'em that time. The typical maneuver to avoid torpedoes was to "comb the wake" - turn in the direction the torpedoes were coming from.
The Japanese Naval Air Arm were trained by the Brits and were crackerjacks. They launched their torpedoes from right-angle directions, so all the Brits could do was brace for impact.
[Sidebar] I always thought that those guys (especially the Marines**) were the unluckiest survivors of the war. First their ship was sunk, which usually meant rehab behind the lines, and instead they were in Singapore just in time for the surrender. Then they were put on the murderous "Bridge on the River Kwai" prisoner labor project.
** Their battle station were as below decks shell handlers. They didn't get the Abandon Ship command as the communication system was out. One of the Prince of Wales guys said he got out before she capsized because he looked up the shaft and saw that no one was unloading the shells they sent up, so he and his buddies got out of Dodge FAST - and lived - just in time to be sent to the River Kwai.
I don’t remember which book I read but it happened. A battleship fired on a Panzer unit, destroying it. And it was probably the USS Texas.
Oh? What vessel were you on, if you don’t mind my asking?
In the 20s, it wasn’t well understood yet, so all most ships mounted was 2-4 3” guns for AA work. Not well tested, but presumably about as effective as it sounds, even at the time.
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