Got back today. At last a reasonably impartial response. Am working on the numbers now for others, but Guadacanal was what Yamato had been designed for and in fact had been sent, but was too late and turned around.

Yamato was designed to fight multiple Battleships and to take punishment from large shells, Torpedoes dropped from were it's Achilles heel.

Washington had the same radar as Iowa (MK13) albeit not as modern, Washington's Captain, was trained in radar and trained his crew, yet at 7000y and about 76 shots later had only Hit Kirishima 6 times. Kirishima was a WW1 battle cruiser that had been modernized for WW2 but was still not up to the standard of a real Battle ship. Kirishima fired 11 inch guns and its turrets were loaded for shore bombardment. 

If Yamato had been in this battle in place of Kirishima, South Dakota would have been wrecked and Washington would have had a fight on its hands. 

This is my argument, there are too many variables to say which ship would win between Yamato and Iowa and to say that Iowa would win hands down is just absurd. 

Up until 1944 the Americans believed that Yamato was around 45k, so the captain of the Iowa would be working on this knowledge. He would want to close the distance and secure his immunity zone (an estimate at 45k around 25ky to 30ky) as quickly as possible(he has the speed but he does not know it) He has the edge on fire control (but he does not know it) Battleships have a limited amount of ammunition so he is probable not going to start shooting until he is within his immunity zone????. Yamato has been designed to shot a great distance and there is a good chance that its captain is going to start shooting as soon as he feels he has a solution. His first salvo's will more then likely be off (maybe). Now all the big variables start.

The Iowa has STS decaping armour, but the Yamatos shell still weighs 3120lbs,even decapped it is still a devastating weapon  and is dangerous in the water near the other ship. The Iowas 2700lbs shell is an excellent projectile, but cannot penetrate the Yamatos vital areas between 25ky and 30ky. The Iowa can hit the Yamato more times than the Yamato can hit the Iowa due to Superior fire control, but the Yamato is designed to take punishment from another Battleship. If the Yamato can hit the Iowa fron 35ky the shell will penetrate the deck and it will do damage to the side armour.

I cannot say which ship would win and I have better things to do then list a whole lot of numbers (but if you want them!) 

If these two ships were to stand at 20ky to 25ky and just shoot shells at each other (oh what a sight) It is my belief and this is to answer the Yamato, Iowa debate that, just by weight of shell, subdivision and armour, Yamato would win. Under battle conditions and what was known about ether ship in 1942 to 1944 is a different story. 

The HMS Vangaurd, was for the English a well balanced design based on all their experience gained during the wars, but still controlled by budget. If the Iowa was put up against the Vangaurd, then my money would be on the Iowa. 

"The Yamatos were LUCKY they never were in line of battle and faced our puny subs and aircraft. It would be San Bernardino Strait writ large."

I dont get this.

In Response

Rejected. Yes you have answered your own argument, The Yamato was designed to stand and fight with and against other Battleships.

Float bubble. The argument/discussion is about battleship on battleship. The torpedo damage to Yamato was from Torpedo,s from aircraft at a shallow depth, also it had multiple hits in the same area's. The Yamato had been built with extensive compartmentalization and counter flooding measures to deal with another battleship attack. I ignore your statement about the &S220;bubble&S221;because you are the only one I have heard make it, and on paper and battle stats I believe that no other ship of the time could come close to taking the damage Yamato and Masushi took. So again I say &S220;if the Iowa could fly, Drop bombs or Torpedo's&S221;great, otherwise GET BACK ON TRACK.

Mistakes off the bat. I don't know why I wrote 11inch instead of 14 inch. Kirishima arrived at guadacanal believing it was clear, its turrets were loaded with high explosive shells to fire at shore targets. Yes it was carrying AP shells. It was hit by large caliber shells at least Six times. One destroying it's steering. Sth Dakota was (from memory) hit by only one 14inch shell and it is uncertain if it was AP or HE. Sth Dakota was put out of the fight with 5&S221; to 8&S221; shells (about 41) and STH Dakota was a good design. The Iowa copied the Dakotas Design with heaver armor. Washington ranged its main Guns on Kirishima and its secondary on the other smaller ships. 
Do really think a line of Sth Dakotas would beat a line of Yamatos.

Source 1. Again the question is &S220;what if&S221; the &S220;Iowa and the Yamato&S221; meet in a battle. I am continually amused by your peoples reference to stuff that has nothing to do with this battle. &S220;not all the salvos were aimed at her&S221; What??? Look at your radar screen and shoot at the biggest target and keep shooting at it. the smaller stuff is for the smaller guns.
 I am not in error over Americas knowledge of Yamato's abilities. &S220;They did not know&S221; Get this, they thought it was 45k. They had the beam wrong and they could only guess at Yamatos fire control. All other information is in retrospect.

Source. I have seen this picture and have read the spec's, This was a test done at a &S220;simulated&S221; range. This &S220;Range&S221; was done at point blank, Straight on, no angle of fall, not a real test. The American government and armed forces have never been involved in propaganda.?

Decisive Data. The Germans armor piercing rounds were said to be inferior to the English, yet the Hood went down.  Out at sea there is no DECISIVE data, There is just what happens.
You people set there at you computer screens and quote numbers. Here is some Decisive Data for you.
At 30ky and under the Iowa could not penetrate the Yamatos magazines through the deck armour and had to get within 25ky to guarantee a possible breach of the side armor, and no amount of foot stamping and anger on your side will overcome the experts At this range The Yamato can penetrate the Iowas deck Armour and with a lucky hit the Iowas side armor.

&S220;I have seen that crap statistic to many times&S221; So you have seen it many times and still believe its crap. So you are right and people like, John Campbell (Naval weapons of world warII), Dulin and Garzke, Nathan Okun and various other reputable authors are all wrong. 


No Japanese battleship ever survived a major gun duel....Why. What major gun battles are you talking about, Guadacanal? Two battleships Hiei and Kirishima where battle cruisers that had received make overs. Hiei was damaged by gunfire and then bombed repeatedly, (not sunk by gunfire) and Kirishima was out classed by two better more modern Battleships. Most Japanese battleships were WWI vintage, out of date, not the armor needed and oh yeah, most were bombed or torpedoed. Please be a bit more specific on this please.

The Question is. How would the Yamato and Iowa fair in a battle.
Answer. It would not be the one sided battle that some people might think.

Whats 40,000 got to do with it, I made no comment about 40,000.

Nth Carolinas!! what???

I have read the page you quote. It does not support your arguement in anyway that I can see. The Yamato was bombed and Torpedoed, now you are saying that the Nth Carolina and the Washington would have just shrugged of these same attacks.

This page also points to the new radar systems that Yamato had installed and that when Yamato fired on the Gambier Bay that Yamato scored a hit with its first Salvoe, then fired on a cruiser and hit that with it's first Salvoe, not bad for shit fire control.

I am confused, are you trying to help your arguement or lose it.

YAMATO vs IOWA in a gun fight, no planes, no torpedos, no bombs.

N.B. Interferometry is a big word to use, but has little to do with Optical Rangefinders.

It is however used with single light sources such as Lasers. I don't think the Japanese were using Laser's.