Italian Heavy Cruiser Gorizia
The Italian Heavy Cruiser Gorizia was a member of the Zara class of Heavy Cruisers and was completed on December 23, 1931. The Gorizia had a main armament of eight 8-inch guns in four double turrets and a secondary armament of sixteen 3.9 inch guns. The Gorizia carried two aircraft and had a complement of approximately 841 officers and crew. The Gorizia with her three sister ships (Zara, Pola and Fiume) were involved in what is known as the Battle of Cape Matapan in March 1941 and was the result of the Italian Supermarina planning an offensive sweep into the eastern Mediterranean with battleships and cruisers. During this battle the Gorizia was the only member of her class to escape a British attack without being sunk. The Gorizia was abandoned after suffering heavy damage in an April 1943 American air attack and was sunk by an Italian/British special forces attack on June 26, 1944 at LaSpezia after having been previously captured by the Germans.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
German T-23 Torpedo Boat Specs. and History
German T-23 Torpedo Boat
The German T-23 Torpedo Boat was part of th Type 39 Class and was commissioned in June 1942. This type of Torpedo Boat had a main armament of four 4.1 inch guns, six 21.7 inch torpedo tubes and a complement of 306 officers and men. T-23 served in France as part of the 4th Torpedo-boat Flotilla which was asked with escorting convoys, blockade runners adn U-Boats through the Bay of Biscay. The T-23 survived the war but after the war was allocated to the United Kingdom but later transferred to France and served as the Alsacien until 1954.
The German T-23 Torpedo Boat was part of th Type 39 Class and was commissioned in June 1942. This type of Torpedo Boat had a main armament of four 4.1 inch guns, six 21.7 inch torpedo tubes and a complement of 306 officers and men. T-23 served in France as part of the 4th Torpedo-boat Flotilla which was asked with escorting convoys, blockade runners adn U-Boats through the Bay of Biscay. The T-23 survived the war but after the war was allocated to the United Kingdom but later transferred to France and served as the Alsacien until 1954.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
American Aircraft Carrier USS Yorktown History and Specs.
American Aircraft Carrier USS Yorktown
The American Aircraft Carrier USS Yorktown was the lead ship in her class, which included sister ships USS Enterprise and USS Hornet. The USS Yorktown was one of the most modern carriers when WW2 began. These carriers could carry a complement of between 80 and 100 aircraft, which included fighters, dive bombers and torpedo bombers. The USS Yorktown carried eight five inch guns and a complement of over 2100 officers and men. The USS Yorktown participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942 where the US Navy suffered the loss of the USS Lexington. However, planes from the Lexington and Yorktown resulted in the sinking of the Japanese Light carrier Shoho, the damaging of the Japanese Fleet Carrier Shokaku and the destruction of many planes from the Zuikaku. This prevented both the Shokaku and Zuikaku from participating in the critical Battle of Midway in June 1942. After the Battle of the Coral Sea the USS Yorktown limped into Pearl Harbor and despite needing months of repairs was put again to see after 48 hours in order to assist in the Battle of Midway. While planes from the USS Yorktown put the Japanese carrier Soryu out of the war, her sister carrier Hiryu's planes hit the Yorktown with two torpedoes and three bombs which badly damaged her. Despite attempts to save her, the USS Yorktown was sunk by the Japanese submarine I-168 two days later.
The American Aircraft Carrier USS Yorktown was the lead ship in her class, which included sister ships USS Enterprise and USS Hornet. The USS Yorktown was one of the most modern carriers when WW2 began. These carriers could carry a complement of between 80 and 100 aircraft, which included fighters, dive bombers and torpedo bombers. The USS Yorktown carried eight five inch guns and a complement of over 2100 officers and men. The USS Yorktown participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942 where the US Navy suffered the loss of the USS Lexington. However, planes from the Lexington and Yorktown resulted in the sinking of the Japanese Light carrier Shoho, the damaging of the Japanese Fleet Carrier Shokaku and the destruction of many planes from the Zuikaku. This prevented both the Shokaku and Zuikaku from participating in the critical Battle of Midway in June 1942. After the Battle of the Coral Sea the USS Yorktown limped into Pearl Harbor and despite needing months of repairs was put again to see after 48 hours in order to assist in the Battle of Midway. While planes from the USS Yorktown put the Japanese carrier Soryu out of the war, her sister carrier Hiryu's planes hit the Yorktown with two torpedoes and three bombs which badly damaged her. Despite attempts to save her, the USS Yorktown was sunk by the Japanese submarine I-168 two days later.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
British Aircraft Carrier Illustrious History and Specs.
