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 (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
Implacable class Aircraft Carriers United Kingdom: HMS Implacable, Indefatigable (1942) The Illustrious near sister ships The Implacable-class were two aircraft carrier of the British Royal Navy in World War II, closely derived from the Illustrious class, but faster and with more aircraft onboard, while still keeping the benefit of being fully armored. They were initially … Read more
Fiji (“Crown Colony”) class Cruisers United Kingdom (1939-42) HMS Fiji, Nigeria, Mauritius, Kenya, Trinidad, Jamaica, Gambia, Bermuda, Ceylon, Uganda, Newfoundland The new generation British light cruisers The Crown Colony class cruisers (1939) were designed as smaller “Town” class according to the second London treaty of 1936, shortened, narrower and with a transom stern to gain … Read more
Illustrious, Formidable, Victorious, Indomitable (137-69) An introduction: Probably as famous for the Royal Navy the Yorktown class were for the USN, these world’s first armoured aircraft carriers were involved in quantities of operations in the Atlantic, seeing action afterwards in Pacific as well although their formidable resilience when facing the axis air power in the … Read more
United Kingdom – Minelayer Cruiser (1923-47) The first dedicated British minelayer cruiser With the unusual pennant number M23, HMS Adventure was the first dedicated minelaying cruiser of the Royal Navy. Inspired by WWI German minelayer cruisers, she was built in the 1920s but saw action in the Second World War, with a famous commander in … 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
WW2 British Cruisers United Kingdom (1931-35) 68 cruisers 1919-45 From the C-class to the Tiger The history of development of British cruisers goes all the way back to 1912, when the standard “C” series were first designed. Unlike in the US Navy or IJN whose cruisers were ordered at the end of WW1 and essentially … Read more
HMS Ark Royal (1937) United Kingdom – Aircraft Carrier (1935-41) The large British fleet aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal in all her majesty in 1939 – colorized by irootoko jr. HMS Ark Royal was designed in 1934 to both fit Washington Naval Treaty aircraft carrier tonnage limits and carry a large air group, at least … Read more
Australia (1934-36) HMS Perth, Hobart, Sydney The Australian light cruisers These three light cruisers (Perth, Hobart, Sydney) were built specifically for the Australian Navy. They were largely inspired by the Leander class, but now are seen as part of a sub-group called the Amphion class. They distinguished themselves by their two funnels, reflecting a different … Read more
