The Drydock - Episode 142

00:00:00 - Intro

00:00:34 - On a battlecruiser why would it matter if the officer's quarters were fore or aft?

00:05:23 - Why did the Russian's turn to accept battle at Tsushima?

00:09:13 - What was your best literature or archive find to change your view on things most considerably?

00:18:17 - Why were AB + X layouts (Such as Iowa, Yamato etc) becoming more common than AB + XY layouts (such as Bismarck, Vanguard). Is there any inherit advantages to either layout?

00:24:22 - Could or have Naval Torpedo bombers ever been used to bomb docks/buildings directly?

00:26:45 - Could Germany have kept the Nassau and Helogland classes?

00:29:20 - Where did Combat Air Patrol originate?

00:34:24 - In WWII carrier operations we see that CAP is significantly more successful than AA at defending against air attacks (even for late-war Americans); so why is American AA considered the main defence against Japanese air attacks in pop culture history?

00:40:11 - Taranto follow-up attack?

00:42:30 - What if the IJN pressed on where historically it turned back?

00:46:54 - Could USS Atlanta have been repaired?

00:50:22 - HMS Effingham vs Rock. Was it really as simple as the pencil line on the map?

00:52:31 - Did the German sub force ever make a study of how to minimize their problems transiting to their hunting grounds?

00:56:29 - Why would a monarch knight a subject aboard their vessel eg. Francis Drake, and how common a practice was this?

00:59:45 - Areas of warafare the IJN ignored?

01:03:46 - Channel Admin

[ryangale]

Thanks for answering my question Drach, earlier than anticipated haha! That's more or less what I had concluded as well; always had a feeling when reading about her sinking that all the crew's efforts to save her was for naught, that torpedo hit was absolutely brutal. Figured that would be a great thought experiment on just how much a ship can be damaged before it's beyond repair.

[TrickiVicBB]

I also had a low view of the Italian Navy for a long time as I considered them cowards and lacked good aim.

Your channel really puts things into perspective and changed my view.

[MorningGIry]

I swear, Drach and Bloke on the Range must be long lost brothers. Both are engineers, both have a strong interest and knowledge of military history, both have beards, both are great at explaining mathematical concepts, and both run excellent YouTube channels.

[ReturnoftheNative-wk]

Thank you so much to all who bring us the peerless Drach;
& thank you Drach too. I can't wait for the next marathon Episode.

[edmondbarrett]

On the subject a Taranto followup, I read somewhere when it was suggested to the aircrews, there was a mutter from the back of the room "Chr*st, they only asked the Light Brigade to go once!"

[richardcutts]

34:20 AA is also more prominent in pop culture because there is a lot more stock footage of AA guns and crews shooting at and killing enemy planes. Thus right after the war movies could use this footage to beef up the action without having the cost of filming their own.

[darrellsmith]

I love the sound of Drach in the morning. It sounds like....HMS Victory.

[robertthecag]

In your talk about the air cap, you left out another huge difference between the aircraft and A.A. Ammunition. Aircraft carry a very limited supply and have to use it sparingly. That's why I love the story of a pilot who ran out of ammo, lowered his landing gear and beat a Japanese bomber to death with them.

[johnashley-smith]

Fascinating and illuminating as always Drach! You're mention of the " electro-mechanical" fire control computers reminded me of an " electric calculator" my Father had saved from the trash, when he worked in the telephone industry. It was as big and heavy as an oversized typewriter that you plugged into a wall outlet. You could punch in calculations and hit the a button and the machine would jump, noisily and put up your solution in a window, with digits on dials I think...it was fun to mash away on as a kid!
He'd also saved an old oscilloscope which was a ton of fun, imagining a sonar screen, hunting subs....or a radar scope revealing an incoming raid...
These devices were in many cases, developed out of the wartime technology, and they deserve to be remembered. Thanks for reminding me
Thanks again!

[kiwiruna]

Just discovered two great books Dreadnought Britain Germany & the coming of the great war & Castles of Steel Britain Germany & the winning of the great War both by Robert K Massie. I've got the audio versions and what I've listerned to so far is excellent.

