OT: Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat.....

[warspite1]

This should be out in November - so I'm on my best behaviour in the hope that Father Christmas put this in my stocking.

[Moltrey]

Sounds like a most interesting read Warspite. Those boys had balls of steel, making a port attack at night. Reminds me of the Eben Emael initial glider assault by the Fallschirmjager by landing on the freakin' roof! Ballsy.

[spence]

Is this a computer game or a board game?

Be interesting to see how they handle the majority (but not all) of the Italian Navy switching sides in the middle of the game and how the fuel oil supply of the Italian Navy before it switches sides is simulated as well as what the "Italian Player" can do to affect that supply.

Could be really interesting if the mechanics work well.

[rustysi]

Looks like its right up your alley.[8D]

[RangerJoe]

ORIGINAL: spence

Is this a computer game or a board game?

Be interesting to see how they handle the majority (but not all) of the Italian Navy switching sides in the middle of the game and how the fuel oil supply of the Italian Navy before it switches sides is simulated as well as what the "Italian Player" can do to affect that supply.

Could be really interesting if the mechanics work well.

That is interesting how that would work since it is a BOOK!

https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Taranto ... ck/p/18611

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Moltrey

Sounds like a most interesting read Warspite. Those boys had balls of steel, making a port attack at night. Reminds me of the Eben Emael initial glider assault by the Fallschirmjager by landing on the freakin' roof! Ballsy.

warspite1

Indeed. I saw a Swordfish as it flew over our house a few years ago. The weather was pretty bad - no rain but heavy grey cloud and quite windy.

The Stringbag was moving around so much, she just looked so fragile. I think just getting into a Stringbag was pretty ballsy, but then flying off a carrier, at night, a couple of hundred miles from the target, knowing you are going to be greeted by AA and barrage balloons when you get there....

[JeffroK]

The Stringbags list of battle honours would rival any aircraft,
Attacks on the Bismark, Scharnhorst & Gniesenau.
Genoa,Taranto,Oran, Matapan
Attacks from Malta on Rommels convoys.
ASW attacks in the Atlantic & Mediterranean.

[Andrea G]

I have never read other books by David Hobbs, will surely buy this one and I hope it will be well researched and not too much one sided
It's curious the title of "Taranto" for a book that covers the entire war up to 1945.

[Andrea G]

ORIGINAL: spence

Is this a computer game or a board game?

Be interesting to see how they handle the majority (but not all) of the Italian Navy switching sides in the middle of the game and how the fuel oil supply of the Italian Navy before it switches sides is simulated as well as what the "Italian Player" can do to affect that supply.

Could be really interesting if the mechanics work well.

My first hope also was that it was a PC wargame; afaik there are no games on pc covering the air-vaval warfare in the med during WWII.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Andrea G

I have never read other books by David Hobbs, will surely buy this one and I hope it will be well researched and not too much one sided
It's curious the title of "Taranto" for a book that covers the entire war up to 1945.

Looks like the theme is Taranto as the trigger event that affected how the rest of the war in the Med played out. The survival of Malta for example may have owed something to the crippling of the Italian fleet and the psychological impact on the Italian high command.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Andrea G

I have never read other books by David Hobbs, will surely buy this one and I hope it will be well researched and not too much one sided
It's curious the title of "Taranto" for a book that covers the entire war up to 1945.

warspite1

I don't think you should worry too much on the one-sided front based on another of Hobbs' books I read [:)]. Here is a review I did for Amazon. So hopefully this new book will be just as objective.

The British Pacific Fleet (Hobbs)
The teacher becomes the student…..and has to learn fast...

5 out of 5 stars.

This very impressive book tells the story of the British Pacific Fleet (BPF) that fought alongside its American allies in the war against Japan during the last months of the Second World War.

The book is written in an easy to read style, is very well researched and contains a more than acceptable number of pictures, diagrams and appendices (although can you ever have enough of the latter?).

The title of this review refers to the fact that for 100 years the Royal Navy was the most powerful naval force in the world, capable of projecting its might across the globe in protection of the UK’s trade routes to the Empire outposts and elsewhere. But, as other countries caught up and then overtook the world’s first industrial power, the United Kingdom had to live within a new economic reality. Post World War one, the country could no longer afford the navy necessary to meet all the potential threats that would appear around the globe, and the Royal Navy that entered World War II – whilst still the largest – was stretched to the limit.

The navy fought and won its most important war – the defence of the home country and the defeat of the U-boats and the surface fleets of Germany and Italy - but in doing so had not been able to spare ships for the defence of its colonial outposts in the Far East or even the Dominions of Australia and New Zealand, from the Japanese. After the fall of Malaya, Singapore and Burma, the British retreated to India and it was left to the United States to confront the Japanese, halt their expansion and begin to push them back across the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean. In doing so, between 1942 and 1945 they built a huge navy - centred on the aircraft carrier – and a supply and logistic arm to keep that navy fed, watered, fuelled and armed.

