Cruisers Battleships

[Vassili Zaitzev]

Not the best heavy cruiser, but she is one of the ships I'm most fond of. This York-class CA had a colorful life during the war. Playing a key role in the Battle of the River Plate, to her defiant end at the Java Sea. Her surviving crew would spend the war as POWs of the Imperial Japanese empire.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRmQpyi-2Rs

This site has some good images. http://www.world-war.co.uk/York/exeter.php3

 

[vikingBerserker]

She was a beautiful ship though.

 

[Marcel]

Hello Marcel
Nice photos but the lowest isn't de Ruyter, probably CL Java or Sumatra

Juha

you're right, it's the Java Good eye. I have clicked one too many.

 

[Vassili Zaitzev]

She was a beautiful ship though.

I agree, though I don't the RN had looks in mind when designing her. I think this CA has Exeter beat for looks though, and firepower.
USS Houston CA-30, Northhampton-class heavy cruiser. Had 9x8 inch guns compared to Exeters 6, but her armor was thinner than most contemporaries due to the weight limit of the Washington Naval Treaty. Was part of the US Asiatic Fleet, taking part in the valiant if hopeless defense of Java. Survived the Battle of the Java Sea, but was lost in the early morning hours of March 1st, 1942 at the Sunda Strait, along with the HMAS Perth(will post pictures later).

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZWgEczRXrk

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzemNcRg8s8

 

[vinnye]

Didn't the USN heavy cruisers have less armour than their RN counterparts?
I wonder how they would have stood up to the 11 inch shells from Graf Spee?

 

[vinnye]

If I remember correctly, the RN had to try to juggle with a number of requirements. Namely, complying with treaties / limitations, having sufficient cruisers to have a presence around the Empire and secure trade routes etc. This meant that these cruisers needed to be quite long legged, have good speed and also have a good combination of armour and firepower to look after themselves - as backup may be a long way off!
I believe the 8 inch goods whilst quite hard hitting, had a slower rate of fire and so were second choice to the more rapid firing 6 inch guns.
The IJN tried a different route - emphasizing firepower over protection and creature comforts for their crews. In some cases the IJN produced ships that were not very seaworthy and had top heavy characteristics.

 

[Vassili Zaitzev]

Light Crusier of the Modified Leander class. Built by the Royal Navy and sold to the Royal Australian Navy. Was part of the ABDA naval forces near Java. Survived the Battle of the Java Sea, and fought to the last alongside USS Houston during the Battle of the Sunda Strait.

 

[fastmongrel]

I have always been interested in the RN C,D and E class WWI light cruisers built for service in the North Sea but ended up serving world wide during WWII often on convoy or anti raider duty

HMS Ceres

HMS Dragon

HMS Emerald

 

[vinnye]

HMS Coventry was one of those light cruisers that got a refit as a AA ship.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/HMS_Coventry_(1918).jpg
She was sunk in 1942 after being attacked by Stukas off Tobruk.

 

[vinnye]

The E class cruisers (only 2 completed) were a lot bigger ships and were designed for 33 knots to counter rumoured KM fast cruisers of WW1.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/HMS_Enterprise_1936_LOC_matpc_20229.jpg
This Wiki photo has the caption - Enterprise - experimental twin turret.

 

[Civettone]

This might be a retarded question - I do not know much about surface ships - but are all those holes portholes? Some of these ships seem to have so many. Wouldn't that add to construction complications?



Kris

 

[stug3]

Yes they are. There was a lot going on inside those hulls and the ship had to generate it's own power, including for light, so as much natural light as possible was needed to lessen that burden.

 

[fastmongrel]

You can usually tell where the armour belt and anti torpedo protection is by the lack of portholes.

 

[Shortround6]

They also opened to provide ventilation. No air conditioning on those old ships.

 

[stug3]

Did'nt they have some kind of forced air ventilation system?

 

[Shortround6]

Yes but nothing like we have today. The stoke holds were pressurized for better combustion (power) but other parts of the ship were less well supplied. US ships were among the first close up the sides and go to forced (mechanical) ventilation at artificial light.

Lots of ships had used vent cowls to supplement ventilation when under way and some vent cowls could be rotated to take advantage of the wind.

 

[stug3]

16-inch guns on the battleship HMS RODNEY open fire whilst she is steaming in the Western Mediterranean. In the foreground can be seen one of the battleship's 4.7 inch guns in an open turret. Note how the barrels of the 16 inch guns are of uneven length, due to the recoil of the gun after firing.

 

[stug3]

Operation Pedestal, 13 August 1942: A DIDO class cruiser firing at night against Italian MAS boats.

HMS Manchester was hit by two torpedoes in the early hours of the 13th August. The fight to keep her afloat had to be abandoned some hours later.

13 August: The Italian Fleet intervenes: The cruiser MUZIO ATTENDOLO at Naples after UNBROKEN's attack on 13 August 1942. She was hit by one 21 inch torpedo which blew off her bows. The target's high speed at the time of the hit is indicated by the way the hull was folded back as far back as the bridge.

 

[vinnye]

A close view of her damage - from Wiki.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/92/ShatteredBow.jpg/725px-ShatteredBow.jpg

 

[stug3]