Accounts of submarine success resemble aviation histories that isolate dramatic attacks on battleships. Pearl Harbor, Taranto, Prince of Wales and Repulse, Bismarck, and Yamato all involved ships caught in unusually exposed circumstances or confronted by concentrated attackers. Mediterranean convoys offer the counterpoint: battleships operating inside supported formations could be damaged by aircraft and guided weapons without necessarily being destroyed. Task groups and their layered protection are the useful unit of analysis for these attacks.
Notable Point · 8:59-13:03
Why isolated ship losses do not settle the battleship-versus-aircraft debate
Famous losses show how isolated capital ships could be overwhelmed, while defended task groups produced a different contest.