ww2 Royal Navy

Implacable class fleet aircraft carriers (1942)

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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

Crown Colony class cruisers (1936)

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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 class aircraft carriers (1939)

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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

HMS Adventure (1923)

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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)

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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 Cruisers of ww2

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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)

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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

Perth class cruisers (1934)

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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

Queen Elizabeth class Battleships (1913)

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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

WW2 British submarines

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United Kingdom (1918-1945), 57 submersibles 1939, 260 total Introduction British submarines during WW2 were never given the same focus as for surface vessels, and despite heavy losses in 1940-1941, mostly due to the use of large oceanic types in the Mediterranean, wartime production focused on smaller types pioneered before the war, like the Oceanic T … Read more