Age of the battleship really ended when?

[Werner]

As usual when Chuck and/or I are involved.

Fortunately this is not a 100-level lecture class on the topic of the battleship, so we can wander a little.

It is time to "bring it home" to battleships, though.

[bengtsson]

I think so Werner. I stray myself, we all do from time to time . I just like to check in to the BB debate from time to time, too far O.T. and I tend to not bother to check it. Global Geo-Politics are part of any naval board, but maybe not as it concerns the BBs.

Bob B.

[Ultimo Tiger]

Well we could always talk about if the USS Iowa would be good use against Chinese naval forces couldn't we?

[chuck]

Of course, there is always that new battleship the Chinese built!

Relevancy established.

[Werner]

Of course, there is always that new battleship the Chinese built!

Relevancy established.

True; last battleship built I think. The Monitor is only a half, right?

[Ultimo Tiger]

Tell me of this "Chinese Battleship". Enlighten my already enlightended, warmongeristic mind of its existance.

[chuck]

I believe what is being referred to is a tourist trap in China that consist of a floating full sized mock up of a late 19th century Chinese ironclad battleship. Judging from photos it actually looks very realistic on the outside. But it is put together like a card board model, except with sheet metal instead of cardboard.

[Werner]

They have a beautiful website on the ship.

This isn't the website, but you get the idea: http://www.hksw.org/Ting%20Yuen.htm

[bengtsson]

They have a beautiful website on the ship.

This isn't the website, but you get the idea: http://www.hksw.org/Ting%20Yuen.htm

They sure put some fine effort into it, that's a fine likeness. The rivets and all. Is that what they are spending their trillion + dollar holdings on? Looks like a nice museum exibit.

Bob B.

[Werner]

One could only wish Americans and British had a similar respect for their history. At this point, even a copy of Warspite in 1916 rig, or better maintenance of the existing American museum ships would be gratefully received by this moderator.

[Dave Wooley]

One could only wish Americans and British had a similar respect for their history. At this point, even a copy of Warspite in 1916 rig, or better maintenance of the existing American museum ships would be gratefully received by this moderator.

What really saddens me is the fact that British warships dominated the seas for over 100years. Yet we have nearly nothing to show for all that effort. Ask any one in the UK of school age to name one Victorian battleship or even a pre- dreadnought, let alone any other type of warship and you will be hard pressed to receive an answer. perhaps that may answer the question.
Dave Wooley

[Ultimo Tiger]

I was surprised that apparently Warspite is the greatest ship of the RN yet until I got this naval warfare fetish last year, I had never heard of her. A traversty if there ever was one.

[JWintjes]

What really saddens me is the fact that British warships dominated the seas for over 100years. Yet we have nearly nothing to show for all that effort. Ask any one in the UK of school age to name one Victorian battleship or even a pre- dreadnought, let alone any other type of warship and you will be hard pressed to receive an answer. perhaps that may answer the question.
Dave Wooley

Slightly on a tangent, one can only hope that they don't fudge up the effort to restore HMS Caroline to her former glory. I fear though that the powers that be try to turn her into razor blades...

Jorit

[bengtsson]

The US could have saved Enterprise and the UK could have save Warspite. They were laid up and went for razor blades. How short sighted. Even Japan saved Mikasa and Russia Aurora. Even though they were devistated by war. The US/UK won the war and never bothed to honor their navies with major museum ships. SICK.

Bob B.

[Ultimo Tiger]

Well within the last year or so I saw a piece on the news about people building steam engines from scratch. Actual, full scale ones that would have been used in the past. They used modern materials and such but the stuff looked really good. You wouldn't think it was a glorified model kit.

Now if only we good folks here at Modelwarships could band together and do the same for these battleships. Warspite IIRC wasn't a particulary huge battleships as opposed to say Hood, Repulse, Vanguard or others. Although the costs involved would be huge (not to mention the logistical effort) to have a lifelike copy of Warspite would be a feat unheard of.

