United Kingdom (1920) – Battlecruiser The “Mighty Hood”, the symbol The HMS Hood is exceptional in more ways than one: She was the last battlecruiser, launched way after the Japanese Kongo class ships. She was the most powerful warship afloat during the interwar. She was above all the proud steel ambassador of the whole Royal … Read more
United Kingdom (1914-22) 7 sub-classes, 28 cruisers The veteran light cruisers The ‘C’ class were called artificially that way by most authors for simplification; This comprised the Caroline class on one hand, and the Calliope, Cambrian, Centaur, Caledon, Ceres, and Carlisle, relatively similar in design, concept, and specifications. They were a wartime “mass-production” class to … Read more
United Kingdom (1931-35) HMS Leander, Achilles, Ajax, Neptune, Orion, HMAS Perth, Sydney, Hobart The ANZAC light cruisers The 5 Leanders (completed in 1933-34) and the 3 Australian Perth (1934-35) were the first light cruisers built since the Enterprise class of 1920. With their twin 6-in turrets, they were more of an adaptation of the previous … Read more
United Kingdom (1937-55) Dido, Bonaventure, Naiad, Phoebe, Cleopatra, Charybdis, Euryalus, Hermione, Scylla, Sirius, Argonaut The First Dedicated Royal Navy British AA cruisers The Dido class were at first developed as conventional light cruisers, but in 1937 the designed evolved quickly as dedicated AA cruisers, whereas plans were made to convert vintage WWI vessels of the … Read more
United Kingdom – HMS Exeter, HMS York The last British heavy cruisers Development of the “Class B” – York design The County class is generally known as Washington cruiser design “Class A” cruiser, reaching the top of what could be done within the 10,000-ton range. However already when they were designed in the 1920s it … Read more
WW2 British Aircraft Carriers Circa 52 aircraft carriers, built and started WW2 The leading nation in aircraft carriers: If the United States are remembered today for a considerable fleet of aircraft carriers, the type was first thought after and developed in Great Britain. Along with UK, Japan was also quite enthusiastic about naval air warfare, … Read more
HMS Furious (1917) United Kingdom – Aircraft Carrier History’s first aircraft carrier The HMS Furious is like a warship with several lives. She started as a battlecruiser, evolved into an hybrid plane carrier, an experimental aircraft carrier during WW1, and a modern aircraft carrier during WW2. But above all, she was the first to carry … Read more
United Kingdom (1926-1929) – 13 heavy cruisers: Berwick, Cumberland, Suffolk, Kent, Cornwall, London, Devonshire, Sussex, Shropshire, Norfolk, Dorsetshire, Surrey (cancelled, +1), Australia (RAN), Canberra (RAN) The staple of Interwar British cruiser Force With their three funnels, large and tall hull these cruisers were difficult to miss in the Royal Navy, or in any recoignition book … Read more
Nelson class Battleships (1925) United Kingdom (1922-1949) HMS Nelson, Rodney The Nelson class were two British Battleships completed in 1927-28. These were one of these icons of WW2, rather more diverse in terms of battleships, in terms of quality rather than quantity compared to WWI. After the rapid cost rise in capital ship the 10 … Read more
United Kingdom (1920) Light Cruisers – Enterprise, Emerald The little known “E” class The two Enterprise (Enterprise and Emerald) or “E” class vessels were the last British light cruisers built during the Great War. However, the lack of manpower and shipbuilding priority given to destroyers meant that their launch only took place in 1920. They … Read more
