US Destroyers 1934–45

US Destroyers 1934–45 PDF Author: Dave McComb
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 178096286X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 68

Get Book Here

Book Description
Since the beginning of the 20th century, destroyers have been all-purpose ships, indispensable in roles large and small – from delivering the mail at sea to screening other vessels and, where larger ships were not present, forming the front line in battle. This title details the 169 ships of ten classes introduced in the 1930s: early 1,500-tonners and 1,850-ton destroyer leaders designed to conform to the 1930 London Naval Treaty, plus the successor 1,570-ton Sims class and 1,620and 1,630-ton Benson and Gleaves classes. In wartime, most 1,500-tonners and leaders initially saw front line duty in the Pacific but were relegated to secondary assignments as newer vessels arrived; while the later 1,620and 1,630-tonners became the standard destroyers of the Atlantic War. This volume reveals the fascinating design story behind these pioneering classes – from the constraints of peacetime treaties to advances in propulsion engineering, and wartime modifications. With an operational overview of their service and tables listing all ships by class, builder, and initial squadron, this is the definitive guide to the pre-war US destroyer classes.

US Destroyers 1934–45

US Destroyers 1934–45 PDF Author: Dave McComb
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 178096286X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 68

Get Book Here

Book Description
Since the beginning of the 20th century, destroyers have been all-purpose ships, indispensable in roles large and small – from delivering the mail at sea to screening other vessels and, where larger ships were not present, forming the front line in battle. This title details the 169 ships of ten classes introduced in the 1930s: early 1,500-tonners and 1,850-ton destroyer leaders designed to conform to the 1930 London Naval Treaty, plus the successor 1,570-ton Sims class and 1,620and 1,630-ton Benson and Gleaves classes. In wartime, most 1,500-tonners and leaders initially saw front line duty in the Pacific but were relegated to secondary assignments as newer vessels arrived; while the later 1,620and 1,630-tonners became the standard destroyers of the Atlantic War. This volume reveals the fascinating design story behind these pioneering classes – from the constraints of peacetime treaties to advances in propulsion engineering, and wartime modifications. With an operational overview of their service and tables listing all ships by class, builder, and initial squadron, this is the definitive guide to the pre-war US destroyer classes.

US Destroyers 1934–45

US Destroyers 1934–45 PDF Author: Dave McComb
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
ISBN: 9781846034435
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Get Book Here

Book Description
The US Navy's most modern destroyers as it entered World War II were 100 ships from eleven classes introduced in the 1930s: 1,500-tonners and 1,850-ton destroyer leaders designed to conform to the 1930 London Naval Treaty, plus the successor 1,570-ton Sims class and the first-commissioned 1,620- and 1,630-tonners of the Benson and Gleaves classes. Collectively, these destroyers carried the Navy through the war's first year when the outcome was in doubt: while most 1,500-tonners and leaders were assigned to front line duty in the Pacific before being relegated to secondary assignments, the later Bensons and Gleaves became the standard destroyers for Atlantic and Mediterranean operations and remained prominent in the Pacific throughout the war. This volume describes the fascinating design story behind these developmental classes – from the constraints of peacetime treaties to advances in propulsion engineering and wartime modifications. With an operational overview of their service and tables listing all 169 ships by class, builder, and initial squadron, this is a definitive guide to the pre-war US destroyer classes.

Panther Medium Tank 1942–45

Panther Medium Tank 1942–45 PDF Author: Stephen A. Hart
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 178200064X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 109

Get Book Here

Book Description
The Panzerkampfwagen V Panther is one of the best-known German tanks in existence and is considered one of the greatest tanks of World War II. When in June of 1941, Germany invaded Russia, Panzertruppe encountered KV series and T-34/76 tanks, far superior in firepower and armour protection to any Panzer in service at the time. It was therefore decided to design a new more powerful medium tank, which could be quickly put into production. This book details the result, the Medium Battle Tank, available for service in January 1943. Later models ensured that it became one of the most feared tanks of WWII.

Humber Light Reconnaissance Car 1941–45

Humber Light Reconnaissance Car 1941–45 PDF Author: Richard Doherty
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1782008705
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 111

Get Book Here

Book Description
The iconic vehicle of the British Army's Reconnaissance Corps during World War II, the Humber Light Reconnaissance Car (LRC) saw service in several theatres of war between 1941 and 1945. The Humber LRC gave excellent service to the Reconnaissance Corps with its agility, speed and height proving to be invaluable assets to the units that operated it. Using numerous photographs, and newly commissioned artwork, this book looks at the development of the LRC, its use by the Reconnaissance Corps and its importance to British infantry divisions in the theatre in which it served.

