Recent content by Brother Stormhammer

Weight isn't the issue, one way or the other. The nuclear-thermal rocket has a significantly higher isp than a chemical rocket. (NERVA was around 850 sec, the F1 engine from the Apollo/Saturn V was around 263 sec). In plain English, even though the atomic rocket is greater in mass, it's...

I won't say the situation you're looking at is impossible (humans have a remarkable track record of coming up with really strange ways of organizing themselves), but in my opinion, it's very unlikely. Fielding a top-tier military (not necessarily the most powerful, or the largest, but one with...

They wouldn't *have* to commit very much shipping (or troops, or anything else) to a Midway Garrison for it to have a disproportionate impact. The Japanese were waging war on a shoestring budget everywhere they went, and that's assuming a very thin shoestring. They don't have any margin at all...

A lot is going to depend on what the win costs the Japanese. How many ships, aircraft, and airmen did they lose? How many ships were damaged, and how badly? Their production rate for replacements is low (honestly, it's abysmal), so the answers to those questions will shape their future...

2,250 targets in the USSR seems low, given the large number of Soviet ICBMs alone. Add in airfields, radar and SAM sites, transportation hubs, and naval bases, and I'd expect the total number of military targets to be much higher. 2,250 sounds about right for the number of targets presented by...

The German forces weren't in any realistic shape to carry out the sort of assault that would've been needed to eliminate everything in the Dunkirk pocket. Infantrymen, even Aryan Supermen (tm) become exhausted. Tanks, even the Legendary Perfect Panzers of the Wehrmacht (tm) require periodic...

The short answer is 'yes'. Quick back-of-the-envelope analysis: The carriers are at least as fast as Yamato, and probably faster. That means (given aircraft range vs gun range) that they can hit the Ten-Go group without ever taking return fire. Unless they flat-out run out of aviation fuel or...

At least according to Navweaps, the Yamato and her sisters carried 12 (24 for post-refit Yamato) 12.7cm/40 type 89 DP guns in twin mounts. Link provided for reference: http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNJAP_5-40_t89.htm

Fire control systems were evolving just as quickly as just about every other system in battleships during this era...but it wasn't an evolution driven by the need to reduce weight, so much as it was driven by the increasing range of the main battery and the increasing performance of aircraft.

I'm not in any way claiming to be an expert, but if you'll settle for my opinion, here 'tis. Odds of catching the US carrier groups in port? Probably slightly lower than the odds of catching the battleships in port, since at least some of the carriers were being used to transport aircraft to...

From a morale standpoint, the loss of the Pacific Fleet carriers would be bad...there would almost certainly be a snowstorm of admirals' stars flying off of shoulder boards, and a sudden glut in the 'potato peeler' labor pool. A certain fictional star ship would also have to be renamed, of...

Historically, the attack on Pearl Harbor was subject to cancellation almost up to the point of first ordnance release, so I can't see the Japanese going through with the attack if they know for certain that surprise has been lost. Even a minimal US response (crews aboard ships, watertight...

I'm fairly certain that *something* would make it to LEO. :eek:

I'd be willing to bet that it has to do with acetylene in liquid form having about the same disposition as antimatter. It tends to explode violently and with no notable provocation. It *can* be made stable, but only at the cost of adding weight. I'd also be willing to bet that if you can find...

I'm not sure that 'regional' calenders are going to remain viable once international trade starts becoming significant. Eventually, frustrated accountants and shipping managers are going to rise up in revolt and start beating people with office implements until things get simplified. :D:D:D As...