Nazi Germany's Battleship Bismarck vs. America's Iowa Class: Who Wins?

National Interest ^ | July 28, 2016 | Kyle Mizokami

[Coronal]

It was scuttled in the River Plate outside of Montevideo.

[DarthVader]

Not than the Montana class.

[DarthVader]

Not than the Montana class.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montana-class_battleship

[Coronal]

It was a piece of armor plating which had been intended for Yamato’s sister Shinano, but was discarded after the decision to convert her to a carrier. The Navy recovered it after the war.

[Enchante]

[MCF]

Yamato vs N.J.
http://9gag.com/gag/aeGzrZB/26-inch-thick-armor-from-japanese-yamato-class-battleship-pierced-by-a-us-navy-16-inch-gun

[MCF]

Fire control radar was a huge advantage. Look at what the West Virginia did at Leyte.

[NohSpinZone]

I know. I was joking.

[BlueLancer]

The "Imperial Japanese Navy" website Niahon Kaigun has a page where all of the major battleships from Germany, Japan, US, Britain, and Italy are compared for the Heavyweight, Middleweight, Best all-around Treaty Battleship, and Best all-around Battleship categories. Good stuff!

[GingisK]

Absolutely! Johnny Horton's captivated me through my childhood. Bismark was awesome.

This summer my wife and I went "North, to Alaska".

[laplata]

“Not than the Montana class”.

But they were never constructed.

Thank you for this information:

The Montana-class battleships of the United States Navy were planned as successors to the Iowa class, being slower but larger, better armored, and having superior firepower. Five were approved for construction during World War II, but changes in wartime building priorities resulted in their cancellation in favor of the Essex-class aircraft carriers and Iowa class before any Montana-class keels were laid.

[alfa6]

Combined Fleet page

http://www.combinedfleet.com/baddest.htm

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[alfa6]

Sorry meant to hit you for #72

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[knittnmom]

The rush is on!

Spent hours and hours listening to Johnny Horton, Tex Ritter, and the country greats when I was a kid. My "playlist" was a stack of vinyl albums.

[DarthVader]

I know but man they would have been something else especially with the 12 16 inch 50 cal guns that the Iowas had. With the radar control, heavier armor and weight of broadside they would have been frightening.

[Coronal]

Sometimes it’s hard to tell, with all of the nonsense BS floating around.

[Ingtar]

The Iowa should win, all other factors being equal. After all, the Iowa class was designed with the Bismarck battle as history and a source of data. However, the Bismarck took on the pride of the British navy, considered the best in the world at the time. The Radar and optical firing system proved incredibly accurate.

Both sides had design flaws. The British armor and powder room protection were inadequate on the Hood. The Bismarck, while able to withstand heavy fire, could not handle aircraft well at all. These problems were all taken into account for the Iowa design.

[xone]

The Bismark barely beat the HMS Hood

The Hood disappeared after being hit with one salvo, three survivors. Must be a new meaning to 'barely beat'. Bismarck annihilated the Hood.

[xone]

Thanks for that pic.

[NohSpinZone]

You’re right. The Prince of Wales did the real damage to the Bismarck, not Hood. Faulty recollection on my part!