BBs. I don't know how to quantify balanced, but by the start of the Guadalcanal campaign Congress had authorized some 36 fleet carriers (24 Essex, three CVBs, nine CVLs).

A pilot report quoted in the same source describes dropping one of the AP bombs from 2,000 feet.  It also describes the casualites suffered by Tirpitz in this attack, 122 KIA and 316 wounded, most in exposed AA positions and compartments above the armored decks.  Her AA fire had virtually ceased by the time the second wave arrived, owing to the defense suppression of the first wave's HE and SAP bombs. I have read that RN fighters also straffed the ship prior to the dive-bombers coming in to kill the AA gun crews and suppress the AA fire. Certainly, SOP for both the Brits and U.S.  Indeed, dive-bombing was originally the province of fighters, carrying light bombs for defense suppression, to allow the torpedo planes to attack and let water into the target. Later, dedicated dive bombers which could carry heavier bombs were developed, which by the start of WW2 were capable of carrying bombs which could penetrate any armored deck short of the most heavily armored BB deck.  By a couple of years into the war, even that limitation was removed (I'm thinking especially of the 1,000 and 1,400 kg AP bombs that the Ju-87 could use, as well as the US 1,600 lb. AP Mk.1). Guy

British BB production was not suspended in favour of CV production but the labour and materials were transferred to escort production. Production of Vanguard was resumed after 1942.  In my opinion there is not one date we can pick even in WW2, The situation in the Pacific and European theatres was so different that there have to be different dates. Certainly the British found BB useful in situations where carriers could not operate. I presume you're referring to the Russian convoys, but even there the fleet carriers were usually able to operate (the CVEs less so), although clearly air ops were more restricted there than virtually anywhere else. Offhand, though, I can only think of a single case where a BB was probably necessary in WW2, and that was DoY vs. Scharnhorst.  Even there, given the crappy visibility torpedo attacks by DDs or cruisers would have probably been enough to scare off Scharnhorst, and three heavy cruisers operating together might well have been more than the Germans were willing to chance, as they might have to limp back to port with damage.  As far as that goes, DoY was firing on radar information the whole time, and the British superiority in that area might well have allowed cruisers to prevail.  Sure, they can't penetrate the belt or deck, but they can sure mess the ship up elsewhere. Other than that exception, I'd say that carriers were unquestionably in charge no later than the time at which surface-search radar for both ships and carrier a/c became available, along with weapons able to mission kill or sink any BB.  I.E., 1943 at the absolute latest. Guy

I presume you're referring to the Russian convoys, but even there the fleet carriers were usually able to operate (the CVEs less so), although clearly air ops were more restricted there than virtually anywhere else. Offhand, though, I can only think of a single case where a BB was probably necessary in WW2, and that was DoY vs. Scharnhorst.  Even there, given the crappy visibility torpedo attacks by DDs or cruisers would have probably been enough to scare off Scharnhorst, and three heavy cruisers operating together might well have been more than the Germans were willing to chance, as they might have to limp back to port with damage. They had in fact already done so, Rear-Admiral Burnett in HMS Belfast, with the cruisers Norfolk and Sheffield were screening the convoys and had driven off Scharnhorst after Norfolk had scored an early hit on her This seems to have been he party piece as she performed the same service for Bismark IRC. She was reatreating with Belfast and Sheffield in pusuit when she ran into DOY Keith

Guy Alcala < This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it wrote in message This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it _link_.co.uk wrote: They had in fact already done so, Rear-Admiral Burnett in HMS Belfast, with the cruisers Norfolk and Sheffield were screening the convoys and had driven off Scharnhorst after Norfolk had scored an early hit on her This seems to have been he party piece as she performed the same service for Bismark IRC. She was reatreating with Belfast and Sheffield in pusuit when she ran into DOY Was the reason Sch. ran because Norfolk's luck had once again knocked out an enemy's radar set? Or was that knocked out later by DoY?

Correction: Those are their scrapping dates, not their placed in reserve dates, which were earlier.  All four ships were actually broken up in 1957. Indeed. Point was, that they were not in service, as was being claimed, until 1957. Here are some potential reasons why the RN disposed of its BBs. 1.  BBs were obsolete in every sense 2.  BBs were unnecessary for the RN due to decreased commitments of the shrinking empire. 3.  No countries that were enemies or had a significant possibility of becoming enemies had BBs, so no comparable weapon was needed. 4.  If BBs were needed, the RN was certain it could rely upon those of the USN. 5.  Whether needed or not, or advisable or not, the RN could no longer afford BBs.