My top 5 WW2 Battleships what's yours ?

Kapitan · 04-29-19, 05:21 PM

Another opinion piece this time about the battleships my top 5 let's see if you agree or what would you make as a top 5 ?

https://www.immortalwordsmith.co.uk/...o-battleships/

Sailor Steve · 04-30-19, 01:57 AM

I've seen many such lists over the years, and in my own opinion it really comes down to nothing more than opinion.

How do you rate them? Looks? Power? Fulfillment of intended purpose? People have been arguing about this for more than seventy years, and nothing ever comes of it because as always everyone has what they think are good reasons for their picks, and the more the discussion goes on the more they are convinced they are right.

The same applies to questions of who had the best aircraft, the best submarines, the best tanks. The only reason battleships are different is that the groups tend to be very small. I used to compare ships to ancient Greek stories. The destroyers are like the common soldiers, there being many of them and while one or another sometimes stands out on the whole they are looked at as a group. The cruisers are the commanders. They end up being nameless in the stories but without them there would be no stories. The battleships are the heroes: Achilles, Hector, Odysseus, Paris. They are the big names, the men of prowess, the ones who when they win are heaped with glory and when they die their deaths are also big news. All that said, their only real purpose is to be the biggest and the best. They don't really further the outcome of the war and they aren't nearly as important as the news and the storytellers would make them out to be. That said, we're all suckers for the big story.

But that's just my opinion.

em2nought · 04-30-19, 04:13 AM

I've always found these to be attractive.

Jimbuna · 04-30-19, 05:03 AM

Yes, the Pagoda mast did make them look awesome back in the day

Taking onboard what Steve says has its merits but in order to answer the original question I would base my answer not on factors such as armament, armour thicknes, speed etc. but simply on what the vessel achieved in said career so IMHO the choice for me would definitely be Bismarck.

Commander Wallace · 05-01-19, 07:33 AM

^ I'm not so sure the Bismarck would be the top for me. The Bismarck was a fierce some vessel to be sure but also short lived when it finally did see action. As Steve said in his brief analysis, it really is hard to pick a ship as they all had their merits. Certainly speed, offensive capabilities, armour protection and longevity would be a likely place to establish a criteria. You said that as well, Jim. I have no doubt that had P.M. Winston Churchill not given the orders to ruthlessly hunt down Bismarck and destroy her, after the Hood was destroyed, Bismarck would have been the scourge of the Atlantic.

I always liked the Iowa class along with the Yamato. Again, that's just an opinion. The Yamoto took the biggest guns to sea at 9x18.1 inch guns and 12x 6.1 inch guns and other weapons, it was fierce some. With a max speed of about 27 knots, it was fast as well. I wouldn't have wanted to see Yamoto as an adversary.

Threadfin · 05-01-19, 09:15 AM

Iowa class, and for me it's not really close. If I have to pick a ship instead of a class I'll say New Jersey for reasons.

War is terrible, and the cost is severe. However, I will always wish that Bull hadn't run and Task Force 34 had indeed been waiting at the San Bernardino exit on the morning of October 25, 1944.

I suspect if it had, much of the debate of which battleship was superior would have been answered.

Threadfin · 05-04-19, 12:18 PM

A potentially interesting, but ultimately disappointing thread

Back to politics, games and celebrity deaths we go

So I conclude the Iowa class won the debate haha

04-29-19, 05:21 PM	#1
Kapitan Sub Test Pilot Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: UK + Canada Posts: 7,090 Downloads: 68 Uploads: 7	My top 5 WW2 Battleships what's yours ? Another opinion piece this time about the battleships my top 5 let's see if you agree or what would you make as a top 5 ? https://www.immortalwordsmith.co.uk/...o-battleships/ __________________ DONT FORGET if you like a post to nominate it by using the blue diamond Find out about Museum Ships here: https://www.museumships.us/ Flickr for all my pictures: https://www.flickr.com/photos/131313936@N03/ Navy general board articles: https://www.navygeneralboard.com/author/aegis/

04-30-19, 01:57 AM	#2
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	I've seen many such lists over the years, and in my own opinion it really comes down to nothing more than opinion. How do you rate them? Looks? Power? Fulfillment of intended purpose? People have been arguing about this for more than seventy years, and nothing ever comes of it because as always everyone has what they think are good reasons for their picks, and the more the discussion goes on the more they are convinced they are right. The same applies to questions of who had the best aircraft, the best submarines, the best tanks. The only reason battleships are different is that the groups tend to be very small. I used to compare ships to ancient Greek stories. The destroyers are like the common soldiers, there being many of them and while one or another sometimes stands out on the whole they are looked at as a group. The cruisers are the commanders. They end up being nameless in the stories but without them there would be no stories. The battleships are the heroes: Achilles, Hector, Odysseus, Paris. They are the big names, the men of prowess, the ones who when they win are heaped with glory and when they die their deaths are also big news. All that said, their only real purpose is to be the biggest and the best. They don't really further the outcome of the war and they aren't nearly as important as the news and the storytellers would make them out to be. That said, we're all suckers for the big story. But that's just my opinion. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

04-30-19, 04:13 AM	#3
em2nought Ocean Warrior Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 3,286 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I've always found these to be attractive. __________________ ISRAEL: Essentially "The Alamo" 24/7, 365 since 1947

04-30-19, 05:03 AM	#4
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 181,344 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	Yes, the Pagoda mast did make them look awesome back in the day Taking onboard what Steve says has its merits but in order to answer the original question I would base my answer not on factors such as armament, armour thicknes, speed etc. but simply on what the vessel achieved in said career so IMHO the choice for me would definitely be Bismarck. __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!! GWX3.0 Download Page - Donation/instant access to GWX (Help SubSim)

05-01-19, 07:33 AM	#5
Commander Wallace Navy Seal Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Under the sea in an Octupus garden in the shade Posts: 5,017 Downloads: 360 Uploads: 0	^ I'm not so sure the Bismarck would be the top for me. The Bismarck was a fierce some vessel to be sure but also short lived when it finally did see action. As Steve said in his brief analysis, it really is hard to pick a ship as they all had their merits. Certainly speed, offensive capabilities, armour protection and longevity would be a likely place to establish a criteria. You said that as well, Jim. I have no doubt that had P.M. Winston Churchill not given the orders to ruthlessly hunt down Bismarck and destroy her, after the Hood was destroyed, Bismarck would have been the scourge of the Atlantic. I always liked the Iowa class along with the Yamato. Again, that's just an opinion. The Yamoto took the biggest guns to sea at 9x18.1 inch guns and 12x 6.1 inch guns and other weapons, it was fierce some. With a max speed of about 27 knots, it was fast as well. I wouldn't have wanted to see Yamoto as an adversary. Last edited by Commander Wallace; 05-01-19 at 08:09 AM.

05-01-19, 09:15 AM	#6
Threadfin Ace of the Deep Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,078 Downloads: 38 Uploads: 0	Iowa class, and for me it's not really close. If I have to pick a ship instead of a class I'll say New Jersey for reasons. War is terrible, and the cost is severe. However, I will always wish that Bull hadn't run and Task Force 34 had indeed been waiting at the San Bernardino exit on the morning of October 25, 1944. I suspect if it had, much of the debate of which battleship was superior would have been answered. __________________ What? Behind the rabbit? Last edited by Threadfin; 05-01-19 at 10:11 AM.

05-04-19, 12:18 PM	#7
Threadfin Ace of the Deep Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,078 Downloads: 38 Uploads: 0	A potentially interesting, but ultimately disappointing thread Back to politics, games and celebrity deaths we go So I conclude the Iowa class won the debate haha __________________ What? Behind the rabbit?