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The biggest difference is Prince of Wales is fully worked up. She was never bombed at Merseyside on August 8, 1940 and the lower invasion scare allowed for no diversion of her workforce.
Fully worked up and previously deployed on raider hunts. She is as close to 100% combat ready as a warship will be after trials and a few months of normal operations.
More shells. 14 inch shells, but still. More shells for potential damage to Bismarck.
Might not save Hood, but Bismarck wont get out of the Denmark Straight without a lot more damage that she actually received. Still if Hood does survive she gets her long overdue refit.
The fact that HMS Glorious is still around might mean that she is attached to the Hood's hunting group. If so, I see things going a lot worse for Bismarck.
Story 0589
May 17, 1941 Corpus Christi Texas
Four Wildcats clawed for altitude as a pair of three fighter vics initiated the fight. The four Wildcat split into two pairs, and began to turn into their attackers, each stubby fighter twisting wildly, skidding and sliding across the sky trying to catch their opponent in their gun cameras for a steady second or two.
The past few weeks had been constant flying for the Devil Dogs. Twenty four brand new Wildcats had been delivered to the squadron on the first day it officially stood up. Thirty five pilots were putting the powerful fighter through their paces as they became familiar with the Grumman product.
The pilots who had flown the Buffalo liked the additional power and the much heavier armament but the Grumman product was a far heavier plane than the Brewster so it was not quite as nimble. The experienced pilots were adjusting to the new bird. The nuggets did not know better, so they were making their dumb mistakes as they pushed the fighters to the edges of their envelopes. One rookie was in the base hospital after he bailed out of his plane that he had pushed into a flat spin.
story 0591
May 19, 1941 2300 Scapa Flow
The anchorage was almost empty. A few cruisers with engine troubles were being frantically worked on before being ready for screening duties. A pair of destroyers were still refueling from the oil tank farm but the anchorage was effectively empty. It had been full that morning.
By nightfall the cruisers, the eyes of the fleet were already taking positions to reinforce the sentries covering both the Denmark Strait and the gap between Iceland and the Faroes. Two major hunting groups also left. King George V along with Rodney would cover the Iceland-Faroes gap while Prince of Wales and Hood were steaming towards the southern exit of the Denmark Strait. Victorious and Furious, each with a single fighter squadron and two reinforced torpedo bomber squadrons aboard, were accompanied by Repulse. The carriers would be available to reinforce either battleship group once land based air or cruisers located the Germans. A fair fight was the last intention of Admiral Tovey.
Far to the south, Ark Royal, Renown and a coterie of cruisers were leaving the protected anchorage of Gibraltar. The two R-class battleships along with Barham hung ever tighter to the critical convoys that they were covering across the North Atlantic.
The hunt for the Bismarck had started.
The anchorage was almost empty. A few cruisers with engine troubles were being frantically worked on before being ready for screening duties. A pair of destroyers were still refueling from the oil tank farm but the anchorage was effectively empty. It had been full that morning.
By nightfall the cruisers, the eyes of the fleet were already taking positions to reinforce the sentries covering both the Denmark Strait and the gap between Iceland and the Faroes. Two major hunting groups also left. King George V along with Rodney would cover the Iceland-Faroes gap while Prince of Wales and Hood were steaming towards the southern exit of the Denmark Strait. Victorious and Furious, each with a single fighter squadron and two reinforced torpedo bomber squadrons aboard, were accompanied by Repulse. The carriers would be available to reinforce either battleship group once land based air or cruisers located the Germans. A fair fight was the last intention of Admiral Tovey.
Far to the south, Ark Royal, Renown and a coterie of cruisers were leaving the protected anchorage of Gibraltar. The two R-class battleships along with Barham hung ever tighter to the critical convoys that they were covering across the North Atlantic.
The hunt for the Bismarck had started.
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Driftless
Donor
For as old as I am, I've not heard of that event before. What an utterly despicable act.
I really hope the Butterflies are in a good mood and Hood makes it yes with damage but not a dammed great explosion and the country need some sort of win moral is the key to victory basically I'm asking that you please do not sink Hood.
One thing that would be really cool it HMS Hood sitting next to HMS Belfast on the river Thames one hell of a monument to the UKs past and indeed the Royal Navy's
One thing that would be really cool it HMS Hood sitting next to HMS Belfast on the river Thames one hell of a monument to the UKs past and indeed the Royal Navy's
Story 590 (retro-fit)
May 19, 1941 1503 Kattegat
The Swedish cruiser Gotland was outnumbered and outgunned. Her own protection was her flag. Half a dozen large German warships had disappeared over the horizon. She would stay on station for another three hours until she had to turn back to port. The radio was already active reporting the movement of major units back to fleet headquarters at Stockholm.
The Royal Navy observer looked at his notebook and compared his notes to the ship's log. They fundamentally agreed. He would be the first person off the gangplank as he would dash to the nearest pay phone to call the embassy.
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