Warship - TheHistoryFiles.com

CA Maya

Maya was one of four Takao-class heavy cruisers, active in World War II with the Imperial Japanese Navy. These were the largest and more modern cruisers in the Japanese fleet, and were intended to form the backbone of a multipurpose long-range strike force. These ships were fast, powerful and heavily armed, with enough firepower to […]

Russia, Warship

IMPERIAL RUSSIAN BATTLESHIPS I

Peresvet-class battleship Russia had begun developing a major warship construction centre at St Petersburg in 1704, and by the 1880s it was capable of building its own battleships. Indeed, St Petersburg had three naval yards for battleship construction: the New Admiralty yard, the Baltic Shipbuilding and Engineering Works, and the Franco-Russian Works at Galerniy Island. […]

Russia, Warship

IMPERIAL RUSSIAN BATTLESHIPS II

Borodino-class OPERATING THE GUN The turret commander received estimated range-to-target data from the gunnery officer on the bridge by means of the system of electrical dials underneath the turret. If the gunnery officer turned his dial to “5,000 yards,” the turret commander would see his dial move to that value as well. The lay and […]

Warship

Dreadnoughts’ three

All-big-gun designs commenced almost simultaneously in three navies. The Imperial Japanese Navy authorized the construction of Satsuma, designed with twelve 12-inch (305 mm) guns in 1904; she was laid down in May. The Royal Navy began the design of HMS Dreadnought in January 1905; she was laid down in October. The U.S. Navy gained authorization […]

Navies, Warship

Cold War – Diesel-Electric Submarines

HMAS Ovens – Royal Australian Navy Diesel-electric submarines, which were also known as ‘conventional’ submarines, played a significant role in the Cold War from the very start. When NATO became operational in the early 1950s the Soviet surface fleet was generally considered to be of minor importance, since it had achieved little of strategic significance […]

Naval, Warship

Cold War Period – Submarines

Submarines operate both submerged and on the surface. They were developed to scout for the main battle fleet and destroy enemy warships. In World War I, they were also employed effectively as commerce destroyers, and in World War II that and hunting enemy surface warships were their principal roles. The Cold War added the missions […]

Germany, Naval, Warship

Graf Zeppelin I

Plans for a shipped-based air force started soon after Hitler became Chancellor in 1933. The first plans were limited to supplying the existing battleships and cruisers with reconnaissance seaplanes. On March 12th 1934 the first requirements the future aircraft carrier was given. Within a year the design study had been completed. The model used was […]

Germany, Warship

Admiral Graf Spee – German pocket battleship.

Admiral Graf Spee in Montevideo following the battle. The Admiral Graf Spee (usually known as the Graf Spee) and her sister Admiral Scheer were beamier versions of the prototype Deutschland and had less range. Popularly known as ‘pocket battleships’, they were actually known to the German navy as Panzerschiffe, or armoured ships, and were in […]

Warship

Landing Craft, Gun (LCG) and Landing Craft, Tank (Rocket) (LCT(R))

The LCT(R) Mk 3 could carry over a thousand rockets, which were released in 24 salvoes. Anyone in the target area (measuring some 685 m by 145 m/750 by 160 yards) would be unlikely to feel happy as 17 tons of explosive burst around him! The LCG(L)Mk4 usually had its turrets manned by Royal Marines, […]

Warship, British

Frigate (Type 23) Duke

HMS Norfolk, the lead ship of the class, was launched in 1987 and commissioned in 1990. It was followed by a further 15 ships of which the last, HMS St Albans, will be completed in mid-2002. At one time it was hoped that more would be ordered, but even a total of 16 makes it […]