26-knotters class destroyers (A Class) United Kingdom (1892-1912) Destroyers HMS Havock, Hornet, Daring, Decoy, ferret, Lynx. The lineage of British Destroyers started with the experimental “26-knotters” in 1892 when Yarrow, Thornycroft and Laird were ordered ships tailored to hunt down torpedo boats. First envisioned by the Admiralty in 1891, they were ordered on the 1892–1893 … Read more
HMS N°1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (1900-1921) The start of the British sub. lineage HMS N°1 on sea trials. Initial Resistance The Royal Navy long resisted the idea of having submarines (submersibles would be more exact) in its ranks, ajthopugh the type gained traction already before the US Civil war and especially in Europe in … Read more
Devonshire class Armored Cruisers (1903) HMS Devonshire, Antrim, Argyll, Carnarvon, Hampshire, Roxburg (1902-1922) The synthesis of past designs The Devonshire class were follows-up of the previous Monmouth an attempt to improve their general characteristics while keeping dimensions and tonnage acceptable in peacetime. Nothing really changed between the armament quite close but with larger main guns, … Read more
WW1 British Torpedo Boats United Kingdom (1876-1905): Circa 120 vessels The forgotten linage One aspect of the Royal Navy which is frequently overlooked or downright forgotten, is the topic of Torpedo Boats. Just as for Gunboats. But it’s understandable as these vessels are more generally assimilated to small navies, not the world’s largest one. And … Read more
Fleet (later Training) Aircraft Carrier United Kingdom (1914-1944) Forty years of career and two wars To the exception of HMS Furious, converted in 1917 and operational sooner, HMS Argus was also a veteran of two wars with 20 years of active service, the longest among British Aircraft Carriers. But to the difference of HMS Furious, … Read more
United Kingdom (1902-1906), Armored Cruisers: HMS Duke of Edinburgh, HMS Black Prince The Duke of Edinburgh-class were two armoured cruisers of the Royal Navy, launched in 1904. They were the first armoured cruisers designed for battlefleet service, and no longer merchant shipping escort. They served in the Atlantic, Channel and Home Fleets and during WW1, … Read more
WWI Royal Navy Monitors United Kingdom (1912-1918): 42 Monitors Poster of all WWI British Monitors The last British monitors were dating back to the 1870s at a time there was great deal of experimentations. They resurfaced in WWI for the need of coastal bombardment, with the design and production in record time of dedicated vessels, … Read more
United Kingdom (1900-1904) HMS Albemarle, Cornwallis, Duncan, Exmouth, Montagu, Russel The last gasp of the “Russian scare” The “Peresvet killers” The six Duncan class were pre-dreadnought battleships ordered in response to Russian naval shipbuilding, notably the Peresvet class. They were there to hunt the hunters, as these Russian battleships were designed to go after the … Read more
United Kingdom (1918-1922) -Unbuilt. The first true British “hyper-dreadnoughts” Comparison G3/N3 The term “super-dreadnought” was already coined when the Orion class was unveiled in 1909, armed with 13 in guns instead of 12 inches. In 1913 when was launched the first of the Queen Elisabeth class, the term received a new meaning, as not only … Read more
HMS Swiftsure, Triumph (1904-1922): The only 2nd class Battleships of the RN in WWI The Swiftsure class were British pre-dreadnought originally ordered by Chile as the Constitución class during a naval arms race to counter’s Argentina own recent acquisitions, two armoured cruisers ordered in Italy (Garibaldi class). They were tailored-designed specifically for this role, to … Read more
