Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!csd4.milw.wisc.edu!leah!bingvaxu!sunybcs!rutgers!att!cbnews!goofy!Apple.COM!livesey@apple.com
From: goofy!Apple.COM!livesey@apple.com (John Livesey)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Ship armor
Message-ID: <6323@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 6 May 89 03:37:18 GMT
References: <5929@cbnews.ATT.COM> <6095@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Sender: military@cbnews.ATT.COM
Organization: Apple Computer Inc, Cupertino, CA
Lines: 31
Approved: military@att.att.com



From: goofy!Apple.COM!livesey@apple.com (John Livesey)

In article <6095@cbnews.ATT.COM> wbralick@BLACKBIRD.AFIT.AF.MIL (Will Bralick) writes:
>
>>Of course, as Henry Spencer pointed out, the Iowas aren't armored 
>>everywhere;  the bows and stern, for example, are unarmored, and
>
>Doesn't this have to do with the (a) the structure of the bow (long and
>narrow hence more likely to deflect incoming munitions) and (b) the
>method of engaging the enemy by turning one's side to the enemy
>to bring the most firepower to bear (in a broadside)?  Thus it is the 
>_side_ of the vessel which (a) presents a broad, open, flat expanse 
>of metal for weapons to smack into and (b) is most likely to be facing 
>an enemy during an engagement. 

During the battle of the Denmark Strait, the Bismark took a hit through
the unarmoured bow which had no effect on its gunnery, but which
pierced a fuel tank.   This left a track of fuel on the water that
search planes could follow, and also made about 1000 out of eight
thousand tonnes of fuel unusable.   As a result, the Bismark later had
a serious fuel shortage, which caused it to make for Brest by a direct
and rather predictable route.

jon.

[mod.note: I seem to recall, too, that the Graf Spee was forced to
retire to Montevideo mostly because of a bow hit which damaged her
fuel filter;  she was Diesel powered.  Unconfirmed data, though.
- Bill ]