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.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
German Battleship Tirpitz Specs and History
German Battleship Tirpitz
The German Battleship Tirpitz was the sister ship of the much more famous Bismarck. The Tirpitz was the last Kriegsmarine warship larger than a destroyer that was put in commission. The Tirpitz main armament was eight 15 inch guns in four double turrets, with a secondary armament of twelve 5.9 inch guns. She carried a crew of approximately 2100 officers and men. The only time the Tirptiz fired her main guns in anger was in September 1943 when she bombarded the shore installations on Spitzbergen. Probably the Tripitz' greatest contribution to the war was during an action she never participated in. In July 1942 the Tirpitz set sail with the Admiral Hipper and Admiral Scheer to attack the convoy destined for Russian number PQ-17. Although these ships were recalled and never contributed to the attack, the mere threat of them at sea caused Admiral Dudley Pound to order the convoy to scatter. This fateful message resulted in the Germans sinking 17 of the 33 ships in the convoy by U-boats and the Luftwaffe. The rest of the war the Tirptiz served at the Fleet in being off of Norway and was finally sunk by the RAF November 12 1944.
The German Battleship Tirpitz was the sister ship of the much more famous Bismarck. The Tirpitz was the last Kriegsmarine warship larger than a destroyer that was put in commission. The Tirpitz main armament was eight 15 inch guns in four double turrets, with a secondary armament of twelve 5.9 inch guns. She carried a crew of approximately 2100 officers and men. The only time the Tirptiz fired her main guns in anger was in September 1943 when she bombarded the shore installations on Spitzbergen. Probably the Tripitz' greatest contribution to the war was during an action she never participated in. In July 1942 the Tirpitz set sail with the Admiral Hipper and Admiral Scheer to attack the convoy destined for Russian number PQ-17. Although these ships were recalled and never contributed to the attack, the mere threat of them at sea caused Admiral Dudley Pound to order the convoy to scatter. This fateful message resulted in the Germans sinking 17 of the 33 ships in the convoy by U-boats and the Luftwaffe. The rest of the war the Tirptiz served at the Fleet in being off of Norway and was finally sunk by the RAF November 12 1944.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
French Submarine Surcouf Specs and History
French Submarine Surcouf
The French Submarine Surcouf was a "cruiser sub" which mounted not only 21.7 and 15.7 inch torpedoes but also twin 8 inch guns for commerce raiding. The Surcouf had a crew of approximately 110 men and had an on board prison accommodation for 40 prisoners. The Surcouf carried a float plane for reconnaissance and spotting purposes and served both under the Third Republic and the Free French. There has been a lot of conspiracy theories regarding the loss of the Surcouf to friendly fire and other causes, but the official cause of loss was the collision with a merchant ship en route to the Panama Canal during the war.
The French Submarine Surcouf was a "cruiser sub" which mounted not only 21.7 and 15.7 inch torpedoes but also twin 8 inch guns for commerce raiding. The Surcouf had a crew of approximately 110 men and had an on board prison accommodation for 40 prisoners. The Surcouf carried a float plane for reconnaissance and spotting purposes and served both under the Third Republic and the Free French. There has been a lot of conspiracy theories regarding the loss of the Surcouf to friendly fire and other causes, but the official cause of loss was the collision with a merchant ship en route to the Panama Canal during the war.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Moment of Destiny - Book review.
This is the first of many book reviews from my vast WW2 library. This book is Moment of Destiny - One Day in Oran by Roger Branfill-Cook, and loaned to me by "Admiral" Dave, who sails in Flagship351. This is a 1 star book. Although it is fun to read as an alternative history to WW2, it makes almost no sense and is complete fantasy. The author would have us believe that by not attacking the French Fleet at Mers-El-Kebir, the French and their fleet of Battleships, Battlecruisers etc (including Richelieu, Dunkerque, Strasbourg and others) would have led to an Allies victory over the German fleet in one large battle against the Bismarck, Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen; one large Allies victory over the whole Japanese Battle Fleet and a huge French armor spearhead to liberate France. Also somehow, earlier in the war the Germans seize Moscow, Stalin is assassinated etc. Not to be too critical of the author he does clearly state this book is fiction, but fiction is an understatement in my book after reading it. Feel free to judge yourself.
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