Japanese Battleship Musashi Found - Sunk October 24, 1944 - Largest Battleship Ever (1 Viewer)

[Fraxinus]

Yesterday, Paul Allen (Microsoft) announced that he had found the Battleship Musashi (Japanese, Battleship). Yesterday and today, numerous internet pages and news articles about the find were posted.

Musashi was sunk by the American Navy on October 24, 1944. It was the biggest battleship ever built by any navy, with the largest guns ever put to sea 18.1 inch - sister ship to the Yamato (same size).

Few of the internet posts are accurate as to the actual loss of the Musashi, but a very good and brief summary is found on the below link. See the entry for October 24, 1944.

http://www.combinedfleet.com/musashi.htm

 

[BHogan]

The size of that ship is insane! I can see why the USN wanted to sink it right away. Thanks for sharing!
Cheers,
Brendan

 

[Fraxinus]

A tad more about the size of the Musashi and Yamato

http://www.combinedfleet.com/ships/yamato

 

[theBaron]

The size of that ship is insane! I can see why the USN wanted to sink it right away. Thanks for sharing!
Cheers,
Brendan

True, the Yamatos were the largest battleships built, but they were already obsolete, by the time they were commissioned, which was after Kido Butai's attack on Pearl Harbor and subsequent rampage across the Pacific. They were just too vulnerable to air attack. Even at Midway, Yamamoto was aware that if the Main Body were to close with our task forces by day, it was likely to suffer serious damage. It's interesting--even as they had assembled the world's first effective fast carrier striking force, the Japanese Navy was still operating under doctrine formed a generation before, shaped by Tsushima, Jutland, and Mahan's book. They were looking for that One Great Battle against the US Navy, and that doctrine informed their strategy, which shaped tactics, and even logistical planning and shipbuilding.

 

[BHogan]

True, the Yamatos were the largest battleships built, but they were already obsolete, by the time they were commissioned, which was after Kido Butai's attack on Pearl Harbor and subsequent rampage across the Pacific. They were just too vulnerable to air attack. Even at Midway, Yamamoto was aware that if the Main Body were to close with our task forces by day, it was likely to suffer serious damage. It's interesting--even as they had assembled the world's first effective fast carrier striking force, the Japanese Navy was still operating under doctrine formed a generation before, shaped by Tsushima, Jutland, and Mahan's book. They were looking for that One Great Battle against the US Navy, and that doctrine informed their strategy, which shaped tactics, and even logistical planning and shipbuilding.

Many interesting points raised here. There is something to be said for the American can-do mentality that enabled them to overcome the blow dealt to them by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor and develop a new way of waging war on the seas with aircraft carriers.
Cheers,
Brendan

 

[Fraxinus]

A total fun page -- comparing the various characteristics of the largest battleships from various countries - American, British, French, German, Italian and Japanese.



http://www.combinedfleet.com/baddest.htm