British Aircraft Carrier Illustrious
The British Aircraft Carrier Illustrious was the namesake of her class and included the sister ships Victorious, Formidable and Indomitable. These ships were all laid down in the late 1930 and were completed in the early 1940s. The Illustrious class were the first aircraft carriers of any Navy to have fully armored hangars and the 3 inch flight deck armor proved valuable in preventing serious damage to the Illustrious on more than one occasion. However, the extra armor weight limited the amount of planes carried, with the normal complement being only 33, which included the bi-wing (Stringbag) Swordfish torpedo planes and the Martlet fighters. The Illustrious carried a crew of approximately 900 and had its largest gun be sixteen 4.5 turrets. The Illustrious was most famous as the ship that launched the two waves of Swordfish against the Italian Fleet anchored in Taranto. With the loss of only two men the British pilots caused damage to three Italian Battleships, which were the new Littorio and the Conte di Cavour and Duilio. Many say this successful attack laid the blueprint for the Pearl Harbor attack by the Imperial Japanese Navy.
The British Aircraft Carrier Illustrious was the namesake of her class and included the sister ships Victorious, Formidable and Indomitable. These ships were all laid down in the late 1930 and were completed in the early 1940s. The Illustrious class were the first aircraft carriers of any Navy to have fully armored hangars and the 3 inch flight deck armor proved valuable in preventing serious damage to the Illustrious on more than one occasion. However, the extra armor weight limited the amount of planes carried, with the normal complement being only 33, which included the bi-wing (Stringbag) Swordfish torpedo planes and the Martlet fighters. The Illustrious carried a crew of approximately 900 and had its largest gun be sixteen 4.5 turrets. The Illustrious was most famous as the ship that launched the two waves of Swordfish against the Italian Fleet anchored in Taranto. With the loss of only two men the British pilots caused damage to three Italian Battleships, which were the new Littorio and the Conte di Cavour and Duilio. Many say this successful attack laid the blueprint for the Pearl Harbor attack by the Imperial Japanese Navy.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Japanese Aircraft Carrier Akagi History and Specs.
Japanese Aircraft Carrier Akagi
The Imperial Japanese Navy Aircraft Carrier Akagi was originally laid down in the early 1920's as a Battlecruiser but after the Washington Naval Treaty was converted to an aircraft carrier and was completed in 1927. The Akagi was modernized in the mid 1930s and its airplane capacity was increased from 60 to 91 warplanes which included dive bombers, torpedo bombers and fighters. The Akagi maintained a crew of approximately 2000 officers and men and was armed with ten eight inch guns. The Akagi served as the First Air Fleet Flagship of Vice Admiral Nagumo during the first six months of the war and led the Fleet during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. However, while leading the Fleet during the attack on Midway on June 4, 1942 she was attacked by Dive Bombers from the USS Enterprise and suffered such severe damage that she was scuttled the following day.
The Imperial Japanese Navy Aircraft Carrier Akagi was originally laid down in the early 1920's as a Battlecruiser but after the Washington Naval Treaty was converted to an aircraft carrier and was completed in 1927. The Akagi was modernized in the mid 1930s and its airplane capacity was increased from 60 to 91 warplanes which included dive bombers, torpedo bombers and fighters. The Akagi maintained a crew of approximately 2000 officers and men and was armed with ten eight inch guns. The Akagi served as the First Air Fleet Flagship of Vice Admiral Nagumo during the first six months of the war and led the Fleet during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. However, while leading the Fleet during the attack on Midway on June 4, 1942 she was attacked by Dive Bombers from the USS Enterprise and suffered such severe damage that she was scuttled the following day.
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