Hello,
For some time now I have been thinking about the possibility of Tirpitz being instead of Scharnhorst at North Cape on Dec 26th 1943.
That would imply Tirpitz would escape (?) X-Craft mining attack, with Scharnhorst suffering the brunt of the damage.
Not much would change, IMHO, as per historical events: Tirpitz would separate from her escorting destroyers (1). Tirpitz would be engaged by convoy-covering cruisers and destroyers (2). Tirpitz would suffer catastrophic damage to her foretop (and main gunnery/surface search radar) from Norfolk's 203mm's guns. Tirptitz would disengage and head for home, under radar jamming and with heavy seas crushing over her bows.
Later, a 356mm shell and/or some incidental damage to her machinery, would reduce speed, and seal her fate.
===
Only variation of the main (base historical) scenario would happen if some other unit(s) would actuallly work in conjunction with Tirpitz (a cruiser, soem destroyers ?), allowing the battleship's heavy guns to actually be meaningfull.
For some time now I have been thinking about the possibility of Tirpitz being instead of Scharnhorst at North Cape on Dec 26th 1943.
That would imply Tirpitz would escape (?) X-Craft mining attack, with Scharnhorst suffering the brunt of the damage.
Not much would change, IMHO, as per historical events: Tirpitz would separate from her escorting destroyers (1). Tirpitz would be engaged by convoy-covering cruisers and destroyers (2). Tirpitz would suffer catastrophic damage to her foretop (and main gunnery/surface search radar) from Norfolk's 203mm's guns. Tirptitz would disengage and head for home, under radar jamming and with heavy seas crushing over her bows.
Later, a 356mm shell and/or some incidental damage to her machinery, would reduce speed, and seal her fate.
===
Only variation of the main (base historical) scenario would happen if some other unit(s) would actuallly work in conjunction with Tirpitz (a cruiser, soem destroyers ?), allowing the battleship's heavy guns to actually be meaningfull.
statistics: Posted by alecsandros1 — 4:45 PM - 1 day ago — Replies 12 — Views 362