Battleship Showdown, the Final Match


  • I know the Duke of York and Bismarck got much love in the previous round. The overall results led to these two ships. Who will win?

  • Liaison TripleA '11 '10

    In terms of straight up Battlehip vs Battleship.

    The Yamato!

    It’s guns are unmatched.  with 3km longer range.

    it actually took the form of nine 46 cm/45 caliber (18.1 in) guns—the largest guns ever fitted to a warship[11]—mounted in three 3-gun turrets, each of which weighed 2,774 metric tons.[57] Each gun was 21.13 metres (69.3 ft) long and weighed 147.3 metric tons (145.0 long tons).[58] High-explosive armour-piercing shells were used which were capable of being fired 42.0 kilometres (26.1 mi) at a rate of 1½ to 2 per minute.

    POW!

    It’s armor Plating was also much BETTER than the Missouri,  though the missouri had a top speed 6 knots higher.  Irrelevant, if you can’t get in range without getting wasted.


  • @ABWorsham:

    I know the Duke of York and Bismarck got much love in the previous round. The overall results led to these two ships. Who will win?

    Uh…so are we going to do a consolation round with the Duck and the Mark?  Or are we doing Yamato vs. Missouri?  :wink:

    Oops, nevermind, I see th poll now…


  • @Gargantua:

    In terms of straight up Battlehip vs Battleship.

    The Yamato!

    It’s guns are unmatched.   with 3km longer range.

    Whoa!  :-o  Let’s at least review the contenders and conditions before jumping to hasty conclusions.

    The Yamato’s guns are impressive and deadly, but they had some problems as well when comparisions are made:
    1.  The material I’ve read points out that the Yamato’s guns had one major shortcoming–the projectile.  In particular they had a very long delay fuse that wasn’t very reliable.  Chances are they won’t detonate.   
    2.  By contrast the US armour piercing round was superb, the best available at the time.  This essentially eliminates the gap between bore sizes.
    3.  Doesn’t matter what your range is if you can’t put the rounds on target.  And this is one of the primary difficulties in evaluating these two opponents.

    It’s armor Plating was also much BETTER than the Missouri, � though the missouri had a top speed 6 knots higher. � Irrelevant, if you can’t get in range without getting wasted.

    Thicker, but not necessarily better.  The Japanese were using WWI era plate technology for their WWII build.  U.S. plate was state of the art for WWII.  Again, the devil is in the details.

    The boat I would be worried about getting into effective range is not the Missouri, but the Yamato.  She isn’t going to be able to hit the Missouri even at the Missouri’s effective range (radar targeting and tracking of the shell splashes combined with what was probably the best analog computer of the time.)  So the extra range is wasted.  It would be great against stationary targets that will wait for you to hit them, but not vs. a fast battleship that can maneouver and maintain a firing solution against you while doing so…

    Yamato has some unmentioned advantages as well…these are pivotal to how I would employ the big girl.

    That said, I’m not pronouncing a winner at this time, merely setting the stage for the duel.  Let’s review the boats, then I’ll suggest a way for fighting as each of them.  Let the chips fall where they may.


  • It’s guns are unmatched.  with 3km longer range.

    Yes and in order to acquire that range it required an aircraft to spot the target and that means very flaky fire control.The reason was the range was past the horizon and no visual contact could be made. It never once even attempted to target at the maximum range and the score % of a hit had to be abysmal.

    Missouri had superior fire control in addition to proper radar.


  • First, let’s review the scenario:

    From ABWorsham’s original listing of the contenders:

    Let’s say for contest infomation, the showdown will take play in Caribbean. Ships will start 35 miles apart and can use all technologly at hand, for example Radar.

    I’ll expand on this somewhat.  Whether the battle is fought at night or in the day could make a big difference.  My opinion is that the vastly superior radar of the Missouri makes a daylight contest the most equal.  At night the Yamato might as well be a boxer blindfolded in the ring against an opponent of similar (if not equal) physical strength.  The Imperial Japanese Navy had excellent night fighting skills, but this was due to employing the best torpedoes in the world (a weapon of destroyers and cruiser, not BB’s.)  Their nightfighting prowess did not lie in long range gun duels where they performed surprisingly poorly.  Without radar, nightfighting would likely favor the IJN substantially, with radar it favors the USN heavily.

