…On the Most Powerful Battleship
Naval Trivia: Which battleship was the most "powerful"?
Numbers can be interesting because they show us relative relationships which we might otherwise not notice. To accurately calculate "power", one would need to define "power" and quantify it. This is NOT intended to be a definitive scientific study. It is only one measurement which allows us to compare the relative "power" of different WWII ships without the incumberance of such (valid) factors such as fire control equipment, maximum effective range or damage control capability.
However this disclaimer not withstanding and all things being equal (and they never are), here's a short chart which ranks of the some of WWII's most significant ships (BB/CA):
|
No |
Country |
Ship |
Caliber |
Projectile |
Velocity |
Range |
Guns |
Power per Salvo |
|
1 |
Japan |
Yamato |
18.1/45 |
3,220 |
2,556 |
45,960 |
9 |
74.07 |
|
2 |
USA |
Iowa |
16/50 |
2,700 |
2,500 |
42,345 |
9 |
60.75 |
|
3 |
USA |
So.Dakota |
16/45 |
2,700 |
2,300 |
36,900 |
9 |
55.89 |
|
4 |
Italy |
Littorio |
15/50 |
1,951 |
2,850 |
46,200 |
9 |
50.04 |
|
5 |
USA |
Maryland |
16/45 |
2,700 |
2,300 |
36,900 |
8 |
49.68 |
|
6 |
Britian |
Nelson |
16/45 |
2,048 |
2,614 |
39,780 |
9 |
48.18 |
|
7 |
USA |
Penn. |
14/45 |
1,500 |
2,600 |
34,300 |
12 |
46.80 |
|
8 |
Japan |
Nagato |
16.1/45 |
2,249 |
2,560 |
42,000 |
8 |
46.06 |
|
9 |
Japan |
Ise |
14/45 |
1,485 |
2,530 |
38,770 |
12 |
45.08 |
|
10 |
France |
Richelieu |
14.96/45 |
1,950 |
2,720 |
45,600 |
8 |
42.43 |
|
11 |
Britian |
K.George V |
14/45 |
1,590 |
2,480 |
38,560 |
10 |
39.43 |
|
12 |
Britian |
Hood |
15/42 |
1,938 |
2,460 |
33,550 |
8 |
38.14 |
|
13 |
Germany |
Bismark |
14.96/48 |
1,764 |
2,690 |
38,800 |
8 |
37.96 |
|
14 |
France |
Bretagne |
13.4/46 |
1,268 |
2,560 |
29,100 |
10 |
32.46 |
|
15 |
Italy |
Cavour |
12.6/44 |
1,160 |
2,720 |
31,300 |
10 |
31.55 |
|
16 |
Japan |
Kongo |
14/45 |
1,485 |
2,530 |
38,770 |
8 |
30.06 |
|
17 |
France |
Dunkerque |
13/50 |
1,235 |
2,850 |
45,600 |
8 |
28.16 |
|
18 |
Germany |
Scharnhorst |
11.1/51 |
726 |
2,920 |
44,760 |
9 |
19.08 |
|
19 |
Germany |
Deutschland |
11.1/49 |
661 |
2,990 |
39,890 |
6 |
11.86 |
|
20 |
Japan |
Myoko |
8/49 |
277 |
2,750 |
32,150 |
10 |
7.62 |
|
21 |
USA |
Baltimore |
8/55 |
335 |
2,500 |
30,050 |
9 |
7.54 |
|
22 |
Italy |
Zara |
8/53 |
276 |
3,150 |
37,410 |
8 |
6.96 |
|
23 |
USA |
Astoria |
8/55 |
260 |
2,800 |
31,860 |
9 |
6.55 |
|
24 |
Germany |
Hipper |
8/57 |
268 |
3,035 |
36,680 |
8 |
6.51 |
|
25 |
France |
Suffern |
8/50 |
295 |
2,700 |
32,800 |
8 |
6.37 |
|
26 |
Japan |
Chikuma |
8/49 |
277 |
2,750 |
32,150 |
8 |
6.09 |
|
27 |
Britian |
County class |
8/50 |
256 |
2,800 |
30,650 |
8 |
5.73 |
|
28 |
Germany |
Schlesien |
11.1/37 |
529 |
2,690 |
20,590 |
4 |
5.69 |
Rank based on total energy available per broadside (projectile weight x muzzle velocity x number of guns).
Caliber - given in inches/barrel length
Projectile -weight in lbs
Velocity - muzzle velocity in fps
Range - in yds
Source: D. Brown, Warship Losses of World War Two (London, 1995).