Great Japanese Battleships...

at least the name was continued onto the 1st nuclear powered aircraft carrier

As for the greatest ship my vote goes to ....ENTERPRISE. I know, I know.. shes not a BATTLESHIP AMTRAC! Yeah, but she destroyed more enemy aircraft, her aircraft sank more enemy vessels, and survived everything the enemy threw at her. Heck, the Japanese claimed her sunk atleast 6 times that I am aware of. In fact Kamakaze would not engage her because she was a "ghost ship". Unfortunately as we all know, her fate was decided by men who cared more for money than honor for a great ship.

I like Yamato better soley because of the AA layout. Mushashi just seems to be missing something on the pt/stbd sided due to the gap between her outboard most AA mounts. I know silly but to each their own.

In terms of size and several other factors, Yamato and her sister Musashi were great ships...but we also have to remember that certain ships mean certain things to different people.

Without breaking down your criteria into categories, there's several ways to categorize WW2 ships as 'great ships'

Ships that evoked national pride or sorrow:

USS Arizona
HMS Hood
IJN Yamato
DKM Bismarck

Ships with a history of achivement

USS Enterprise CV-6
HMS Warspite
HMS Sheffield
Type VII U-boat (U-99, U-48, U-100, U-47)

Point is, I can name dozens of 'great ships' and find a reason to substantiate it.
Sometimes, it's because of one single event...

USS Missouri (site of the surrender ceremony)
USS Arizona (first major loss of a USN vessel in WW2)
DKM Bismarck (loss of Germany's most famous ship)
IJN Yamato (loss of Japan's most famous ship)

It is, at best, very subjective.

Jeff

That's certainly true

QUOTE: Originally posted by butchy Both were monsters, Both were sunk. I prefer not to be sunk What's so great bout being sunk?? Now the SoDaks, New Jersey, Missouri,Washington, North Carolina were great Battleships. Not because they were US Navy Ships but because they were Great Ships that were not sunk.

I'd have to agree, a great ship is one that survives an engagement to tell the story.

Both were monsters, Both were sunk. I prefer not to be sunk What's so great bout being sunk??
Now the SoDaks, New Jersey, Missouri,Washington, North Carolina were great Battleships. Not because they were US Navy Ships but because they were Great Ships that were not sunk.