Difference between revisions of "Battleship"
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However, this was to be the end for the glory of gun warfare. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1942, the USN lost many of their Battleships, while the carriers (which were away) remained intact. Later, at Midway, it was the US [[Aircraft Carriers]] that turned the tide, and earned their place in naval warfare, passing up the Battleship. The two Japanese ''Yamatt'' Super-Dreadnoughts were destroyed by air power, and the last German battleship, the ''Tirpitz'', also sank due to bombings. In the end of the war in the Pacific, the role of the Battleship became that of shore-bombardment and carrier defence, although several classic naval engagements still occured. | However, this was to be the end for the glory of gun warfare. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1942, the USN lost many of their Battleships, while the carriers (which were away) remained intact. Later, at Midway, it was the US [[Aircraft Carriers]] that turned the tide, and earned their place in naval warfare, passing up the Battleship. The two Japanese ''Yamatt'' Super-Dreadnoughts were destroyed by air power, and the last German battleship, the ''Tirpitz'', also sank due to bombings. In the end of the war in the Pacific, the role of the Battleship became that of shore-bombardment and carrier defence, although several classic naval engagements still occured. | ||
| − | After the war, most Battleships were decomissioned and scrapped, and the plans for the [[20 Inch Naval Gun]] carrying ''Montana'' and ''Super Yamatto'' [[ | + | After the war, most Battleships were decomissioned and scrapped, and the plans for the [[20 Inch Naval Gun]] carrying ''Montana'' and ''Super Yamatto'' [[Dreadnought]]s were cancelled. |
===Modern Battleships=== | ===Modern Battleships=== | ||
===NS Possibilities=== | ===NS Possibilities=== | ||
Revision as of 12:40, 7 October 2004
BB
A Battleship, or BB, is a powerful, heavily armored, naval vessel primarily armed with high caliber guns.
History
The term Battleship was coined in the Age of Sail to refer to the most powerful ships in the fleet, the "Battle Ships" which could expect to see combat. In early form, they were used in a battle line, in which the fleet formations would form broadside lines to levy firepower on the opponent, much like a conventional musket line. In these early days, the Battleships would mount up to 144 guns on four decks, designed to fire en masse. The British Navy, in particular, was dominant on the high seas, sending fleets of dozens of these battle wagons out in fleets.
In the US Civil War, the debut of the ironclad was witnessed, with the battle between the two ironclad vessels USS Monitor and CSS Merrimack. The Monitor was also turretted, and marked the beginning of turretted cannon. After this point, through the mid to late 19th Century, many navies fielded single deck battleships with few turrets, but which were still superior to the massive wooden battle line. By the early 20th century, Battleships had settled into a pattern of four main guns, usually 12 Inch Naval Guns, and perhaps several mixed caliber smaller guns.
The next leap in Battleship technology was the Dreadnought. Named for the HMS Dreadnought, this new class of Battleship mounted ten twelve inch guns, moved at nearly double the speed of her predecessors (thanks to steam turbines), and had heavier armor than her rivals. This ship was so revolutionary that all modern battleships are termed "Dreadnoughts", and those before as "pre-Dreadnoughts". From this until WWI, most powerful nations raced to create bigger, faster, stronger Battleships, and it was a mark of pride how many Dreadnoughts were fielded at any one time. It was in this period that the 15 Inch Naval Gun and 16 Inch Naval Gun debutted.
In WWI, the stage was set for a massive Battleship face-off between Britain and Germany, but neither side wanted to risk their precious and patriotism-inducing fleets. Because of this, the British Grand Fleet and the German High Seas Fleet spent most of the war in their ports, waiting for their opponent to move first.
WWII was the last stand of the Battleship. In the early war, there were numerous great battles, and the German Bismark, although short-lived, induced terror in the allies. Meanwhile, in the Pacific, the Japanese constructed two of their 18 Inch Naval Gun mounting Yamatto class super-battleships, with two more in construction.
However, this was to be the end for the glory of gun warfare. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1942, the USN lost many of their Battleships, while the carriers (which were away) remained intact. Later, at Midway, it was the US Aircraft Carriers that turned the tide, and earned their place in naval warfare, passing up the Battleship. The two Japanese Yamatt Super-Dreadnoughts were destroyed by air power, and the last German battleship, the Tirpitz, also sank due to bombings. In the end of the war in the Pacific, the role of the Battleship became that of shore-bombardment and carrier defence, although several classic naval engagements still occured.
After the war, most Battleships were decomissioned and scrapped, and the plans for the 20 Inch Naval Gun carrying Montana and Super Yamatto Dreadnoughts were cancelled.
