Talk:Iowa/@comment-180.254.107.246-20160229044542/@comment-21356142-20160229134638

Niether side would win

The 90 Aircraft (roughly 60 bombers) of the Enterprise would be unable bring enough firepower to destroyer either battleship. The value of aircraft carriers comes from massed airwaves and even in these cases battleships were incredibly resilient to air attacks when at sea.

Even with terrible IJN AA, repeated attacks will mean that the Enterprise runs out of aircraft capable of attacking before either ship suffers enough damage to sink

However the damage caused would slow down either Yamato class and probably prompt a withdrawal as there would be little opportunity for either Yamato class to engage an aircraft carrier unless they caught it in a poor position. The two Iowas can pursue the Yamatos, but unless one of the Yamato's is severely damaged they stand little chance in a gun battle. And in any case a single operational Yamato stands a good chance against two Iowa's.