SdKfz 251 Half-Track 1939–45

SdKfz 251 Half-Track 1939–45 PDF Author: Bruce Culver
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1782001387
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 110

Get Book Here

Book Description
Following in the best traditions of German ingenuity in design and construction of armoured vehicles, the SdKfz 251 firmly realised the concept of a competent cross-country tactical vehicle for armoured infantry units. So successful was this half-track that not only did a modified version of it remain in use with Czech forces well into the 1980s but also, ironically, the armoured infantry tactics that the Germans pioneered with it were adopted by Allied forces in the Second World War and helped them to achieve the eventual defeat of Germany. This book covers the genesis and development of the SdKfz 251, and details the numerous modifications and variations that sprang from combat experience.

German Battleships 1914–18 (2)

German Battleships 1914–18 (2) PDF Author: Gary Staff
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1780963386
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 81

Get Book Here

Book Description
Supported by official documents, personal accounts, official drawings and specially commissioned artwork, this volume is an informative history of the key classes Kaiser, König and Bayern that formed the backbone of the German Imperial Navy throughout World War I, detailing the technological revolution that had taken place to enable the building of these large dreadnought classes.

Austro-Hungarian Battleships 1914–18

Austro-Hungarian Battleships 1914–18 PDF Author: Ryan K. Noppen
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1849086893
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 50

Get Book Here

Book Description
Austria-Hungary did not have an overseas empire; its empire lay within its own boundaries and the primary purpose of its navy until the beginning of the twentieth century was the defense of its coastline. As its merchant marine dramatically grew, admirals believed that the navy should take a more proactive policy of defense. The 1890s saw the beginning of a series of naval building programs that would create a well-balanced modern fleet. Cruisers were constructed for the protection of overseas trade and for “showing the flag” but the decisive projection of Austria-Hungary's commitment to control the Adriatic was the construction of a force of modern battleships. Despite the naval arms race throughout Europe at the time, the navy had difficulty obtaining funds for new ships. The difficulties experienced in battleship funding and construction mirrored the political difficulties and ethnic rivalries within the empire. Nevertheless by August of 1914, the Austro-Hungarian had a fleet of battleships. This book details the five classes of Austro-Hungarian battleships in service during World War I.

Crusader and Covenanter Cruiser Tanks 1939–45

Crusader and Covenanter Cruiser Tanks 1939–45 PDF Author: David Fletcher
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1780967381
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 113

Get Book Here

Book Description
The Covenanter (which never saw active service) and Crusader Cruiser tanks were developed between 1939 and 1940. The Crusader first saw action in the North African desert in June 1941: its speed and sleek design made it a hard target to hit, and the tank was well-respected by the Afrikakorps for its velocity in combat. But its hurried development prior to World War II also made it prone to mechanical failure. This book examines the Covenanter and the many variants of the Crusader tank, detailing the designs, developments and disappointments of these infamous World War II tanks.

German Light Cruisers 1939–45

German Light Cruisers 1939–45 PDF Author: Gordon Williamson
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1780966202
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 98

Get Book Here

Book Description
The German Navy of World War II was small in number, but contained some of the most technologically advanced capital ships in the world. This meant that although the Kriegsmarine never felt capable of encountering the might of the British Navy in a fleet action, her ships were individually more than a match for the outdated vessels of the Royal Navy. Nowhere was this more the case than in Germany's fleet of light cruisers. There were only six vessels in this fleet: the Emden, Leipzig, Köln, Königsberg, Karlsruhe and Nurnberg. This book describes their design, development and varied operational history throughout the course of the Second World War.

Ships of the American Revolutionary Navy

Ships of the American Revolutionary Navy PDF Author: Mark Lardas
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1849081328
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 50

Get Book Here

Book Description
Mark Lardas explores the origins of American warships, primarily light and medium frigates, built for the Continental Navy during the years 1776–1783. This was the first navy of the United States and much of the fleet was comprised of ships that had been modified from existing vessels, converted into warships to provide a crucial service during the American Revolutionary War. Despite having no real funding, this unique fleet had a surprising amount of success against the might of the Royal Navy, and this title discusses the strengths and weaknesses of each design, and the differences between European and American warships of the time. With a close look at how these ships performed in key battles, as well as the exploits of John Paul Jones – the founding father of the United States Navy – this is a complete, illustrated overview of the ships' service and development until France's entry into the war and the subsequent decline in importance of the Continental Navy.