Comments by "William Cox" (@WildBillCox13) on "The Drydock - Episode 100" video.

  1. Where diesel wins is in reaction time. A ship in port needs time to work up a head of steam before it can go anywhere or do anything, other than provide an exceptionally eager patient base for interactions with new and interesting venereal diseases. A diesel powered ship needs no such waiting period. Same with breakdowns at sea. Once you've repaired a turbine you still need 8 hours before your ship can go anywhere. With the diesels it's "off we go!" as soon as the last MOPAR part is bolted down. Seriously, Drach; have you ever started a turbine by hand spinning? "Cause I have. One needs to rotate the turbine by hand (by canvas spanner wrapped around the shaft) to evenly heat its metal elements before giving it main steam. Otherwise you get warping and warping a high speed turbine is a bad thing, m'kay? And that is the advantage with diesel (and today's gas turbines). Reaction time. Start 'em up, move 'em out! Personally? I worked on a 1200lb Steam Plant and much prefer it, despite the obvious hazard. How you feel about sails for tophamper (i.e.: now tha's a ship, Laddy!) I feel about steam powered warships.
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  2. Germany had the Nordwind und Nordmeer. If it absolutely, positively, has to get there ahead of the ship. They were launched by catapult from the Schwabenland. http://theoregonchristensens.com/oldplanes/page8.html Naturally, as you pointed out, such a capability is hard to conceal. On the other hand, each of the German raiders (Atlantis, Kormorant, et al) had a floatplane attached.
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  3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blohm_%26_Voss_Ha_139
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