Was Bismarck a bad investment?

You don't have to imagine it. You can see what it actually was.

 

From what I've read, part of the Spitfire problem was self inflicted - production was going to stop at 300 and the Castle Bromwich plant would have made bombers instead so Supermarine actually slowed down production to keep work going.

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/U ... ion-2.html

This whole 'book' makes for intresting reading but look at Chapter 2 page 4 of 38.

Anyone know how accurate these Hyperwar documents are - here are some additional ones

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/U ... index.html

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA ... html#index

 

I wasn't aware that BISMARCK sank any destroyers. Which DD are you referring to?

 

Mashona was sunk by bombers after breaking off from the Bismarck engagement. Likewise, Bismarck did not shoot down any aircraft, but a couple carrier planes went missing during the chase.
The replenishment ships that the Germans lost were not taken by the ships that actually fought Bismarck (as far as I know) but were tracked down individually on the basis on excellent intelligence work.

 

There were also a few Swordfish that were right-offs from flak damage. One Swordfish returned to Ark Royal with over 170 holes in her wings and fuselage another staggered home minus her floor.

 

"another staggered home minus her floor."
I had a car like that once.

 

If it hadn't sunk

 

So BISMARCK didn't sink any DDs herself. In the motion picture "Sink the BISMARCK", she is shown sinking HMS SOLENT. Was there a British destroyer by that name in WW2, and if so, what was her fate?

 

There was british submarine named HMS SOLENT during WW2. Apparently she wasn't sunk.
http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3475.html

 

They're very good. It's a serious academic project, much of the info is dated official output, but still very good.

 

Thanks for the information, Notmi. That settles that.

 

Solent is kind of a weird choice for a destroyer name. There have been only three Solents in RN history, none a destroyer. And the only "S" class destroyers in service in 1941 were oldies leftover from WWI and serving in secondary sectors.

 

Well, to an American like me, the Brits have always tended to give their DDs rather odd names, so having one named SOLENT wasn't really a stretch.

 

HMS ocean nowt wrong with it, perfect name for a ship.

 

The RN sometimes used really great names (Ark Royal, Triumph) and sometimes some really poor names (Gay Bruiser, Pansy).

 

And not forgetting some pompous names RN used: Indefatigable, Invincible, Indomitable and Inflexible to name few.

 

When you're really bored some time, grab a sheet of paper and list the ships that might have been in a set of eight British "X" class destroyers. Hey, they did all the other letters, why not "x"? Actually I think they also skipped "y" as well, so feel free....

 

HMS Xenophobia gets my bet!

 

For a truly hard name you can't beat the mighty FLOWER class corvettes.

 

This is true. Imagine having to tell people that your ship is HMS PANSY or TULIP or CHRYSANTHEMUM...