Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:10:14-1:10:36

Why King George V should not meet Yamato alone

The preferred British answer is a combined carrier strike and multi-battleship engagement rather than asking one King George V-class ship to absorb Yamato's fire.

BattleshipsCarrier AviationKing George V Class Battleships (1939)Naval TacticsYamato Class Battleships
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Question

Could a King George V-class battleship endure Yamato long enough to close, or would two British battleships need to work together?

Short answer

Use the paired force, ideally after a carrier strike has slowed Yamato and with Nelson or Rodney available to add heavier guns.

Notes

The question offers either a lone King George V-class ship trying to close or two British battleships working together. The paired option is preferred. Carrier aircraft would first slow or damage Yamato, followed by Nelson and Rodney if they were available. The answer treats the problem as a combined-force engagement rather than a simple one-on-one comparison of armour and gun calibre.