    Now if I were in the Missouri, and detected the Yamato within a few hours of sunset (assume they both find the other at the same time), I would maintain the separation until night fall–and the relative speed of the Missouri would make that a trivial effort.  Radar gunnery will own the night.

    So let’s also say that the battle begins at dawn of sometime before late afternoon so that the battle occurs primarily during daylight hours.

    We are in the Caribbean, and I’ll assume no hurricanes.  Let’s forecast relatively mild seas and pleasant weather with nothing more than spotty clouds or localized rain–ideal for long range gunnery.

    Let’s also assume no major land features close to either ship for simplicity’s sake.

    Next up, what time period?

    The USS Missouri was commissioned in June of 1944, but didn’t really arrive on station of active engagement until Jan/Feb of 1945.  The Yamato was lost in April of 1945.  Let’s use Feb. of 1945 as the time slice.  Whatever tech/configuration the boats had then should be the basis.

    As for crew characteristics, let’s consider them good examples of the strengths and systematic weaknesses of each nation’s navies–not exaggerated caricatures, but representative of good quality crews for each.

  • Liaison TripleA '11 '10

    Well said Harvest, and I like the scenario you are presenting…  However there is a serious counterpoint.

    There are WELL DOCUMENTED historical fatal flaws in the American intelligence available at the time specific to the Yamato.

    For example they -assumed- the guns were 16.1 inch, NOT 18.1 inch.

    The “intelligence” was so poor and “wide spread” that people today still believe this same mis-information.

    THUS TO MY POINT! OF FURTHER AMERICAN MIS-INFORMATION!  Which is definetely a tangebile topic of discussion.

    THE YAMATO HAD RADAR!

    http://www.kbismarck.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=1737


  • The Yamato had radar, but it was not used for targeting, but for shorter range detection.  It was rudimentary even compared to the other WWII powers (longer wavelength IIRC, lacking resolution.)  The USN skippers picked up on this lack of radar targeting during earlier engagements at night between BB’s.  Their after action reports illustrated this. And the early US radar had issues with background effects from islands and such (see “Battle of the Pips” during the Aleutians campaign for an example, as well as several others.)  But by the time of the Missouri, the radar targeting had become quite good and was coupled with a state of the art analog targeting computer that could maintain a solution during turns!  The generations of radar were close together.  U.S. BB’s were getting 1st salvo hits at 15 miles by this stage of the war.  They were doing adjustments based on the splashes of projectiles relative to the target.  It isn’t just the components, it is the quality of each and how they are integrated into the battle package.  (For a counterpoint, see the Japanese surface launched torpedo for an example of how they excelled with deadly tactical employment of a higher performance tech they developed.  This cost the allies heavily in early surface engagements.)

    The Yamato had at least one advantage in this scenario, and I will get to that tomorrow…

    p.s.  Japanese pilots had radio too…Saburo Sakai (Japan’s highest scoring surviving fighter ace) had some words about that.  They didn’t work worth a darn.  Pilots were using visual signals as their primary means of comminicating with one another inflight because of the unreliable radio sets.  The irony of this is that Japanese transistor radios would revolutionize the electronics industry a few decades later.


  • @Red:

    Thicker, but not necessarily better.  The Japanese were using WWI era plate technology for their WWII build.  U.S. plate was state of the art for WWII.Â

    Yes indeed.  In terms of both their armour and their 18-inch shell design, the Yamato class battleships illustrated the design principle of “more of the same is better”, which isn’t always true.  The armour on the Iowa class battleships was more sophisticated than that of the Yamato in both composition (notably the Class A armour component of the main belt) and layout.  Also, the Yamato’s main armour belt suffered from the problem that Japanese industry couldn’t produce single armour plates of the required thickness, so they had to use double layers which were not as effective as a single layer of the same total thickness would have been.

