The Drydock - Episode 213 (Part 1)

It goes in the patreon rewards thread, iirc. Dont rely on posting here.

'General' Dipper

So, where do Patron questions get asked? Here is mine for the next round. I have been able to track down four methods used for loading shells in main gun turrets, the British (most Pre-Dreadnoughts and Dreadnoughts), Germans (Bismarck and Scharnhorst), Japanese (Yamato) and American (Iowa). As far as I know, only the Iowa and Vanguard have movies showing the loading process. What about France, Italy, Russia and Austria-Hungary. Were they any different than the previous four? Are there any discovered films showing these processes? I understanding that the large film cameras would just about preclude pre WW I movies.

They’re saying they will be outsourcing it, but given their global breadth and the amount of sensitive information they have, I am concerned with this development.

Bob Hedges

So, with Patreon firing their whole security team, I am having second thoughts about Patreon support. What are people thinking?

Bryan Stephens

Glad to hear you're feeling better, Drach! I urge you to focus on healing. I'd rather you skip a few scheduled dates for uploads than having you upload videos to us and spoiling your health!

USN destroyers mostly got nailed by torpedoes. And after the USN got their shit together the guns didn't seem to be a problem. see Leyte Gulf. It was also easier to maintain USN forces on the East Coast at that time.

Ted Jones

I’m very glad to hear you’re feeling better Drach. Please take it easy and make sure you’re truly recovered before returning to your intense schedule; we’ll all be ready when you are! Also my sincere condolences to you and your countrymen on the passing of the Queen. She was an amazing and inspiring woman, and we’ll never see her equal in our lifetimes. All my respect from the US. 🇬🇧🇺🇸

Bob Hedges

USN after Savo Island. The best thing that could have happened would have been if they had decided to not send in any more cruisers and left the job to destroyers. Of course they would have needed a lot more destroyers. Nishimura didn't even tell his captains what the plan was. He wasn't going to coordinate with Shima. The other thing to keep in mind with IJN admirals is that there is no particular honor in sinking transport ships or destroying shore facilities. And in Kurita's case, if he wasn't having any luck destroying the fighting fleet he was already engaging, going into confined water to SEE what targets were still there didn't seem that attractive an option. I would still like to know what ships were in Leyte Gulf at the time.

Ted Jones

Nishimura's mission was a pure (suicidal) distraction according to Tully's book on the battle. Shima's cruisers were assigned to the Archipelago and had been doing troop-ferrying and similar missions. They were given permission to take part in the battle, but were not given the same set of "distraction" orders (or orders to join Nishimura). Thus when they got there they ran into the Mogami (literally) dumped torpedoes at gunflashes on the horizon and ran for it. Air power did catch up with them, but it took a while

Andrew Dederer

Regarding Surigao Strait, I highly recommend the BATTLE OF SURIGAO STRAIT by Anthony Tully. What brought the IJN 5th Fleet and Nishimura's thrid section to their locations is not as straight forward as - they wanted to join forces. Third section was on a suicide mission plain and simple - as directed from above. Shima's Fifth Fleet was sorta of stuck in because he wanted to join but didn't want that job (if he knew what it was). Imagine what would have been if Nishamura had been in charge of center force instead of Kurita.

Smokey The Bear

Glad you're recovering Drach; don't push too hard.

Robert Hilton

Regarding USN "ranks" there's a difference between "rates"and " ranks". The whole thing is a little confusing but I'll try my best here. A rating refers to a sailor's technical spectalty. For example a radar man operates and maintains the ship's radar equipment, a gunners mate operates and maintains the ship's guns, the machinists mates operated and repaired the main propulsion turbines and auxiliary equipment, etc. Within all rates there was a rank system which determined your level of knowledge, rate of pay, and supervisory functions. These were the petty officer designations which were commonly designated by "E" ranks. The E ranks ran from E-1 who was a basic recruit to E-9 who was a very senior chief petty officer who sat at the right hand of God the Almighty. In my case during a four year enlistment I was a third class (E-4 or the equivalent of an army corporal for pay purposes) machinists mate which said that I worked in the engine room on the steam propulsion turbines. It makes about as much sense as anything else in the military.

David Lewis

$ Carrier task group was a maximum

ROBERT NABORNEY

c'mon it's from brass hat

ROBERT NABORNEY