THe Drydock - Episode 089

I enjoyed the Enigma video very much. I have a question about the use of Ultra intelligence by the Allies. Are there examples of specific operations based on Ultra information that had a significant impact on the outcome of WW2?

Why do you dislike the WWII Arethusa class cruisers? They gave a good account of themselves in the thick of the Mediterrean action. In many ways they were a better design than the Didos carrying as many guns but with the 4" AA being a better AA weapon and the 6" being a better surface weapon with roomier turrets.

Jeffrey Allan Beeler

I don't know if you saw this: https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2020/04/11/venezuelas-navy-battles-a-cruise-ship-and-loses

"Buck-arr" would that be correct phonetically?

Matt Blom

Q&A- How would you rank the top 3 "classes" of warship that were the most impactful in the first half of the 20th century ? My personal list would be "Essex, Fletcher, and German type VII U-boat", but "Town, Higgens, assorted floaty things evacuating Dunkirk" and others also have an argument..

if the US battleship New Jersey were somehow transported from oct 1st 1968 to just after the attack on pearl harbor, could she run down and destroy the japanese fleet as they were landing their planes and getting ready to make way. since the NJ would not have missiles or guided weapons, could the advanced radar and fire control and top speed of 35 knots enable her to sink or damage the japanese carriers and engage in a gunfight with any japanese battleships in their fleet. possibly a night attack which could nullify the carriers airwing? I picked the 1968 NJ to avoid the missiles and such. thank you.

Charles

Q&A What would the consequences have been for the treaty cruisers if displacement limits were lifted by 3-4 thousand tons? Looking a the balance of designs like the Baltimore compared to the New Orleans, would they have gone straight to that size and firepower, OR would there have been no impetus to spur the design the design of more efficient technology such as better boilers (size to power), welded construction etc.

Glad the bombs were dropped as dad was due to sail for Japan landing and I would not be here.

John Hargreaves

New Drydock, awesome! :D Also, here is again a question for Q&A I had posed in the Patreon thread last month and which I think you missed - What would have been the duties of a Royal Navy midshipman on a destroyer circa 1910? Also, would those duties have changed with the start of the war? EDIT: Also, since you've struggled with it before, both of the "u" sounds in my name are short, like in "but" and the "c" is pronounced like the "c" in "cup". The final "r" is like that in the word "your". Or you could just pronounce it "Bukar", that's the closest I get with most English speakers...

Alexandru Bucur