[Lonesome in Massachussets]

The Yamato was 65,027 tons displacement, with 460 mm (18.1") guns. It would have out gunned the Missouri 58,000 tons, 16" guns. The difference in caliber meant that the Yamato could have "stood off " from the Missouri and lobed shells with devastating effect.

The Missouri had radar assisted gun laying (mainly for ranging, the largest source of error in WW-II naval artillery), if she could have closed to 16" range in bad weather or at night, she could have probably bested the Yamato.

In the event, it was moot, as the Yamato was sunk by U.S. naval aircraft as soon as she put to sea. Some historians feel that she was on suicide mission; for the Yamato to have survived the war would have been a severe embarrassment for the Imperial Navy.

[COEXERJ145]

The Yamato was 65,027 tons displacement, with 460 mm (18.1") guns. It would have out gunned the Missouri 58,000 tons, 16" guns. The difference in caliber meant that the Yamato could have "stood off " from the Missouri and lobed shells with devastating effect.

The Iowa class weighted around 45,000 tons but in an emergency could be loaded up to 58,000 tons. At long range, the penetration power of the 16" and 18" shells was almost identical. Only at close range did the Yamato have the advantage. Since the Iowas could use its fire control radar to stay at long range and were 6+ knots faster, the odds would not favor the Yamato.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Speed advantage (and FUEL) (in open waters) was strongly with Iowa's: Since they were 6 knots faster, and with cleaner hulls (less seaweed from hull cleanings in our forward-deployed floating drydocks) she could get within 16" range fairly quickly.

The Yamato could get in few rounds at extreme range, but then after only a few shots the Iowa could begin shooting back - more accurately (radar fire control) and can control the remaining battle: closing if needed, staying within long 16" range, or opening out of 18" range depending on what happens.

AS always, its the first "effective" hit that matters. One shell (from either side) might take out an engine room, or a gun turret, or the bridge. Then, with that one blast the battle flips.

[longtermmemmory]

why would survival have been an embarrasment?

[nuke rocketeer]

Read the link I posted earlier. The throw weight of the Japanese 18" gun was virtually the same as the American 16". The maximum range was somewhat longer, but the accuracy would have made long range hits problematical and Japanese shells were known for a high dud percentage. In the final analysis, the Iowa ships would have used their superior speed to close to effective range and sunk the Yamato.

[Tallguy]

The Yamato was 65,027 tons displacement, with 460 mm (18.1") guns. It would have out gunned the Missouri 58,000 tons, 16" guns. The difference in caliber meant that the Yamato could have "stood off " from the Missouri and lobed shells with devastating effect.

Not so. There wasn't much difference in ballistics between the 16" (US) and 18.1" (JAP) caliber rounds. The 18-incher presumably would have hit harder, but if the IOWA got some hits in it would still have been devastating. The Washington & Tennessee proved that American radar-controlled gunnery was superior in the battleship clashes around Guadalcanal. The side that landed the first round was probably going to win. Given the radar advantage the percentages lay with the US BB's.