KMS Bismark Vs. USS North Carolina?

Question

Much ado is made about the German battleship Bismark defeating the Pride of the British Navy, the battlecruiser HMS Hood. There were vast differences between those two ships. The Bismark had the Hood outgunned, outarmored, outmaneuvered, and generally outclassed. The other striking fact is the nearly 20 year age difference between the two. Had the KMS Bismark come up against a contemporary, for example, the USS North Carolina, would the outcome have been different? The North Carolina had nine 16 inch guns as opposed to eight 14 inch guns, which gave it a rancge advantage, and the guns could be loaded aimed and fired just as fast as the Bismark. It was at least as accurate as the Bismark, and at least as heavily armored. Also the Norht Carolina had a great deal more speed than the Bismark, nearly 3 knots (a lot of speed when you are talking about 50K+ ton ships). What say you?

The North Carolina had a thick steel deck, as did the bismark, the wood casing over it was more for traction than anyhting else. As far as armament goes, all twelve of the fast battleships (North Carolina- South Dakota and Iowa-class all had identical armament for primary and secondary batteries, nine 16" and twenty 5" guns, although electronics were vastly improved as you moved along the timeline.

I do know that, at one of the battles that made up the battle of leyte gulf, the North Carolina took a torpedoe strike amidships, and, with a 40 ft hole in her side, managed to keep station with the other ships and do 25 knots while taking on water. That says a lot for that design's durability.

Answer 1

The USS North Carolina would have had the edge primarily due to the range of its guns. I agree with other posters that the Bismark's crew would have had the edge in terms of their experience and training.

The ultimate outcome would have been dependent on how either ship sustained damage. The Bismark took an incredible pounding at the end. Not sure if the North Carolina could have sustained that kind of pounding. Certainly, the Hood was not built for sustainability in a ship to ship pounding.

Read a bit about the US - Japanese destroyer actions at Savo Island to get a good idea of the kind of damage involved with ship to ship encounters.

Answer 2

I would after some thinking give the advantage to the Bismarck over the North Carolina. The North Carolina was designed for protection against 14" gunfire, not the 15" guns that the Bismarck had. Bismarck also had a 3 knot speed advantage over the North Carolina, 30 vs 27 (remember the Iowa class was the 33 knot class of American battleships). While the North Carolina does get the nod in firepower its not enough to win this battle.

The South Dakota class would have given the Bismarck a better run with the winner getting an early critical hit. Against the Iowa the advantage goes to the Iowa, better speed and weapons.

Answer 3

You are right about the HMS Hood. It was a Battlecruiser and not a Battleship. The only disadvantage the North Carolina would have is it had a wooden deck. Plunging fire was a greater danger to US warships of the period (in theory, but due to the trajectory of naval guns it had to be very rare).

The German Navy was very small but very good. I would give the Bismark the edge over the North Carolina because of the crew. Against the Iowa class battleships I would give a stron g vote to the Iowa. By the time the Iowa were comissioned they had excellent surface to surface radar and would have initiated action well before the Bismark was even aware they were being engaged.

Answer 4

interesting concept.

it would have been a slug fest no doubt.

But in the end the problem with the original battle also had to do with the range at which the battle happened. the ships were so close the shells were hitting the opposing ship with a flat trajectory, basically the shells passed through the lightly armored super structure doing almost no real damage.

if the ships were far enough apart to lob shells through each others decks and in to the lower parts of the ships i would say the battle would have been pretty close.

I think the German crew would have the American one out classed. and that may be a important factor.

but my guess is it would be a draw. both ships would have been either knocked out or extremely damaged.

Answer 5

sounds like you want us to do your writing project for you. My opinion may be the Bismark may win. no longer a lot on technologies as a lot as human ability. The German gunnery skills were truly severe and far more beneficial useful than some thing the U. S. might want to. that's apparent by ability of the particular undeniable actuality that the Bismark made direct hits on the third salvo adverse to the Hood. In a naval conflict that you describe, the winner is exceedingly a lot always the deliver that lands direct hits first.

Answer 6

It would have been a hard fought battle between the two. What you forgot to mention was the crew....a HUGE factor in a battle such as this. The German crew was exceptional.....if the American crew was comparable then I'd hafta give the edge to the USS North Carolina.

Answer 7

bismark had 15 inch guns

Answer 8

weight of broadside goes to North Carolina. 9 x 2700 lbs = 24,300 lbs vs 8 x 1980 lbs = 15,840 lbs for Bismarck. The question is who gets in damaging hits first. both were brand new in 1941, so I think the question is who had better fire control. Did the North Carolina's radar allow it to aim directly by radar control? the Bismarck's did not. The US Navy regularly held gunnery practice at 20,000 yds. I wonder who would've gotten more hits at that range.

Answer 9

Bis vs NC Iowa vs Yam All much the same discussion, more or less, for a fight that never actually happened. The Big "What If" The winner of either discussion is probably the first shot to hit the other in a tender spot and cause real damage to the opponent. A big hit that penetrates a soft spot and hurts like a hit on the bridge that wipes out the command crew. At Guadalcanal, USS San Francisco CA 38 a treaty heavy cruiser ( 8" guns ) hit the IJN BB Hiei ( 14" guns ) in a tender spot with an 8" shell and crippled her on 11/13/42 that allows the Hiei to be sunk the next day

Answer 10

2700 lb shells vs 1600 lbs shells. Optical ranging vs radar ranging. Sorry: the Bismarck was well made and well manned but not a match in gunnery technology or explosive delivery.