USN (1923-26)- USS Barracuda, Bass, Bonita (V-1, 2, 3, later SS-163-164-165) To start a new deep dive into US Navy interwar and WW2 submarines, we need to go back to 1911 and some already asking questions about the capabilities of submarines to take part in fleet operations, with battleships, instead of remaining coastal defence assets. … Read more
Spanish Broadside Ironclad (1864-1912) In its rapid expansion program, the Spanish Navy (Armada) chose to order it’s first ironclad in Britain. This was Vitoria (Victory), an iron-hulled armored frigate (single main artillery deck, secondary open deck) purchased in 1863. She took part on both sides in the Cantonal rebellion of 1873–1874, rebel first, and then … Read more
Patrol Submersibles 1904-1906, service until 1918. A-1 to A-13, 13 completed total The A class submersibles were directly derived from the first Holland boats and truly the first properly serviceable class, also active in WWI unlike their forebears used only for training. All in all, thirteen were built by Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness between 1902 and 1905. … Read more
IJN – Mizuho, Nisshin 1938-43. The last IJN seaplane carriers IJN Mizuho and Nisshin were near sister ships and related to the Chitose, built as “cheats” for the IJN: They were large fleet seaplane tenders designed as to be easily convertible in wartime, into aircraft carriers. This way the Washington and London treaty carrier tonnage … Read more
Observation Floatplane (1941), 1,418 made 1940-1945 The Aichi E13A (“Jake” in allied nomenclature codes) was a long-range reconnaissance seaplane used by the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1941 to 1945 and numerically the most important. It proved agile and versatile as well, carrying a bomb load of 250 kg (550 lb) and able once to shoot … Read more
Bahia, Rio Grande do Sul (1911) service 1911-1945 The Bahia class were scout cruisers built for Brazil by British yard Armstrong Whitworth on a modified Adventure-class scout cruisers. Three were initially ordered as part of the largest Brazilian naval plan so far (along with the Rio de Janeiro Battleships, destroyers and a support ship). Bahia, … Read more
Hybrid Cruiser Aircraft Carriers (1972-82) Project 1143 “Krechet” 1970-87: Kiev, Minsk Project 1143-3 Novorossiysk Project 1143-4 Admiral Gorschkov (Ex-Baku) The Project 1143 Krechet, NATO Kiev class, were a group of four very large vessels built for the Soviet Navy, representative of the rapid buildup and trans-oceanic ambitions of the Navy in the late 1970s. They … Read more
ASW Frigate, F65 1973-1997 FS Aconit was a planned class of cheap but well armed, versatile Frigate, but ended as a single frigate built for the Marine Nationale in the Cold War when the program was cancelled. She was built in 1968-73, in commission until 1997. She was designed around the idea of a cheap, … Read more
The first Italian guided missile destroyers Built 1958-64, in service 1991-1992: Impavido, Intrepido DD 570-571 The Impavido class were the second group of destroyers built for the Italian Navy after World War II, but they were also the first Italian guided missile destroyers, often compared to the US Charles Adams class. But they were still … Read more
United Kingdom – 19 Hybrid Merchant Escort Aircraft Carrier (1942-45): MV Empire MacAlpine, MacAndrew, MacCallum, MacDermott, MacKendrick, MacRae; MacCabe, MacColl, MacKay, MacMahon; MV Acavus, Adula, Alexia, Amastra, Ancylus, Gadila, Macoma, Miralda, Rapana. Although not the best-known aircraft carriers, MAC-ships (Merchant Aircraft Carriers, to not mix with the Merchant Armed Cruisers) illustrated the most extreme form … Read more