With the defeat of Germany and Italy in sight, the Royal Navy had to ensure (for a variety of reasons) that it could learn how to operate in similar fashion – albeit on a much smaller scale. For a country at war since 1939 and exhausted, it was no easy feat to put together a fleet and supporting arm that could operate with their US allies. Hobbs tells the story of how the ships were found for both the fleet and the support vessels - albeit on a shoestring.

Understandably the US were not interested in having the BPF in the Pacific if they were going to be a drain on their own resources, or if they could not operate their carrier force in the way the United States Navy (USN) could. Hobbs makes clear just what a massive effort it took to ensure that the BPF would be accepted by the Americans as equals.

What I like about this book is that it is very honest. Hobbs, ex-Royal Navy himself, is justifiably proud of this achievement, but he does not soft soap the situation. There was a very, very steep learning curve to go through, and one that would have been impossible without the assistance of the USN (both before and after the BPF reached the Pacific). In addition Hobbs brings out just how much the military and civilian population of Australia worked with the British to make the BPF possible.

Like Monty’s 8th Army, the BPF was truly a Commonwealth force and Hobbs brings this out too. He makes an interesting defence on the thinking behind the withdrawal of the Canadian cruiser HMCS Uganda. He brings out the contribution of Australians, Kiwis, Canadians and other nationalities that made up the BPF.

The final word goes to the Admirals; Fraser and Rawlings for the British and Nimitz, Halsey and Spruance for the Americans. Hobbs brings out the mutual respect and admiration that these individuals had for each other and how their grown up, professional attitudes worked to the good of all.

In summary then, this is a very interesting, balanced book that I would recommend as required reading for anyone interested in naval warfare.

[pontiouspilot]

There is a "stringbag" at RAF Hendon museum. I was surprised at how large and frankly how sturdy she looked, considering it was a bi-plane. If I can find pic I will try to post.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: pontiouspilot

There is a "stringbag" at RAF Hendon museum. I was surprised at how large and frankly how sturdy she looked, considering it was a bi-plane. If I can find pic I will try to post.

warspite1

Well that's okay then. When we come back in another life at the start of WWII, you can volunteer for one of these and I'll find a nice Spitfire or something [:)]

[mind_messing]

If we're turning this into an Xmas book suggestion thread, I'll submit the following

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Century-S ... 0253352142
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Century-S ... 253353599/

Well worth the read for the consideration of some of the lesser known conflicts (especially in Europe) and diligently researched (tables upon tables for stats nerds).

[fcooke]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: Moltrey

Sounds like a most interesting read Warspite. Those boys had balls of steel, making a port attack at night. Reminds me of the Eben Emael initial glider assault by the Fallschirmjager by landing on the freakin' roof! Ballsy.

warspite1

Indeed. I saw a Swordfish as it flew over our house a few years ago. The weather was pretty bad - no rain but heavy grey cloud and quite windy.

The Stringbag was moving around so much, she just looked so fragile. I think just getting into a Stringbag was pretty ballsy, but then flying off a carrier, at night, a couple of hundred miles from the target, knowing you are going to be greeted by AA and barrage balloons when you get there....

Not sure I have ever seen one flying. Anyone know off the top of their heads how many other than this one can still get in the air?

[RangerJoe]

There are a few. Wikipedia has the answer. They were surprisingly durable and outlived the usefulness of it replacements.

[fcooke]

Thanks RJ. I never understood those 'upgrades' Introducing a biplane in the 40s? With all the lend lease going on Avengers could have been a better solution.

[PaxMondo]

Well, just like the Val, Stuka, and Kate ... the Stringbean was a VERY stable platform. None of them were fast or anything else in particular, but they were stable and for an aircraft attempting to deliver a weapons package, that is a crucial element. The Helen was not stable and worse was a hangar queen, hence the Sally, also a stable platform, ran the entire war.

Kinda like what I always say about employees; the first criteria is showing up on time. It doesn't matter how smart an employee is, if they don't show up, you can't use them.

[Jorge_Stanbury]

ORIGINAL: fcooke

Thanks RJ. I never understood those 'upgrades' Introducing a biplane in the 40s? With all the lend lease going on Avengers could have been a better solution.

Lend lease naval aircraft was beyond scarce early war, and the US was still using Devastators in early 42

Besides, biplanes were still adequate in the early years; specially against the Italians who also used biplanes extensively

Later on the war they were used in less dangerous roles, like ASW

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Jorge_Stanbury

ORIGINAL: fcooke

Thanks RJ. I never understood those 'upgrades' Introducing a biplane in the 40s? With all the lend lease going on Avengers could have been a better solution.

Lend lease naval aircraft was beyond scarce early war, and the US was still using Devastators in early 42

warspite1

Exactly, one only has to read the story of the Wildcats that were ordered by the British to understand that things weren't always as straightforward as they appear in the lend-lease dept.

But in terms of replacements, timing also needs to be factored in. The Swordfish first flew in 1934 and its replacement, the bi-plane Albacore, first flew in 1938 - before WWII. The Avenger didn't fly until 1941.

It is unfortunate for the Royal Navy that, although the United Kingdom was capable of building some absolutely superb aircraft, the replacement aircraft that should have equipped the Fleet Air Arm in the early war/mid-war, were generally duds (for a variety of reasons too numerous to mention here).