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"The Yamato"l

Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 6:00 pm
by JOHN THURSTON
Sorry, a rather poor of Yamato on her way to attack the landings on Okinawa. One bomb miss can be made out.

Image on her way to attack the Landing forces surrounding Okinawa.


She was reportedly given only enough fuel for a one way mission. The Japanese Military denied this.

She took tremendous punishment, as had Musashi at Leyte, 19 heavy bonbs and 15 torpedoes at least.

A japanese seaman wrote, I paraphrase " there was a downed American pilot bobbing not far away, a flight of attacking dive bombers took our attention, and when we looked back, he was being hauled in to a small seaplane. I shocked us all, a whole plane and an entire mission to save one pilot .We were so stunned we did not fire on the hapless piot and his rescuers."
Image




Yamato on Sea Trials in better days, she reached 28 knots and carried nine 18" guns in three triple turrets and nine 9 6" guns in 3 triple turrets, the equilavent in armament of a light cruiser, and innumerable AA guns as tertiary armament.

The nine 6" latter were primarily intended for anti ship use and although they, and the 18" guns, were used in the AA role they were not effective.

Such was the recoil of the 18 inch guns that each shot popped bolts throughout the ship.

How does this ship stand up against one of the Iowa class? Comment as to the shock of the Japanese seaman?


JT