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Re: IJN Battleships
Hello. I think both battleships were antiquated at the time of launch off their quays. The Japanese would have been better off building carriers of some type off of the hulls.
There is some slight argument for BBs in WW ll as a platform for land bombardment/invasion and as a screen for carriers. I freely admit that the big BBs are my personal favorites of any ships. But WW ll in the Pacific was a carrier war, first and foremost. From Taranto on naval doctrine would center around the carriers.
Strange how the Japanese knew all this and still built these behemoths. I would assume they wanted a well rounded naval force. That, or the full impact of the air plane hadn't been assessed yet prior to the keels being laid. Either way both these magnificent ships were dead as dog meat once the Japs lost the carrier war.
Great forum BTW. And thank you...........Rick
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