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kverdon -> Neat Idea. (5/24/2002 8:21:15 AM)
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It would be an interresting idea for a alternative scenario. I used to wonder WHY? the IJN never sent the Yamato/Musashi down the slot and just sent their aging BC's. Certainly thier 18" guns would have been very effective against Henderson and they would have been a much better (actually superior) match against any of the NC or SD class BB's they would likey meet from the USN. They would not have had the qualatative advantage that the NC's and SC's had againt the Kongo's but it would have been a nice edge!
The most obvious answer that came to mind was that their relatively slow speed (~27knots) was not sufficient for them to get down from Rabaul during the night and then out of range of US LBA before morning. I later read an analysis that pointed out that this was only part of the picture and that the more impelling reason for their lack of use was that, at battle speed, they were tremendous fuel Hogs and that a full speed run from Rabaul to the canal with the Yamato's would have burned up a good percentage of the IJN's fuel supply. This and the enormous amount of resourses tied up in them meant that they only could be used for limitted DECISIVE engagements. Classic case of building a weapon that was too expensive to use.
Kevin
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