Minelaying Submersibles 1932-1945: HMS Porpoise (prototype), HMS Grampus, Narwhal, Rorqual, Cachalot, Seal The first British internwar minelaying submersibles: The 1,800-tons Grampus-class were derived in 1936-38 from the single prototype HMS Porpoise launched 1932. Five of a modified design were built therefore after years of testing and improvements. They shared the same marine mammals names, and … Read more
Oceanic Submersibles 1924-1945: HMS Oberon (prototype), HMS Oxley & Otway (Australian order), HMS Odin, Olympus, Orpheus, Osiris, Oswald, Otus HMS Oberon HMS Oberon was the Odin-class prototype, more than the Oxley class, a derivative planned for the Royal Austrlian Navy. Originally called “O1” she received a full name, HMS Oberon, after a Shakespearian nickname meaning … Read more
First of the ambitious 1942 light Fleet Carrier United Kingdom – 1942 Design Light Fleet Carrier (1944) Colossus, Glory, Ocean, Venerable, Vengeance, Pioneer, Warrior, Theseus, Triumph, Perseus The 1942 light fleet carrier program The Colossus class also called 1942 Design Light Fleet Carriers, was the last British fleet carriers to be completed in WW2. They … Read more
Patrol Submersible 1930-1945: HMS Swordfish, Sturgeon, Seahorse, Starfish. Birth of a great standard: The S-class (1930-1980s) HMS Seawolf (cc) The S-class submarines of the Royal Navy were were planned to patrol the restricted waters of the North Sea and Mediterranean. They were also scheduled as replacments for replacing the vintage WWI British H-class submarines. It … Read more
R (Rainbow) class submersibles (1930) Patrol Submersibles 1929-1931: HMS Rainbow, Regulus, Regent, Rover The Rainbow-class submarine (R class) were four patrol submarines built for the Royal Navy in the early 1930s. Although six were envisioned at first, only four were completed due to budgetary reason. The class comprised the HMS Rainbow, Regulus, Rover, and Regent. … Read more
Oceanic Submersibles 1931-1945: HMS Thames (N71), HMS Severn (N57), HMS Clyde (N12) Britain’s last Fleet submarines HMS Clyde underway for a resupplying at sea in the Mediterranean (RAS) The “River class”, known as “Thames” class after the lead boat, was a class of three large oceanic submersibles named after rivers at home, and quite large. … Read more
King Georges V class fast battleships (1938) United Kingdom (1937-1941)King Georges V, Prince of Wales, Duke of York, Howe, Anson The King Georges V class were not the last Battleship class of Great Britain (this goes to Vanguard), but the last to see action in WW2. These five fast battleship (still called “battlecruisers” in 1930) … Read more
River class Frigates (1942) United Kingdom/Canada – (1942-45): 151 ships. The River class frigates built in large quantities by UK and Canada in WW2, in service in both countries and used by other allies like the RAN, FFN, or Royal Netherlands Navy ramped-up considerably the ASW capabilities of the Royal Navy and RCN during the … Read more
United Kingdom/Canada – (1940-45): 263 ships*. The cheap answer to British ASW warfare The Flower class corvettes were a serie of anti-submarine corvettes, specialized in this work in all weather conditions and particular in that they were all built in civilian, and not military years. British frigates like the 139 River class built in WW2, … Read more
HMS Audacity (1941) United Kingdom – (1938-1941) The first British RN Escort Aircraft Carrier The Royal Navy’s first escort carrier was for most of her life never a carrier at all. She started life as SS Hannover which served as a regular cargo ship for Germany, but was requisitioned in January 1941 by the Royal … Read more
