Prinz Eugen - what if?

Things guys,
here are the two thraeds. Renown and Repulse VS. Prinz Eugen
If Renown and Repulse went up against PE, could they handle her, and get a tow line on her to keep her from helping her brother Bismarck in his last fight against KGV, Rondey, Norfolk and Dorsetshire?

I guess what i was trying to ask is could they hold on to her with the towlines til, bismarck got sank, then when KGV and Rondey, when back to scapa flow, the four of them take her back with them, but if they able to get a prize crew on board, they dont have to two her, but say in a net around her, so she can run for freedom, that what i ment ok..

What i mean by getting in a net around her with KGV, Rodney,behind her and Renown, her sister on each side of PE! if she gets in to a wiggle and squimming mood, how do they handle her or is she dogmeat? you guys can look at them here and let me know ok.
Nikki
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Prinz Eugen In 1945
When Prinz Eugen Surrendered to the British in May 1945 in Copenhagen which is in Denmank. She was then taken back to Wilhelmshaven on May 28th, to be turned over the US as a War prize. She was Escorted by light Cruiser Dido and Heavy cruiser Devonshire and Two Distroyers (H.M.C.S. Iroqoois and H.M.S. Savage).

My question is Were Was Devonshire, was she behind Prinz Eugen or where was she at, Exactly? And Did Prinz Eugen have a Chance to Escape in to open water or were there British Sailors on board her to mak sure she didn't make a run for it? But there is the twist here, Her Ammunition was offloaded under British orders, so she didn't have any of her 8" shells.

So My question here is could she have gotten away or would she have been sank right off the bat or blow out of the water? and Explan why!

But there's an add on to this also: What If" light cruiser Nürnberg draw off Dido and one of the Distroyer Savage. Could PE draw off Devonshire and the other Distroyer Iroquois. what were the odds on them actually getting away, I know PE didn't have any shells, but she did have her torpedoes i believe?

Kind of what i told my two other friends don't sink PE, just corner her and force her to back down and give herself up, then if she dosen't pop off a few warning rounds at again see if she's back down, then if she dosen't, then sink her! But don't sink her right off the bat.

But what do you guys think? Or are they both dogmeat any way??
Nikki

 

Nikki, while Renown and Repulse were older ships, I think they could have dealt with Prinz Eugen if they intercepted her. Without referring to anything, I think PE had the wood on them in terms of speed though.

PE had already turned for home so she was of no help to Bismarck in the final confrontation. I don't think the RN would have bothered trying to board her or tow her under any circumstance - destruction was the answer.

When it comes to the end of the war, why would PE even try to run if she had none of her ammunition load? Assuming she did (where does Nurnberg come into it, was she under escort too?), she wouldn't get far. If she slipped the RN, which would have her under close escort, I think the RAF and FAA would have had some target practice. After the amount of work the PE did during the war - the Bismarck break out, Channel Dash etc - I think the crew would be looking forward to going home and also considering how lucky they were to survive given what happened to the majority of the other major German surface ships.

 

is it ok, to keep both together or should they be spilt?
Nikki

 

It's fine to keep the two ideas together. Keep it all in the same place since it refers to the one ship. Have you seen pics of the PE capsized and with her stern out of the water at Bikini Atoll? In effect, she still survives.

http://ww2chat.com/forums/war-sea/1150-wreck-prnz-eugen.html

 

ya, nut its not the same.
NIKKI

 

True but you can't touch a major German surface ship anywhere else!

 

could they hold on to her with the towlines til, bismarck got sank, or would she wiggle out of there grap?
Nikki

 

I don't think they'd bother trying to get that close, Nikki. If she'd surrendered in any condition above a battered wreck, perhaps an attempt to collect Enigma or classified papers etc may have occurred but the primary concern would have been sinking a capable enemy combatant. The first priority for any RN command at sea upon coming across the PE would have been to sink her or survive to fight another day.

Any attempt to tow would have provided U-boats with a nice target anyway.

The fantasy of 'what if' questions cannot escape reality. Capabilities do not change nor do operational considerations.

 

Andy,
Why could they hang on to her, so she can help her brother?
Nikki

 

Bismarck and Prinz Eugen were headed out to stir up the convoys. With Bismarck damaged, the decision was made for an undamaged PE to continue the mission and for the battleship to head for home.

 

Andy,
All im saying is she'll be powerless help help save her bigger brother, that all.
NIKKI

 

You mean if she was under tow by the RN?

 

Ya,
Could they keep her from her brother or would she fine a way to wiggle away and try and pertect her bigger brother and could she have gotten away with it or is she sank?
Nikki

 

Nikki, as soon as PE left Bismarck they were both on their own. The RN was hunting the Bismarck and, being the survivor PE was, I don't think her skipper would have liked his chances trying to lend a hand to the battleship. If she was for some bizarre reason captured by the RN, how on earth could she escape and then find Bismarck in the vast expanse of the Atlantic? Yes, she had radar but...

If the RN (and I'll say it again), for some bizarre reason, had her in tow or under close escort, there is no way the PE could put on such a great turn of speed that she could be out of range before the escorting ships cottoned on. In other words, if PE hadn't continued on when Bismarck turned for home, and stayed with the battleship, she would have been sunk by the Stringbags and/or the RN surface ships.

The PE was a fine ship with a fine crew but she wasn't a miracle worker.

You've discussed this on a number of other forums, Nikki, so I imagine you've got all the answers you need now to form your opinion.

 

Andy,
i know you thing, im Crazy.. but if they were able to keep her back, what would happen, would her bigger brother, go to her aid or would they keep them away from eachother?
Nikki

 

I don't think you're crazy Nikki but, like the Bismarck, you're going around in circles.

 

Andy,
I never intened to get Anyone mad at me ok. My feeling is, If PE was there How long could she have given her Bigger Brother?
Nikki

 

No one's mad, Nikki. Just pay attention to what is said. If PE had stayed with Bismarck to the bitter end, she would have joined the battleship on the bottom.

 

Andy,
PE was a good cruiser, But if she had been there, she could have easly give Bismarck 15-more minutes of fight time, if that. So my way of thing is, Get PE away from her bigger Brother, so she's powerless to help him. That just what i've been trying to say from the beginning..
Nikki

 

Yes, PE was a very good cruiser. If she had been with Bismarck, what would 15 extra minutes have done? Yes, she probably would have split the RN's fire but the battleships and battlecruisers would most likely have continued to engage Bismarck while PE would have been up against equally good cruisers, heavy and light, and a few destroyers (assuming she hadn't already been targeted by the Swordfish etc).

What I've been saying from the beginning is that there was no need to get PE away from Bismarck. They parted on their own accord.