    As for the shells for the main guns, the 16" Iowa-class shells were indeed of a smaller caliber than the 18" Yamato-class shells, but they were a more heavyweight design; the weight difference between the American shells and the Japanese ones wasn’t as big as the caliber difference would imply.  Also, the Iowa class main guns had a length of 50 calibers, whereas those of the Yamato class were (as I recall) 45 calibers in length.  This gave the American 16" shells a higher muzzle velocity.  If I remember correctly, the comparative tables included in the classic books by Garzke and Dulin on WWII battleships conclude that the American 16" shells had a penetration performace that wasn’t all that different from that of the larger 18" Japanese shells.


  • The Yamato had radar, but it was not used for targeting, but for shorter range detection.

    exactly. The radar was for only establishing range. The Missouri had radar for fire control which was a substantial tech development.


  • I’m sorry but the missouri dosn’t really stand a chance here. The yamato out ranges her and has thicker armour plating, the things that are really going to count in a ship to ship contest. Red Harvest, its intresting that the Yamato had some issues with its projectile fuses, but if the fuses were that much of an issue then the Yamato wouldnt have made it through all of its previous rounds as its faulty projectiles wouldn’t have done any damage to its previous opponents either. So for the sake of this lets assume that its projectiles arent faulty.


  • @Clyde85:

    I’m sorry but the missouri dosn’t really stand a chance here. The yamato out ranges her and has thicker armour plating, the things that are really going to count in a ship to ship contest. Red Harvest, its intresting that the Yamato had some issues with its projectile fuses, but if the fuses were that much of an issue then the Yamato wouldnt have made it through all of its previous rounds as its faulty projectiles wouldn’t have done any damage to its previous opponents either. So for the sake of this lets assume that its projectiles arent faulty.

    I disagree for several reasons.  Range is irrelevant if you can’t hit the target, but your target can hit you.  And there is a substantial difference here.  Secondly, having large caliber shells hitting is still a problem for the target even if they don’t detonate.  The difference is that when they detonate properly a single hit can prove fatal (see the Hood.)  So in comparing these one must consider the probability of proper detonation.  It would be wrong to assume that all are faulty, but it would be equally wrong to assume that they work 100% of the time.  It’s more qualitative than quantitative.  It seems foolhardy to base the outcome purely on the size of the gun and/or armour without considering the quality of the projectiles, the fire control, damage control or speed.  Battleships were fighting packages, not stationary gun mounts.

    In previous match ups the quality of the projectiles wasn’t an issue for the Yamato as the opponents were completely outmatched.  (It was however decisive for Jean Bart/Richelieu as the propellant and projectile had the worst problems of all the contenders.)  The Yamato’s prior foes didn’t have any offsetting advantages to compensate.  What makes this final round interesting is that both of the contestants have various aspects that compensate to a degree from other disadvantages they may have.

    This sort of match up is close enough that there are specific strategies that could decisively skew the probability of a win.  In real life I see a meeting of these two as coming down to “quirks” rather than a specific decisive advantage for either.  The more shells one lands on target, the greater chance that some quirk of the design/range etc. will produce a decisive outcome.  But there is no guarrantee  It might be something simple like knocking out radar, bending a screw, jamming the rudder, starting a fire in some secondary guns, knocking out the optical fire direction, etc. that tips the balance.


  • Let’s review the specs…

    IJN Yamato (1945)
    62,300  tons
    863 ft long
    127-1/2 ft beam
    36 ft draught
    12 boilers driving 4 steam turbines, 4 three blade props
    Speed = 27 knots
    2500-2800 crew

    Armament:
    Nine 18.1" guns in two forward, one aft turret (45 caliber throwing a 3200 lb AP shell at 2559 ft/sec out to 45, 960 yards at 45 degrees elevation)
    Six 6.1" guns in two turrets (forward and aft)
    Twenty-four 5" guns
    Many smaller caliber anti-aircraft guns
    No torpedoes

    Armour:
    26" main turret face
    16" primary belt
    7.9" deck
    WWI era armour composition (non-cemented Vickers hardened)
    Good anti-torpedo bulges/blisters/compartments

    Aircraft:
    Four Aichi E13A seaplanes (230 mph, 1 rear facing 7.7 mm mg)
    & three F1M2 seaplanes for spotting (220 mph, two 7.7 forward firing mg’s, 1 rear facing 7.7 mm mg.)

