Can/could a battleship with large main guns (12-18") possibly fire all guns at once? Even if possible, wouldn't this cause severe damage to either the ship itself or the turrets? Strictly hypothetic question, as I know of no such instance or even a reason to do so.
2007-01-20 01:44:38 · 9 answers · asked by Darkwraith83 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Yes, they can with not damage to the ship.
2007-01-20 04:01:48 · answer #1 · answered by Robert b 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You didn't look very hard then Battleships can and did fire all guns at once. The HMS AGINCOURT had 7 twin 12" gun turrets and fired full broadsides during the battle of Jutland in WW1. In triple turret ships the guns are fired a split second apart. This is done so that the air being pushed off one shell doesn't push the other shells off target. The reason for doing full broadsides was that in the day before fire control computers once you straddled the target you only had a few seconds to plaster the target so you would let go with everything you had and hoped for a good hit.
2007-01-20 12:18:27 · answer #2 · answered by brian L 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not only they can, but they were designed for that. The turrets can absorb only so much recoil so the rest is transferred to the hull, but the hull is floating, so everything gets transfered into the water. And because the ship is nice and stable, she'll right herself no problem and then the next salvo can be fired. Lather, rinse, repeat.
And the recoil is still felt on modern warships. When I was deployed on a Halifax-class frigate, my bunk was two decks directly beneath the main gun, and whenever we fired and I was in my pit, it would drop by an inch or so with every shot.
2007-01-20 10:20:34 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
A full broadside barrage will indeed list the ship over a few degrees, but it's not a major problem. The ship comes right back within just a few moments, usually long before the gun crews are ready for the next salvo.
2007-01-20 10:08:10 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Battleships gun turrets are designed to absorb the recoil from the main guns.
If it caused any movement/roll when they fired, they would have to wait for the movement to stop before they could fire their next salvo.
2007-01-20 10:00:46 · answer #5 · answered by BDZot 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It can and has been done... I saw the USS Missouri do so in the Persian Gulf. It does no damage to the ship what so ever. It sure is spectacular though !!
WHY do it ?? Put 9 rounds of 16 inch shells on Iraqi positions at the same time... damned spooky
2007-01-20 10:20:04 · answer #6 · answered by mariner31 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
They've fired broadsides, and there were instances in WW II of "live and learn," as when new radio equipment got knocked loose, and of course the ships list some, but they don't capsize or anything so dramatic as that.
2007-01-20 10:48:18 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Twice a minute,
bismark three times a minute.
2007-01-20 10:45:14 · answer #8 · answered by ? 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