British Town Class Cruisers

Author : Conrad Waters
Publisher : Seaforth Publishing
Page : 617 pages
File Size : 48,9 Mb
Release : 2019-11-18
Category : History
ISBN : 9781526718877

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British Town Class Cruisers by Conrad Waters Pdf

This scholarly study of the Royal Navy’s WWII light cruisers presents extensive design, performance, and engagement analysis of each ship. When the Second World War began, the ten British ‘Town’ class cruisers were the most modern vessels of their type in the Royal Navy. Primarily designed for the defense of trade, they played decisive roles in victories such as the Battle of the Barents Sea and the destruction of the German Scharnhorst at the North Cape. They also paid a heavy price: four of the ships were lost and the other six sustained serious damage. In this major study, Conrad Waters provides a technical evaluation of the ‘Town’ class design and its subsequent performance. He outlines the class’s origins in the context of inter-war cruiser policy, explains the design and construction process, and describes the characteristics of the resulting ships and how these were adapted in the light of wartime developments. An overview of service focuses on major engagements and presents detailed assessments of action damage. Concluding chapters explore the the modernization program that kept the remaining ships fit for service during the Cold War era. Heavily illustrated with contemporary photographs and expert drawings, British Town Class Cruisers provides a definitive reference to one of the Royal Navy’s most important warship designs.

Author : Norman Friedman
Publisher : Seaforth Publishing
Page : 680 pages
File Size : 53,5 Mb
Release : 2011-01-24
Category : History
ISBN : 9781783469185

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British Cruisers by Norman Friedman Pdf

“An extraordinarily detailed account of the development of Royal Navy cruisers . . . a towering work” from the author of Fighting the Great War at Sea (Warship 2012). For most of the twentieth century, Britain possessed both the world’s largest merchant fleet and its most extensive overseas territories. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Royal Navy always showed a particular interest in the cruiser—a multipurpose warship needed in large numbers to defend trade routes and police the empire. Above all other types, the cruiser’s competing demands of quality and quantity placed a heavy burden on designers, and for most of the interwar period, Britain sought to square this circle through international treaties restricting both size and numbers. In the process, she virtually invented the heavy cruiser and inspired the large 6in-armed cruiser, neither of which, ironically, served her best interests. This book seeks to comprehend, for the first time, the full policy background—from which a different and entirely original picture of British cruiser development emerges. After the war, the cruiser’s role was reconsidered, and the final chapters of the book cover modernizations, the plans for missile-armed ships, and the convoluted process that turned the “through-deck cruiser” into the Invincible class light carriers. With detailed appendices of ship data, and illustrated in depth with photos and A.D. Baker’s specially commissioned plans, British Cruisers truly matches the lofty standards set by Friedman’s previous books on British destroyers. “Wow! . . . Lavishly illustrated with a photograph or line plan on almost every page. The text is packed with technical information, detail, and description of design, construction and application of these important ships.” —Clash of Steel

Author : Conrad Waters
Publisher : Seaforth Publishing
Page : 304 pages
File Size : 52,8 Mb
Release : 2019-11-18
Category : History
ISBN : 9781526718884

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British Town Class Cruisers by Conrad Waters Pdf

Entering service between 1937 and 1939, the ten British ‘Town’ class cruisers were the most modern vessels of their type in the Royal Navy when the Second World War began. Built in response to large 6-inch gunned cruisers in the US and Japanese Navies and primarily designed for the defence of trade, they saw arduous service in a wide range of roles, playing a decisive part in victories such as the Battle of the Barents Sea and the destruction of the German Scharnhorst at the North Cape. The cost was heavy: four of the ships were lost and the other six all survived heavy damage, in some cases on more than one occasion. In this major study, Conrad Waters makes extensive use of archive material to provide a technical evaluation of the ‘Town’ class design and its subsequent performance. He outlines the class’s origins in the context of inter-war cruiser policy, explains the design and construction process, and describes the characteristics of the resulting ships and how these were adapted in the light of wartime developments. An overview of service focuses on major engagements, assessing the extent to which the class met its designers’ expectations and detailing the consequences of action damage. Concluding chapters continue the story into the Cold War era, examining the modernisation programme that kept the remaining ships fit for service during the 1950s. Heavily illustrated with contemporary photographs and drawings by A D Baker III, John Jordan and George Richardson, British Town Class Cruisers provides a definitive reference to one of the Royal Navy’s most important Second World War warship designs.