The US/UK won the war and never bothed to honor their navies with major museum ships. SICK.

To be fair we did preserve HMS Belfast which had a distinguished career in the RN from WWII to Korea. The US preserved all four Iowa class ships, two ships of the South Dakota, North Carolina, Texas (the oldest Dreadnought in existance), several Essex class CV's as well as numerous other ships. So what you said isn't really true at all.

[Roman1]

Although the costs involved would be huge (not to mention the logistical effort) to have a lifelike copy of Warspite would be a feat unheard of.

Actually, technologically it would be an easy project if you would build just a shell, without any inner machinery. Somebody here on the forum could probably give you a cost estimate for something like this (cost of just a hull of comparable size). But what would be the point of having maquete like this?

[bengtsson]

The US/UK won the war and never bothed to honor their navies with major museum ships. SICK.

To be fair we did preserve HMS Belfast which had a distinguished career in the RN from WWII to Korea. The US preserved all four Iowa class ships, two ships of the South Dakota, North Carolina, Texas (the oldest Dreadnought in existance), several Essex class CV's as well as numerous other ships. So what you said isn't really true at all.

All true. I was just refering to the major capital ships with their splendid combat records fom the start to finish of the war. I just have a thing about Enterprise and Warspite not being saved. Really no excuse for such famous ships being used to shave ourselves with in the mornings I am aware of the many other ships that were saved for museum ships. My favorite being Belfast. I simply think if Japan could save Mikasa, the excuse for why Warspite went to the breakers is a non starter.
Bob B.

[Ultimo Tiger]

Well we can't have the real thing so we could just settle for the next best thing. A giant metal model kit with photetch that doesn't require surgical goggles to see

[Lesforan]

I think that was the thinking behind China's new battlewagon. You have to give them credit for that.

Of course, they should have a couple of VTE powerplants inside if they want to do it right.

We do need to recognize we have saved many representative ships: as was stated, the Essex-class CV's make very impressive displays. I have visited Yorktown many times and even had lunch on her once. How many others? Intrepid is at New York, Hornet at Alameda (I think). Maybe a couple more.

Besides all the Iowas, we have also saved Mass., NC, AL, and Texas. Plus a heavy cruiser at Philadelphia (Salem?) and the protected cruiser Olympia and frigate Constitution (a cruiser of its day).

Destroyers, too: Joseph Kennedy at Fall River, MA and Laffey at Charleston SC. Maybe more elsewhere. Lots of subs including the nuke Nautilus at New London, and many Gato and Balao types in various states.

Coast Guard cutter Ingham at Charleston, and Confederate sub Hunley at a separate location in Charleston.

Two prizes that got away: USS Oregon and USS Enterprise.

So we really did save more than probably any other nation.

[Dave Wooley]

I think that was the thinking behind China's new battlewagon. You have to give them credit for that.

Of course, they should have a couple of VTE powerplants inside if they want to do it right.

We do need to recognize we have saved many representative ships: as was stated, the Essex-class CV's make very impressive displays. I have visited Yorktown many times and even had lunch on her once. How many others? Intrepid is at New York, Hornet at Alameda (I think). Maybe a couple more.

Besides all the Iowas, we have also saved Mass., NC, AL, and Texas. Plus a heavy cruiser at Philadelphia (Salem?) and the protected cruiser Olympia and frigate Constitution (a cruiser of its day).

Destroyers, too: Joseph Kennedy at Fall River, MA and Laffey at Charleston SC. Maybe more elsewhere. Lots of subs including the nuke Nautilus at New London, and many Gato and Balao types in various states.

Coast Guard cutter Ingham at Charleston, and Confederate sub Hunley at a separate location in Charleston.

Two prizes that got away: USS Oregon and USS Enterprise.

So we really did save more than probably any other nation.

If only we the British had the same will to preserve a bit of our naval History . When the old Caroline comes up for disposal I trust and hope that we preserve that ship. it would be a travesty if it were to go .
Dave Wooley