admin7126 From the Fairey Aviation Company, the Flycatcher was the first dedicated British carrier-based fighter, making its first flight in 1922 and entered service in 1923. This sturdy single-seat biplane powered by an Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar radial reached at the time 215 km/h, armed with two Vickers machine guns. It had excellent low-speed manoeuvrability and could … Read more
4 Destroyers: Mărăști, Mărășești, Vifor, Viscol. The Vifor class were four destroyers ordered by Romania in 1913 from Italy. The latter requisitioned all four in 1915. They were rearmed as scout cruisers (esploratori) and saw service in World War I. Two were re-purchased by Romania in 1920, still active in World War II but the … Read more
Regia Marina: 2 Built 1937-39: Argo, Velella. The Argo-class submarines were two CRDA Montfalcone submarines loosely related to the “600 Series” but ordered originally by Portugal and cancelled while in construction, repurchased by the Italian government. They were capable of 14 knots surfaced but had a generous range, but they were larger than the 600 … Read more
33 Conversions 1960-63: Allen M. Sumner DD 692, Moale DD 693, Ingraham DD 694, Charles S. Sperry DD 697, Ault DD 698, Waldron DD 699, Wallace L. Lind DD 703, Borie DD 704, Hugh Purvis DD 709, Walke DD 723, Laffey DD 724, O’Brien DD 724, De Haven DD 725, Mansfield DD 727, Lyman K. … Read more
RN 1890-1931. Torpedo Boat Depot Ship. HMS Vulcan was the world’s first dedicated torpedo boat mothership. She was a 1880s concept of flotilla carrier, able to deploy them to attack an enemy fleet or protect a colonial station but the best deterrent of its time. A very “Jeune Ecole” concept though, by certain aspects, she … Read more
Planned Fleet Carriers (1945): Malta, Gibraltar, New Zealand, Africa. At the same level as the G3 Battlecruisers, B3 and Lion class Battleships, Surrey class cruisers and others, or the CVA-01 for the cold war, the Malta class aircraft carriers remains an interesting what-if the war dragged on post-1946 after Operation Olympic took place. They would … Read more
Germany: Medium Oceanic Submersibles: 24 completed U-93-U-98, U-105-114, U160-167 +11 never completed U-169-172/U-201-209, +2 planned Surrendered German submarines at Cherbourg, U 105 in the second from the forward plan The Ms type boats subject to continous improvement so differing slightly in details, although based on U 86. U 96-U 98 and U 111-U 114 had … Read more
Austro-Hungarian Navy Frigate (1871-1890) This is the last Austro-Hungarian Frigate built before 1870. Helgoland was classed as a screw corvette, even a sloop in some publications (like Conways) due to her tonnage. She was wooden built, not composite, armed with British Guns, and was the first of her kind. Completed at Pola in 1869, she … Read more
US Navy Escort Destroyers: 85 completed 1943-44 The Edsall class from its lead vessel, DE-129 were “Long Hulls” like the Cannon and Buckley design, one of the six mass-produced escort destroyer types of the US Navy in world war two. Overall, 85 of the Esdall class would be ordered and commissioned, a number based on … Read more
The Curtiss Model H is a family of long-range patrol flying boats, most common ASW/SAR flying boats in WWI. The prototype was privately developed after 1913 £10,000 prize challenge by the Daily Mail for a first non-stop aerial crossing of the Atlantic. It became a pioneer of early international commercial air travel, fuelling the birth … Read more