Author : Neil McCart
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 334 pages
File Size : 49,9 Mb
Release : 2012
Category : Cruisers (Warships)
ISBN : 1904459528

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Town Class Cruisers by Neil McCart Pdf

This book is a complete and quite detailed service history of the Town class cruisers which fought long and hard during the Second World War. All ships careers are covered, including the twilight years before they were scrapped.Well illustrated, full of facts, if the reader requires only service history, the book fills this expectation complete

Author : Conrad Waters
Publisher : US Naval Institute Press
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 41,7 Mb
Release : 2019-10
Category : History
ISBN : 1526718855

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British Town Class Cruisers by Conrad Waters Pdf

In this major study, Conrad Waters makes extensive use of archive material to provide a technical evaluation of the "Town" class design and its subsequent performance.

Author : Conrad Waters
Publisher : Pen and Sword
Page : 756 pages
File Size : 41,6 Mb
Release : 2024-05-30
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 9781526799845

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British Fiji Class Cruisers and their Derivatives by Conrad Waters Pdf

A follow-up to the author’s highly regarded history of British ‘Town’ class cruisers, this book takes the same approach, combining coverage of the development, design details and career highlights of the original class as well as the Uganda, Minotaur and Tiger designs that were derived from them. Often called the ‘Colony’ class, they were an attempt to incorporate the characteristics of the preceding ‘Town’ class within the reduced 8,000-ton limit agreed under the 1936 London Treaty. In general layout, they resembled the earlier class but adopted upright rather than raked funnels and masts. The use of a flat, transom stern conferred both hydrodynamic and internal space advantages. Not surprisingly, they turned out to be very cramped ships which struggled to accommodate all the wartime additions of extra electronics and light AA guns, as well as the increased crew needed to man them. Many of the later modifications to existing ships and alterations to the succeeding designs were attempts to alleviate these issues, most visibly the reduction of the main armament from four to three turrets. Nevertheless, they were available in significant numbers and gave sterling service across all theaters of the naval war. In this major study, Conrad Waters makes extensive use of archive material to provide a technical evaluation of the Fiji class design and its subsequent performance. He outlines the class’s origins in the context of inter-war cruiser policy, explains the design and construction process, and describes the characteristics of the resulting ships and how these were adapted in the light of wartime developments. An overview of service focuses on major engagements, assessing the extent to which the class met its designers’ expectations and detailing the consequences of action damage. Later chapters continue the story into the Cold War era, examining the various post-war modernization programs and concluding with the radical redesign of the Tiger class that produced the Royal Navy’s last conventional cruisers. Heavily illustrated with contemporary photographs, original plans and drawings by Dave Baker, John Jordan and George Richardson, British Fiji Class Cruisers provides a definitive reference to one of the Royal Navy’s most important Second World War warship designs.

Author : Norman Friedman
Publisher : Seaforth Publishing
Page : 354 pages
File Size : 51,7 Mb
Release : 2012-10-29
Category : Transportation
ISBN : 9781848320994

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British Cruisers of the Victorian Era by Norman Friedman Pdf

Gradually evolving from the masted steam frigates of the mid-nineteenth century, the first modern cruiser is not easy to define, but for the sake of this book the starting point is taken to be Iris and Mercury of 1875. They were the RN's first steel-built warships; were designed primarily to be steamed rather than sailed; and formed the basis of a line of succeeding cruiser classes. The story ends with the last armoured cruisers, which were succeeded by the first battlecruisers (originally called armoured cruisers), and with the last Third Class Cruisers (Topaze class), all conceived before 1906. Coverage, therefore, dovetails precisely with Friedman's previous book on British cruisers, although this one also includes the wartime experience of the earlier ships.rn The two central themes are cruisers for the fleet and cruisers for overseas operations, including (but not limited to) trade protection. The distant-waters aspect covers the belted cruisers, which were nearly capital ships, intended to deal with foreign second-class battleships in the Far East. The main enemies contemplated during this period were France and Russia, and the book includes British assessments of their strength and intentions, with judgements as to how accurate those assessments were.rn As would be expected of Friedman, the book is deeply researched, original in its analysis, and full of striking insights ‰ÛÒ another major contribution to the history of British warships.

