United Kingdom (1917-1945), 400+ destroyers Introduction In 1939, 184 destroyers were in service, dating back for a large part from 1917-18, in particular the large V-W classes, some destroyers leaders, and interwar vessels, from the “A” class to the “Battle” class. It would take too long to detail the career of all ships from all … Read more
United Kingdom – Aircraft Carrier HMS Hermes was the first (or second depending on the authors) purpose-built aircraft carrier. Indeed the Imperial Japanese Navy claimed to have the first, IJN Hosho. However, the latter was started AFTER the British carrier, but launched and completed before. Engineers and yard’s team were in a rush as a … Read more
United Kingdom (1941-45), about 4700 vessels Foreword: British amphibious warfare in WW2 D-Day was retrospectively the most visible amphibious operation of WW2, but in this game the British were by far the most experienced of the allies, starting operations in the Mediterranean as far as 1940. As we commemorate today Operation Overlord and the 2,700 … Read more
HMS Eagle (1918) United Kingdom – Aircraft Carrier HMS Eagle was the fourth British aircraft carrier to enter service, after the Furious, Argus and Hermes, and a compromise. Taking a massive dreadnought to carry 25 planes would seems ludicrous to us today, but there were little options at the time, but scrapping the ship entirely, … Read more
WW2 British Battleships United Kingdom (1913-1946) 3 battlecruisers & 18 battleships 1915-1945 WW2 British battleships in 1939 mirrored those in the US and Japanese Navies of the time, essentially WW1 era dreadnoughts modernized at various stages during the interwar, and newly-built fast battleships that had to wait until the end of the prolonged ban of … Read more
United Kingdom (1934-37) HMS Arethusa, Galatea, Penelope, Aurora The new generation British light cruisers The Arethusa class was the second class of light cruiser built after the end of the Great War. Built on a budget, they fitted within the confines of the Washington Treaty, deriving from Amphion group of the Leander class to save … Read more
United Kingdom (1920) – Battlecruiser The “Mighty Hood”, the symbol The HMS Hood is exceptional in more ways than one: She was the last battlecruiser, launched way after the Japanese Kongo class ships. She was the most powerful warship afloat during the interwar. She was above all the proud steel ambassador of the whole Royal … Read more
United Kingdom (1914-22) 7 sub-classes, 28 cruisers The veteran light cruisers The ‘C’ class were called artificially that way by most authors for simplification; This comprised the Caroline class on one hand, and the Calliope, Cambrian, Centaur, Caledon, Ceres, and Carlisle, relatively similar in design, concept, and specifications. They were a wartime “mass-production” class to … Read more
United Kingdom (1931-35) HMS Leander, Achilles, Ajax, Neptune, Orion, HMAS Perth, Sydney, Hobart The ANZAC light cruisers The 5 Leanders (completed in 1933-34) and the 3 Australian Perth (1934-35) were the first light cruisers built since the Enterprise class of 1920. With their twin 6-in turrets, they were more of an adaptation of the previous … Read more
United Kingdom (1937-55) Dido, Bonaventure, Naiad, Phoebe, Cleopatra, Charybdis, Euryalus, Hermione, Scylla, Sirius, Argonaut The First Dedicated Royal Navy British AA cruisers The Dido class were at first developed as conventional light cruisers, but in 1937 the designed evolved quickly as dedicated AA cruisers, whereas plans were made to convert vintage WWI vessels of the … Read more