    Other:
    Main battery control optics had 15 meter base length.
    10 cm wavelength radar, 2 kW output
    Tactical diameter (turning circle) 640 meters.
    IJN’s damage control was poor compared to other major navies

    USS Missouri (1945)
    48,100 tons
    867 ft long
    108 ft beam
    36 ft draught
    8 boilers, 4 shaft turbines
    Speed = 33 knots/hr
    1921 man crew (~2700 in 1945)

    Armament
    Nine 16" guns in two forward, one aft turret (50 caliber throwing a 2700 lb APC shell at 2500 ft/sec out to 42,345 yards at 45 degrees elevation)
    Twenty 5" guns
    Many smaller caliber anti-aircraft guns
    No torpedoes

    Armour:
    19.7" main turret face
    12.1" primary belt
    7.5" deck
    Special treatment steel, face hardened

    Other:
    Main battery control optics had 13.5 meter base length.
    Ford Mark 8 Range keeper analog fire control computer for main guns
    Radar fire control (blindfire) including maintaining solution during radical manoeuvers
    3 cm radar, 50 kW output
    Main gun elevation rate 12 degrees/sec
    Questionable anti-torpedo protection
    Tactical diameter (turning circle) 744 meters
    USN’s damage control was excellent

    Aircraft:
    Three-OS2U Kingfisher seaplanes (164 mph, two 7.62 mm machine guns)


  • Now that the contestants have been fully introduced and the setting reviewed, the time has arrived for each of us to explain how we think the engagement might unfold.  I’ll expand on this tomorrow but this is my summary of concerns/ideas:
    1.  The Missouri will win the fight if she can keep the fight “over the visual horizon.”  The reason is radar fire control and blindfire capability that the Yamato is completely lacking. 
    2.  The Missouri has a 6 knot speed advantage and therefore can maintain separation.
    3.  Extreme range favors the Missouri’s APC round in penetrating the thick deck armour of the Yamato.
    4.  Missouri can maintain firing solutions during radical manoeuvers, the Yamato cannot.  (Lack of gyro stabilization for the Yamato’s system will impact her gunnery.)
    5.  The Yamato has heavy enough guns that if she can find the target, she will soon cause severe damage.
    6.  The broad beam of the Yamato makes her a more stable firing platform.
    7.  If the Yamato can knock out the delicate radar, the Missouri will be in serious trouble.
    8.  Yamato will gain “air supremacy” and be able to use radio controlled spotting through its aircraft–it is slower and probably less reliable than radar fire control, but it helps.
    9.  Yamato has an excellent turning radius and will need to “chase the splashes” to avoid taking hits…but in so doing loses her offensive punch.
    10.  It will take a lot of hits on the Yamato before critical damage can be expected.
    11.  Yamato will have to use evasive movements while at the same time trying to close the distance to ~25,000 yards where her gunnery can be effective.  No easy task against an opponent with a massive speed advantage.
    12.  The one plus side for Yamato in pursuit vs. Missouri in “maintain separation” mode is that Japanese BB will at times have 2 forward turrets in action against only a single rear facing turret.  However the speed differential is such that the Missouri will often have all three turrets in action.
    13.  If the fight is still going on and the range closes to about 15,000 yards the 6.1" cruiser guns on the Yamato can start pouring in effective fire as well–sufficient to knock out secondary systems.

  • Liaison TripleA '11 '10

    SO when it’s all said and done…  This comes down to chance?

    we’re thinking 60% Yamato

    You’re thinking 60%+ Missouri?

    A lucky shot for either is going to be bad.  That said, the Yamato can take a bit more of beating.

    Shall we roll dice? LOL…  Missouri @ 4, with 2 hits,  Yamato @ 3 with 3 hits?


  • Get the Naval Mini’s out and see what happens

    U.S.A. all the way!

  • Liaison TripleA '11 '10

    U.S.A. all the way!

    I think that’s the biggest part of this problem.  There’s even historical basis for this, the facts and abilities of the Yamato are underepresented, and overlooked.  The sheer bulk of the ship, the lack of over technical parts prone to failure, the beating it can take, the stability, the vastly superior optics.