Author : Alan Raven,John Roberts
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 444 pages
File Size : 43,8 Mb
Release : 1976
Category : Battle cruisers
ISBN : UOM:39015012401868

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British Battleships of World War Two by Alan Raven,John Roberts Pdf

This lavishly-illustrated volume, first published in 1976 and back by popular demand, presents the full story of the design and construction of every British battleship and battlecruiser class that served in World War II--from the Queen Elizabeth class to the Vanguard. Noted authors Alan Raven and John Roberts include a comperehensive review of each ship's initial configuration and refits as well as developments in weapons, gunnery, fire control, radar, protection, and propulsion. There are also sections devoted to combat actions involving British battleships and comparisons with battleships of other navies. Six hundred photographs and illustrations, including sixteen fold-out pages, complement the authoritative history of the vessels. For other books in the battleship series, see page 26.

Author : Norman Friedman
Publisher : Pen and Sword
Page : 895 pages
File Size : 46,7 Mb
Release : 2009-08-30
Category : History
ISBN : 9781473812802

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British Destroyers by Norman Friedman Pdf

A history of the early days of Royal Navy destroyers, and how they evolved to meet new military threats. In the late nineteenth century the advent of the modern torpedo woke the Royal Navy to a potent threat to its domination, not seriously challenged since Trafalgar. For the first time a relatively cheap weapon had the potential to sink the largest, and costliest, exponents of sea power. Not surprisingly, Britain’s traditional rivals invested heavily in the new technology that promised to overthrow the naval status quo. The Royal Navy was also quick to adopt the new weapon, but the British concentrated on developing counters to the essentially offensive tactics associated with torpedo-carrying small craft. From these efforts came torpedo catchers, torpedo-gunboats and eventually the torpedo-boat destroyer, a type so successful that it eclipsed and then usurped the torpedo-boat itself. With its title shortened to destroyer, the type evolved rapidly and was soon in service in many navies, but in none was the evolution as rapid or as radical as in the Royal Navy. This book is the first detailed study of their early days, combining technical history with an appreciation of the changing role of destroyers and the tactics of their deployment. Like all of Norman Friedman’s books, it reveals the rationale and not just the process of important technological developments.

Author : Ian Buxton,Ian Johnston
Publisher : Casemate Publishers
Page : 479 pages
File Size : 44,6 Mb
Release : 2021-07-31
Category : Transportation
ISBN : 9781526777317

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Battleship Duke of York by Ian Buxton,Ian Johnston Pdf

This fully illustrated volume details every aspect of the WWII battleship, from plans, building, and modifications to active service and final breaking. Built in 1937, the HMS Duke of York enjoyed a distinguished wartime career that included sinking the German battleship Scharnhorst in 1943 and serving as the flagship of the British Pacific Fleet in 1945. This study of the iconic King George V-class battleship offers comprehensive and detailed documentation in plans, photographs, and text. The core of the book is the reproduction in full color of a complete set of as-fitted plans of the ship, including many details and close-ups. These are complemented by a thorough set drawn after the ship’s major refit in March 1945, showing all the modifications undertaken to prepare the ship for service alongside the US Navy in the Pacific. Photographic coverage begins with the stunning views taken by the builder’s cameraman during every stage of construction, continues with many shots of her active service, and concludes with an illustrated chronology of the breaking up. The accompanying text is as enlightening as the illustrations, resulting in a complete portrait of a great ship in all its complexity.