[georgewnewman]

Japanese Confusion at Guadalcanal - For an example of this confusion, just look at the fate of the Japanese 35th Infantry Brigade, under Major General Kiyotake Kawaguchi. 35th Brigade arrives on Guadalcanal between 29 Aug and 4 Sept, is in position by dark on 12 Sept and after sunset 12 Sept, they started 2 days (nights) of fighting in an attempt to attack Henderson Field from the southwest but were stopped by US Marines at Lunga Ridge, losing 830 men in fighting a force at the Ridge that actually was only 830 or so men, the combined 1st Raider Battalion, 1st Provisional Parachute Battalion, 2/5 Marines and 1/7 Marines supported by the guns of 11 Marines and commanded by Lt Col Merritt "Red Mike" Edson, 1st Raider Btn. The confusion came during the day on 13 Sept when first the daily air raid by Japanese air elements from Rabaul and then the nightly naval shore bombardment by the "Tokyo Express" were directed about 5 miles or so east of Henderson Field (Kawaguchi's supply depot) because Kawaguchi had told superiors he would have the airfield secured on the 13th, but these daily attacks were corrected back to Henderson Field on 14 Sept. To add insult to injury the 1st Raider Battalion had raided Kawaguchi's supply depot at Taivu Point on 8 Sept.

[bjarkih]

Maybe you could get Computerphile to co-op a video on the Argo clock? They did an excellent series on the Enigma :)

[TheKingofbrooklin]

I can't believe that my old question got included. Thank you very much.

[michaelcourtright]

I think one area the IJN totally ignored was to use their submarine force against merchant shipping - specifically the US/Pearl Harbor to Australia supply line. The supply chain was long enough as it was with really no submarine (or really any other) threat. Imagine if the US would have had to divert transports and supply ships several thousand miles out of their way, or divert escort assets to protect convoys to Australia. May not have affected the outcome of the war (other than maybe lengthening the Pacific War), but could it have affected the outcomes of both the Coral Sea and Midway battles? A more favorable outcome of these battles for the IJN could have had significant affects on events later in the war. Might be an interesting "what if" scenario similar to a discussion of "what if" the Type XXI U-Boat had started service in early 1944 instead of April/May of 1945.

[Cypher]

Last time I was this early the 5 minute guides were 5 minutes.

[rogercoulombe]

About the IJN not pressing on compared to the Army, Infantry is a lot easier to replace than a bunch of warships (at least without a ludicrous industry). If Japan is going to risk sacrificing a significant naval force, the damage inflicted needs to be worth it.

[dandarling]

At 48:30 you talked about the Atlanta and the possibility to save her. I've read that the torpedo hit also cracked her keel. Moving her would have just made her break up somewhere else.

[Dave_Sisson]

The tradition of a monarch knighting people on the battlefield definitely lasted into the 20th century. I heard somewhere that King George V knighting General Monash on the Western Front circa 1917 was the last time this happened, but I later heard that there might have been a later instance.

[BarryT]

Time 54. SNORKELS vs RADAR
The Kriegsmarine tried to counter radar detection of snorkeling U-boats by applying radar absorbing material on the snorkel head – one of the earliest known uses of RAM. Also, the keel depth of the snorkeling submarine could be adjusted. This was a judgment call. Obviously, the greater the height of the snorkel head and mast exposed above the water surface, the greater the chance of detection, but if the height is reduced too much, waves will pass over the snorkel head (intake valve). Automatic float valves prevented the sea water from entering and the diesels would draw air from inside the boat, causing a partial vacuum, until the wave passed, and the float valve re-opened.


In U.S. Guppy diesel boats during the early days of the Cold War (showing my age) the diesels were designed to safely operate in a vacuum up to six and half inch’s mercury (Hg), although the enginemen back aft might shut their engines down before you reached the limit. This was called a ‘flame out’ and was a black mark on the luckless diving officer. Standard aircraft altimeters located throughout the boat indicated the amount of vacuum (1000 feet of “altitude” is approximately one inch Hg, so the limit was 6500 feet.)


When submerged on the battery, and below periscope depth, ship speed of only three knots was common to conserve energy. Normally, the bow and stern planes (and rudder) were hydraulically powered, but to further conserve power (and reduce noise) they might be shifted to manual (hand) operation (this is why the control wheels were so large).

When snorkeling speeds of up to 10-12 knots were possible. The effectiveness (lift) of the diving planes varies as speed squared, and the bow and stern planes men had to be careful to minimize movement of the planes. Else the boat might broach (partially surface) or descend rapidly to 100 feet or more until control was regained. Once again, black marks for the unlucky diving officer.

[jeffbybee]

Love your vids. Been spoiled by longer drydocks filling multi hours. Best wishes to u what ever length we get