Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: FreedomPoster

No, I think you're wrong. If you put an Iowa up against the Yamato, the Iowa would have come off the champ. The Yamato was poorly constructed, it was slow, it had difficulties in seakeeping and was not an efficient use of resources. It was, in effect, merely a barge made to drag along big guns which never did any serious harm to anyone. It was a testament to Japanese pride and not so much a viable weapon of war.

That guy's contention was that because the biggest battleship in the world was vulnerable, all of them were. And perhaps they were, but to varying degrees. That vulnerability was subject to many different variables such as the proficiency of damage control parties, damage control equipment, spacing of machinery, armor belt, quality of steel, reserve bouyancy, etc.

The Yamato was not so much a batllehsip as a monument and that's why it was a non-factor in the war.


207 posted on 04/15/2005 8:55:42 AM PDT by Wombat101 (Sanitized for YOUR protection....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 198 | View Replies ]


To: Wombat101

The Yamato's guns though bigger had a much slower rate of fire. The Iowa's guns had near equal armor penetration power, better radar control and could unleash two rounds per minute as opposed to one round every two minutes.

Yamato at 6 knots slower could not manuever as fast and is easier to hit.


216 posted on 04/15/2005 9:02:55 AM PDT by DarthVader (Liberal Democrat = Fat, drunk and stupid is a hell of a way to go through life)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 207 | View Replies ]

To: Wombat101

The Yamato which was flagship of the Combined Fleet for most of the war was referred to "as a floating hotel for idle inept admirals" by many Japanese line officers during the war.


220 posted on 04/15/2005 9:10:05 AM PDT by DarthVader (Liberal Democrat = Fat, drunk and stupid is a hell of a way to go through life)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 207 | View Replies ]

To: Wombat101
Let's try this again.

I grant all your points (regarding superiority of Iowas over Yamatos); minor quibbles over relative technical minutia don't change the vulnerability of tube-based naval firepower, compared to the standoff capability of a carrier.

231 posted on 04/15/2005 10:00:13 AM PDT by FreedomPoster (Official Ruling Class Oligarch Oppressor)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 207 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson