What was the most powerful Battleship ever built?

Question

And who built it

Answer 1

The most powerful battleship ever built was the Yamato, built by the Japanese, armed with nine 18" guns. However, the question is somewhat false as it doesn't count in when the ships were built. HMS Dreadnought was built in1906 and was the most powerful battleship of her day, indeed so powerful when she was built that all other true battleships were later called "Dreadnoughts"

Three factors go into a battleships power: weapons; armor; and speed. The Yamato had the best combination of all three in history. However, the Queen Elizabeth class built in Britain in 1914 had the best combination of all three for her day.

Bismark was fast, well armored, but only carried eight fifteen inch guns. New Jersey was faster, better armored, and carried nine sixteen inch guns. Yamato was faster still, and carried nine eighteen inch guns. So, Yamato wins as the most powerful battleship in history, though others win as most powerful for their day.

Answer 2

I'm going to have to disagree with the other worthy answers put forth and go with the Iowa class battleships of WW II. Why? "fast, reliable, good sensors, good range, good armor, good firing range, 9 x 16" and probably the best AA of any battleship. I think the Iowa class battleships were the all-around best battleships and the ones that I would put my life in the most." The Bismark and the Yamato are impressive massive battleships, but one was crippled and one was sacrificed as a last desperate attempt to hold off the allies during the dying days of WWII. The Iowa class battleships were proven battleships that saw service in many battles in the Pacific theatre; they "took a lickin and kept on tickin". They had fire control systems which the Bismark didn't so could keep fighting even when taking damage that would cripple the Bismark. The Yamato, if she had gotten a chance to "strut her stuff" would have probably been fearsome to behold, but that didn't happen so we'll never know. That is why I think the Iowa class of battleships were the best battleships ever built. They were built by the USA.

Answer 3

Most Powerful Battleship

Answer 4

As chelley pointed out, it's a relative question. The Yamato was the most powerful of WWII, the Queen Elizabeth, was the most powerful of WWI, yadda yadda yadda.

However, you asked about the most powerful EVER built. That would ultimately be the four Iowa class battleships, the Iowa, the New Jersey, the Wisconsin, and the Missouri. Why? Primarily because when they were finally decommissioned, they had been upgraded with modern radar, anti-aircraft weapons, and cruise missiles. At the time they were taken out of active service, they could have easily annihlated any other battleship that had ever existed in history. Since they were all outfitted nearly identically, they were essentially of equal power.

Of course, modern aviation makes battleships obsolete, but that's beside the point.

Answer 5

He could but the tax stamps and restrictions from the ATF would really get in the way of it. It would cost him thousands of dollars for a crew member. It coud cost millions to billions of dollars to purchase a battleship it depends on how fancy he wants to make it and how much money he wants to spend though. 10 billion could do it but ships are high ticket items especially the ones nowadays. Battleships are outdated that is why navies use heavy cruisers. Battleships would be good for shelling and taking out other ships. It is a shame that we cannot own whatever weapons we want but thanks to the liberals and the government and the ATF we cannot you used to be able to buy a full auto weapon before the ban date in 1986.

Answer 6

The Japanese battleship Yamato

Answer 7

Yamato was biggest and had 18" guns, but didn't have the fire control of the Iowa class with 16" guns, so I think the latter on the theory that a bigger gun that misses isn't as good as a smaller one that hits, but we'll never know.

Answer 8

The Bismark&Tirpitz but neither found their true ability due to the allies,the last 4 of the yank ones were good but never met there match,the Yamamoto never got to show her true colours either.

Answer 9

For the time it was in, I believe it was the Bismark, built by the Germans in WWII. It was sunk by the British after its rudders were disabled and the Brits closed in and sunk her.

Answer 10

Is this a pre-nuclear-age question, because in the nuclear age, size doesn't matter?