Hypothetical Battles

cyrusdvirus

Ok, dunno if this is something that would be interested in discussing here but...

Once a upon a many years ago time, my brother and i used collect the Airfix/Matchbox model kits.

His pride and joy was a 1/700 scale USS Indianapolis, whereas mine was a 1/700 scale Graf Spee. many an argument ensued over which ship would actually win in a straight up 1 on 1 battle.

Any opinions?

arnhem44

Heres the two ships details off Wiki,in my own opionion the Graf Spee was a fine ship although it was only a Battle Cruiser due to size restrictions placed upon Germany after WW1,if I was to pick one it would have to be the Indianapolis in a straight fight.



Admiral Graf Spee

Namesake:Maximilian von Spee

Laid down:1 October 1932

Launched:30 June 1934

Commissioned:6 January 1936

[1]Nickname:Graf SpeeFate:

Scuttled 17 December 1939

General characteristics

Class and type: Deutschland class cruiser

Displacement:12,100 t standard;

16,200 t full load

Length:186 m (610 ft)

[2]Beam:21.65 m (71.0 ft)

[2]Draught:7.34 metres (24.1 ft)

[2]Propulsion:Eight 9-cylinder double-acting two-stroke MAN diesels

two screws, 52,050 hpSpeed:28.5 knots (53 km/h)Range:8,900 nautical miles at 20 knots (16,500 km at 37 km/h)

Or

19,000 nautical miles at 10 knots (35,000 km at 18.5 km/h)Complement:1001-1,150

[1]Electronic warfare

and decoys:Early version of Seetakt radar[3]Armament:6 × 280 mm (11 inch)

8 × 150 mm (5.9 inch)

6 × 105 mm (4.1 inch)

8 × 37 mm

10 × 20 mm

8 × 533 mm (21 inch) torpedo tubesArmor:turret face: (140 mm)

belt: (100 mm)

deck: 40-70 mm)Aircraft carried:Two Arado 196 seaplanes, one catapult



And the USS Indianapolis





Name:USS Indianapolis (CA-35)

Laid down:March 31, 1930Launched:November 7, 1931Commissioned:November 15, 1932

Honors and

awards:10 Battle Stars

Fate:July 30, 1945 sunk by Japanese submarine I-58. 317 of 1,196 crew members survived.

General characteristics

Displacement:9,800 tons

Length:610 ft (190 m)

Beam:66 ft (20 m)

Draft:17 ft 4 in (5.3 m)

Propulsion:8 × White-Foster boilers,

single reduction geared turbines, 107,000 shpSpeed:32.7 kn (37.6 mph; 60.6 km/h)

Complement:629 officers and enlisted (peace),

1,269 officers and enlisted (wartime)

Armament:9 × 8 in (200 mm)/55 cal guns (3x3),

8 × 5 in (130 mm)/25 cal AA guns[1],

8 × 0.5 in (12.7 mm)

machine guns

Aircraft carried:2 × OS2U Kingfisher floatplanes

Manach

I'm not on expert on battleships. I reckon it would come down to the crews.
On one hand the German's would have their best sailors on the Graf Spree, but would lack the experience of the two-ocean USN. However the USS Indianapolis would have been of the Pacific Fleet(?), and thus not the same standard as the US Atlantic squadrons.

cyrusdvirus

This really is one of those that could go around and around in circles.

The Spee was flagship of the Kreigsmarine when launched, but the indy was a prestige posting herself.

Manic Moran

No mention of the types of gun directors? I'd have thought that would be a pretty important little detail.

NTM

Fratton Fred

I would put my money on the Graf Spee.

When you think HMS exeter had to withdraw from the battle of riverplate after heavy damage, despite Graf Spee having her fire split, I would say one on one the Graf Spee would have won.

Indy and Exeter look to be similar ships, hence why I say the Graf Spee would edge it.

11inch guns against 8inch as well.

Now if it was the USS Indiana.....