admin7126 USN Fleet Destroyers (1917-1947): 156 destroyers (DD-186 to DD-347) The Clemson-class were 156 destroyers built for the US Navy between 1918 and 1922. Second of the two wartime mass-produced classes of “flush deck” hull destroyers (“four-pipers”). They were near-repeats of the Wickes class, themselves derived from the experimental Caldwell design. The previous class was faster, … Read more
Yokosuka D4Y Suisei “Judy” (1942) Imperial Japanese Navy, 1,085 built Design development The Yokosuka deserves attention not only because it is considered one of the most beautiful aircraft of the Second World War but also because of her heavy burden: Replacing the legendary Aichi D3A “Val” in service with the IJN since 1939. The famous … Read more
Argentinian Aircraft Carrier, ex-HMS Warrior (1958-1971) Argentina Day ! For this national independence day, let’s see the fleet’s flagship for full decade, the aircraft carrier ARA Independencia, also first of the kind in the Armada de Argentina. This ship was one of the many ex-colossus class aircraft carriers that saw plenty of service under others … Read more
ARA Buenos Aires, Protected Cruiser (1895) Argentina (1893-1935) Next step in the Chile-Argentina naval arms race for the latter, a new Elswick Cruiser at Armstrong, Mitchell and Co. of slightly larger size built on stocks was acquired, ARA Buenos Aires. Sjhe was for a short time the world’s fastest cruiser and matched well the Chilean … Read more
Nimitz class Aircraft Carriers (1974) USS Nimitz, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Carl Vinson, Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, John C. Stennis, Harry S. Truman, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush (CVN-38-77, built 1969-2009), all in service. Special 4 of July ! The Nminitz-class nuclear-powered fleet carriers really constituted the backbone of US Navy for the last decades of … Read more
The Netherlands – 1939-2020 HNLMS De Ruyter, De Zeven Provinciën The world’s last gun cruisers. Started before the war in 1939 in a very different context, to join the KNIL defending the Netherlands East Indies against the Japanese, they were under construction when the country was invaded by Germany in 1940. De Ruyter and De … Read more
Canada. Ex-Powerful 1943-1971 Special Canada Day ! The story of HMCS Bonaventure (“bonnie”), the only and only Canadian Navy Aircraft Carrier (1957-71), bedrock of the RCAN ASW duties within NATO after HMCS Warrior (1946-57). This was the ex-HMS Powerful, a Majestic class 1942 program light fleet carrier (described also as the second batch of the … Read more
Blanco Encalada Protected Cruiser (1892) Chile (1892-1938) Concluding this month with the Chile-Argentina naval arms race's Chilean answer: Blanco Encalada. She was, like Esmeralda, a British-built protected cruiser made to answer to the Nueve de Julio and Venteicinco de Mayo. Based on the Yoshino design, she was far better armed than the Argentinian cruisers, with … Read more
France (1928-45), Oceanic Submersibles, 31 completed. France’s largest submarine class The “Redoutable class” -official name was 1500 tonnes- was initiated in 1925. The Washington Naval Treaty of 1922, signed by France indeed, tried to prevent a future naval arms race by limiting fleets and warship types. Like Italy, France was fairly limited in numbers of … Read more
ARA 9 de Julio Protected Cruiser (1892) Argentina (1891-1938) Still going on the Chile-Argentina naval arms race of the 1890s, the follow-up of the 25 de Mayo was the 9 de Julio, larger and better armed. Also an Elswick ship, she was a 22 knots protected cruiser mixing 5 and 4.7 in guns which had … Read more
