Which World War 2 ship is better Yamato or Iowa?

Answer 1

The US Iowa class battleships were, and remain, among the finest battleships ever built. But in a ship-to-ship confrontation, if such a thing had ever taken place, the edge would have to go to Yamato. The Yamato and its sister the Musashi were the largest battleships ever built, displacing almost 50% more than the Iowas. The Japanese super battleships also mounted the largest main battery ever afloat, with 18.1 inch main guns. No other ships were ever built with guns larger than those of the Iowas, which were 16 inch/50 caliber. Each of the Iowa's armor piercing shells weighed 2700 pounds, while those of Yamato and Musashi weighed 3200. The Japanese ships had thicker armor and comparable speed. In any head-to-head contest the weight of broadside and armor thickness would likely have been decisive.