United Kingdom (1908-1920): HMS Nelson, Agamemnon Last of their kinds and advanced semi-dreadnoughts The Nelson class was infortunate as the last pre-dreadnoughts Battleships built by Great Britain. They were launched in June and September 1906, while HMS Dreadnought was completed (she was commissioned in December 1906), but started in May 1905 (October 1905), and still, … Read more
United Kingdom (1902-1922) King Edward VII, Commonwealth, Dominion, Hindustan, Britannia, New Zealand, Africa, Hibernia The tipping point of British pre-dreadnoughts The eight battleships of the King Edward VII were the pinnacle of British capital ship development in their age, as the lead ship was launched in 1903. They retook the lead over innovative designs to … Read more
United Kingdom (1916-22), 8 light cruisersHMS Danae, Dauntless, Dragon, Delhi, Dunedin, Durban, Despatch, Diomede. HMS DELHI in bulgaria, during the interwar The Danae class were the last large WW1 British light cruiser serie, also called “D” class to distinguish them from the “C class” they replaced, or the following “E” class which construction was only … Read more
United Kingdom (1890-1910): HMS Centurion, Barfleur, Renown. The British forgotten second rate battleships The Centurion-class battleships are now an example of the forgotten Anglo-Russian naval rivalry of the late XIXth century. These were a class of pre-dreadnought battleships of the Royal Navy dating back from the early 1890s. Unusual, they were second-class battleships which service … Read more
Revenge class Battleships (1915) Revenge, Ramillies, Resolution, Royal Oak, Royal Sovereign. The Revenge class battleships: Super-dreadnoughts on a budget Overshadowed by the Queen Elisabeth class, the Revenge nonetheless were the next British super-dreadnought serie also taking took part in two world wars. They actively contributed to the Royal Navy’s history, just in time for Jutland … Read more
British Pre-dreadnoughts HMS London, Bulwark, Venerable, Queen, Prince of Wales The London class comprised five pre-dreadnought battleships. They were planned in mid-1890s and, built and commissioned in the early 1900s. The class was basically a repeat of the preceding Formidable class with incremental changes, in that case the armour layout. Artillery was the same as … Read more
Flower class Sloops (WWI) Royal Navy (1915-1919) – 134 ships The first “flowers” The WW2 ‘Flower’ class is famous from being basically a whaler adapted to ASW and delivered by myriads of small yards in the British isles and commonwealth, Canada in particular. Despite their slow speed and small size, they did their job well … Read more
British Royal Navy Gunboats 1880s to 1918 About 31 gunboats 1914 Gunboat diplomacy The story of the Royal Navy is forever linked to its high seas grand fleet at Scapa Flow, but behind, the Empire depended on a myriad of smaller, less glamorous vessels: The Gunboats. Slower, less protected and less armed with everything afloat, … Read more
UK 1913-1914: HMS Queen Elizabeth, Warspite, Barham, Malaya, Valiant PART I: A new breed of super dreadnoughts The Queen Elisabeth class battleships carved quite a path in the Royal Navy. When they appeared they redefined altogether the dreadnought genre, levelling up to “super-dreadnought” or “fast battleship”. By their heavy armament, oil-fired turbines and greater speed … Read more
HMS Canada (ex-Almirante Latorre) 1914 The Chilean take on the south American Naval arms race HMS Canada was a unique battleship in the Royal Navy, and just like the HMS Agincourt and Erin, one of those ordered abroad and requisitioned while on completion when the war broke out in August 1914. Explaining while she was … Read more
