Between an iowa class battleship and bismarck which one would win?

Question

Between an iowa class battleship and bismarck which one would win?

Answer 1

The Bismarck.

Answer 2

It's not the size of the ship, it's how you use it!

Answer 3

Iowa...

What's wrong with OHIO Class?

Answer 4

Well, I am a 24 year veteran of the Navy and one of the lucky few thousand men that have walked the deck of an Iowa class Battleship.

First, I have to ask which year of Iowa Class are you comparing? The New Jersey in the 80s could of taken out 5 or 10 Bismacks. It is the most fearsome ship that has ever floated. It had helicopters to spot the Bismarck over the horizon, rocket assisted shells, targeting computers and radar that could blow the Bismarck away before they called general quarters.

Now if you are talking about the 40s, the Iowa class was the better ship, but now you are talking a fight close enough that luck and seamanship would make the fight indeterminable. It is now the seaman that makes the difference, not the ship.

Who spots who first? That is luck. Who can get into position to deliver a broadside with their guns loaded. Iowa was faster so if she was first to spot she would almost certainly win. Even in the 40s the US Navys analog computers were more accurate. If I recall properly I believe that the Bismarcks guns had a longer range but less of a punch. The math shoot another ship from a rocking ship at great distance was too much any way. The earth would move miles under the shell while it was in the airl

Nothing adds up to a certain victory for either in the 40s.

Both ships were not intended for a one on one battles. They were meant to fight in a line. I could really enjoy talking about ship to ship battle, but you do not run into too many people with that interest in the 3d world.

Answer 5

Iowa class battle ship beats a mere battle cruiser.

Answer 6

technology = Iowa class.

Answer 7

Generally speaking, the Iowa class is superior.  

Bismarck was definitely not a battle cruiser, as someone else mentioned.   It was a full-fledged battleship.  

But even the 1940's Iowas had superior radar and fire control, plus superior speed and range and bigger, more powerful guns to boot.    

There's always the chance of a lucky salvo slowing the Iowa down, but even then that would just even things up a bit.   US Navy fire control was pretty much unmatched in WW2.  

Best case scenario for the Bismarck would be to catch the Iowa in bad weather by surprise.    Most any other scenario the Iowa likely wins.  

Bismarck had very weak turret armor.   The British battleship Rodney put Bismarck's turrets out of commission in about 20 minutes, if memory serves.   Bismarck couldn't maneuver at that point, so she'd be harder to hit if she could turn, but fact is, those turrets weren't very strong.    

If I had to pick one of the two to be in during the fight, I'm in the Iowa.  

In fact, I'd pick any of the new US Battleships to defeat the Bismarck....North Carolina or South Dakota class I think win, too.   Bigger guns, better fire control.

Also, as mentioned before, the modernized Iowas of the 80's and 90's could kill the Bismarck from outside of gun range with missles.  

I will have to make a correction, though....there were no rocket-assisted shells ever deployed or manufactured for the Iowas.