Battleship shootout "What if...?" question

One should not count out the dark horse of the group, the KGV class. The Iowas are a slightly later generation and in the electronic suite only the British Anson or Vanguard could compare although the German gunnery radar for the main guns should not be discounted. The Japanese were behind the technology curve and it showed in Yamato's performance although the Japanese did produce good fire control systems for their cruisers. Iowa vs Vanguard most people expect Vanguard to win or it to be a toss up.

The Iowas were the least armoured of any the classes. Some references list them as battlecruisers. That came about in the late 1970s when their actual armour was revealed. We also know that inch for inch American WWII armour was significantly inferior to the British and Germans. This fact was determined post-war, on analysis of Tirpitz's armour. 1" British = 1.25" American, 1" German = 1.2" American. No analysis of Japanese armour has ever come to light, so it is not known how good it really was.

The Vanguard was the best ship in handling any sort of seaway while the Iowas lost speed rapidly, and the KGV's tended to push their bows under in certain conditions.

It is difficult to determine how a "straight up fight" could occur as you would typically expect one to run away, turning it into a stern chase with only a lucky hit bringing the chase to an end. If you are in and around islands and shallow water then there is the possibility of surprise or if there is a convoy involved. What about lighting conditions and sea conditions?

Well for one the Iowas where never designed to take on the Yamato class. The US Navy didnt know of them until well after Pearl Harbor. The design for the Iowas was on the boards well before the attack on Pearl Harbor. But with faster speed, radar fire control and awsome damage control and the "all or nothing" concept in there armor I believe that the Iowas would have emerged as the winner.

David C

I would have to say the Iowa-class hands down in a ship-to-ship engagement. The Yamoto showed its weakness during the Battle off Samar. Where she and a powerful Japanese surface force tricked the Americans and ended up engaging Taffy-3. A U.S. Task Force made up of five jeep carriers, 3 destroyers and 3 destroyer-escorts. The Yamoto was utterly ineffective and while facing overwhelming odds, only 2 destroyers, a DE and a carrier was suck. Yamoto’s weakness lay in the lack of fire control radars and finders. The ships fire control was easily messed up with a little smoke screen. Her guns might have been bigger, but if you can’t aim ‘em, they are rather ineffective.
As for the Bismarck, her armor showed its weakness when she was sunk. True she took a hell of a pounding, but displacement wise, she was a huge lightweight when compared with the Iowa or Yamoto.
The Iowa was designed specifically to fight the Yamoto, but never got the chance. Would have been a hell of a fight though, but with the American’s superiority in radars, fire direction, speed and communications, I think the Iowa would come out on top hands-down.

Not sure but it is an interesting question. Maybe we can do that thing on Discovery channel where they have to animals fight it out on a computer. They program all tha animals strengths and weakneses into the computer and let em rumble. I liked the shark vs alligator episode. I always wondered what the outcome would have been if there was a big Battleship shootout during WW2.