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"Which battleship was the best one out there?" Topic


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Tango01 Supporting Member of TMP04 Dec 2017 9:12 p.m. PST

"That's a really good question. For the purposes of this discussion, we're going to actually award not one, but four prizes:

HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION
BEST ALL-AROUND SHIP, and
BEST ALL-AROUND TREATY BATTLESHIP

The HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION title goes to the ship who can step into the ring and go toe-to-toe, one-on-one with any other guy, at whatever range, and have the best chance of winning. In other words, anti-aircraft and secondary armament and all that foo-foo stuff will be considered irrelevant. In principle, any ship of the seven presented here are candidates, however, the smart money is on either Yamato or Iowa…"
Main page
link

Amicalement
Armand

StarCruiser05 Dec 2017 8:14 a.m. PST

Iowa class – hands down. Guns and armor are not the only thing that matters in an effective design.

This article has been around for years (Combined Fleet is an older site).

ScottWashburn Sponsoring Member of TMP05 Dec 2017 10:42 a.m. PST

Yup, the Iowas were probably the best. The combination of speed, armor, and hitting power made them the ultimate superdreadnoughts.

Tango01 Supporting Member of TMP05 Dec 2017 11:56 a.m. PST

AGree!


Amicalement
Armand

Bob the Temple Builder05 Dec 2017 12:59 p.m. PST

HMS Vanguard. More seaworthy than the Iowas … even if her armament was second-hand.

Joes Shop Supporting Member of TMP05 Dec 2017 2:01 p.m. PST

Iowa class.

goragrad05 Dec 2017 2:01 p.m. PST

A bit of bias built into those ratings.

If all of the battleships had served in the Pacific in 1945 I think you'd find that several of them would have had significant changes to their AS suites.

Similarly with FC and radar – 1941 Bismark vs 1945 Iowa…

Mollinary05 Dec 2017 3:08 p.m. PST

Well, what a pointless discussion. The last battleships, produced by the nation with the most resources, are the best. Wow, what a surprise! They have better AA protection than ships designed before aircraft were a significant threat -who would have guessed? No mention then for the Queen Elizabeth Class, built 1914-15, in service until the end of WW2? HMS Warspite, best value for money?

Blutarski05 Dec 2017 6:32 p.m. PST

An exercise in futility, as conclusively demonstrated by the endless succession of hyperbolic debates that have graced the Navweaps Battleship versus Bttleship website over the years.

Strictly my opinion, of course.

B

14th NJ Vol06 Dec 2017 7:15 a.m. PST

Bob the Temple Builder:
How were the Iowa class less sea worthy than HMS Vanguard? I never read the Iowa's having any seakeeping issues?

Captain Gideon06 Dec 2017 8:56 a.m. PST

Regardless of what some would say I'll take the Yamato.

goragrad06 Dec 2017 3:14 p.m. PST

As to the Vanguard, Breyer in Battleships and Battlecruisers noted a post-war anecdote of an Iowa and the Vanguard on a joint exercise where in heavy seas the Iowa was rolling significantly more than the Vanguard.

Don't have the book to hand to give the numbers.

daler240D08 Dec 2017 10:46 a.m. PST

are you including the quality and training of the crew?

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