Author : Stefan Draminski
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 337 pages
File Size : 53,6 Mb
Release : 2021-01-21
Category : History
ISBN : 9781472848420

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The Battleship Scharnhorst by Stefan Draminski Pdf

The Kriegsmarine's Scharnhorst was a German capital ship, described either as a battleship or battlecruiser, and the lead ship of her class, which included one other ship, Gneisenau. She was launched on 3 October 1936 and completed in January 1939, armed with nine 28cm C/34 guns in three triple turrets. She operated with Gneisenau for much of the early portion of World War II, including sorties into the Atlantic to raid British merchant shipping. They took part in Operation Weserübung (April–June 1940), the German invasion of Norway, during which they sank the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious and her escort destroyers Acasta and Ardent. Scharnhorst also sank HMS Rawalpindi in November 1939. In early 1943, Scharnhorst joined the Tirpitz in Norway to intercept Allied convoys to the Soviet Union. On a sortie from Norway to attack a convoy, the German force was intercepted by British ships and during the Battle of the North Cape (26 December 1943), HMS Duke of York and her escorts sank Scharnhorst. Most of her crew was lost. This is the most comprehensive examination of Scharnhorst ever published, drawing on new research and technology to tell the full story of the ship. It includes a complete set of detailed line drawings with fully descriptive keys and full-colour 3D artwork, supported by technical details, photographs, and text on the building of the ship, as well as a record of her service history.

Author : Conrad Waters
Publisher : Seaforth Publishing
Page : 809 pages
File Size : 50,9 Mb
Release : 2021-12-30
Category : History
ISBN : 9781399018968

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Seaforth World Naval Review 2022 by Conrad Waters Pdf

The essential compendium covering the year in naval developments—the only annual overview of its kind: “Very highly recommended.” —Warship World For more than a decade, this annual volume has provided an authoritative summary of all that has happened to the world’s navies and their ships in the previous twelve months. It combines regional surveys with major articles on important new warships, and looks at wider issues of significance to navies such as aviation and weaponry. The contributors come from around the globe, and in addition to providing a balanced picture of naval developments, they interpret their significance and explain their context. Along with its regular regional reviews, the 2022 volume focuses on three fleets: the Sri Lankan Navy, the Spanish Navy, and the Royal Navy. There are in-depth articles on the Argentinian Bouchard Class OPVs, the Russian Project 20380 Stereguschchiy Class corvettes, and the Royal Navy’s Batch 2 “River” Class OPVs. The technological section looks at optronic systems and offboard mine countermeasures, and there is the regular review of what is happening in naval aviation, which includes coverage of the US Marine/Navy MV-22 tiltrotor. Now firmly established as the only annual naval overview of its type in the world, The Seaforth World Naval Review is essential reading for the professional and enthusiast alike, taking readers to the heart of contemporary maritime affairs. “A marvelous asset for those wishing to keep up to date with naval matters.” —Warship World Includes photographs

Author : CONRAD. WATERS
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 53,7 Mb
Release : 2024
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 1526799839

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BRITISH FIJI CLASS CRUISERS AND THEIR DERIVATIVES. by CONRAD. WATERS Pdf

Author : Cyril Field
Publisher : DigiCat
Page : 376 pages
File Size : 51,7 Mb
Release : 2022-08-01
Category : History
ISBN : EAN:8596547131304

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The British Navy Book by Cyril Field Pdf

DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "The British Navy Book" by Cyril Field. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.

Author : Les Brown
Publisher : Seaforth Publishing
Page : 68 pages
File Size : 46,7 Mb
Release : 2024-04-30
Category : History
ISBN : 9781399037563

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British Light Cruisers by Les Brown Pdf

The ‘ShipCraft’ series provides in-depth information about building and modifying model kits of famous warship types. Lavishly illustrated, each book takes the modeller through a brief history of the subject, highlighting differences between ships and changes in their appearance over their careers. This includes paint schemes and camouflage, featuring color profiles and highly detailed line drawings and scale plans. The modelling section reviews the strengths and weaknesses of available kits, lists commercial accessory sets for super-detailing of the subjects, and provides hints on modifying and improving the basic kit. This is followed by an extensive photographic gallery of selected high-quality models in a variety of scales, and the book concludes with a section on research references – books, monographs, large-scale plans and relevant websites. This is the second of two volumes covering Royal Navy 6-inch cruisers of the 1930s and later, this one devoted to the ‘second generation’ designs armed with triple mountings. The Southampton class marked a return to large cruisers, but the urgent requirement for numbers led to the smaller ‘Colonies’ from which all the later RN 6-inch cruisers were derivatives. These ships formed the backbone of British cruiser forces during the Second World War. With its unparalleled level of visual information – paint schemes, models, line drawings and photographs – this book is simply the best reference for any modelmaker setting out to build one of these famous cruisers.