    The Americans didn’t even know what they were fighting, that’s what’s going to tip the scales in the Yam’s favour.

    After-all this is going to take place in the carribean, anything can happen, and the Japanese don’t care if they get killed, so long as they kill Americans.

    Got to be DICE!


  • There’s even historical basis for this, the facts and abilities of the Yamato are underepresented, and overlooked.

    What is in Missouri favor is superior technology, which can discount the “size” issue of Yamato. The longer range guns require air spotters to even utilize the longer range, plus the Japanese technology for its ‘radar’ and fire control are inferior.


  • @Gargantua:

    There’s even historical basis for this, the facts and abilities of the Yamato are underepresented, and overlooked.

    From what I’ve seen of axis comments the exact opposite is true.

    The extra range is worthless because it is over the visual horizon of those fine optics.  Aircraft spotting over the horizon will work against stationary targets or ones that maintain an even course and speed (assuming you don’t have to maneouver), but it won’t work in this scenario.  And the optics are mated to a much inferior fire control system even when radar is removed from the equation.  Yamato is firing her guns without knowing the exact roll.  Good luck hitting a moving, course changing target something like a minute away flight time firing blind when you can’t even be certain of your own angular elevation.  (Buy some lotto tickets while you are it.)  You will expend all of your ammo for nothing.

    Besides, she probably wouldn’t even make it to the Caribbean because she couldn’t fit through the canal!  :evil:


  • Outside of 25,000 yards and over the horizon the Missouri can connect with its state of the art radar fire control.  If the battle is fought at this range the Yamato is not going to score hits and that infernal radar will remain intact.  (Ditto for a night battle, so 12 hours out of a given day, the Yamato loses.)  At extreme range the worst the Missouri can do is a draw.

    Here is how I would try to use the Yamato to advantage:

    I would launch my full complement of aircraft, gaining air superiority for gunnery spotting.  I would push the BB’s powerplant for every bit of speed it could muster and head directly for the Missouri.  My objective would be to close within 25,000 yards where my optics based gunnery should be sufficient to score hits on the USN BB.

    The problem is that the Missouri’s skipper isn’t going to sit there waiting for me to close the range.  He’s going to be firing even outside my visual range, perhaps with broadsides.  This is where my aircraft help.  I will have them announce each salvo so that I can perform a prompt heading change each time.  There is sufficient travel time at long range for this to be effective.  This is costly though as it reduces closure speed toward the enemy.  The alternative would be to head straight in without evading…but I don’t think Yamato’s decks, fire control, and the like will survive the punishing 2700 lb APC rounds falling from steep angles.

    As my opponent begins to appear on the horizon I’ll begin firing my forward guns, attempting to time the salvos to just before the Missouri fires (this of course relies on timing the roll rate as well), then alter course again.  Hopefully, this will succeed in getting off a salvo 2 out of 3 times for every time the opponent fires.  It will also allow some honing of the aircraft assisted spotting.

    If I make it to 25,000 yards without suffering a critical hit, I will begin relying on a shallower approach angle, so that I can bring all three turrets to bear.  If I score a hit I will maintain course and fire rapidly, willing to take a hit while I have a good firing solution.  If I notice the opposing gunnery is becoming erratic I will assume that their fire control/radar is damaged, and I will stubbornly maintain course, firing broadsides.

    If somehow the fight continues without one of us suffering grievous harm, I will be trying to reach about 15,000 yards where my 6.1" light cruiser turrets should be reliably connecting.  The hope is that they will cause enough havoc to knock out some of the command and control or the 5" turrets.  At this range, I would expect the Yamato to have a decisive advantage from the main battery assuming my fire control is still essentially intact.

    If on my long approach the Missouri turns away, I’ll willingly exchange blows with my 2 forward turrets against her aft turret.

    Of course, the problem with this is that I don’t have the initiative, the commander of the Missouri does.  Having more advanced technology and a much faster ship gives the Missouri standoff capabilities.  Her skipper will dicatate what range the battle is fought at.

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