Naval History Forums

Do you have a personal favourite, and if yes, why? I'm not talking about the "best" or "strongest" BS, just which one do you feel most affected to ?

For me, it are the KGV's. I know they were probably the weakest of all new (1930ies+) designs, and that they had many shortcomings. However, I think I like their history a lot and also that awkward quadruple-double gun turret combination. For the same reason of asymmetry and awkwardness, I was always fascinated by Rodney and Nelson. On the axes side, I have a hard time deciding between Tirpitz and Scharnhorst. I never could relate to the US battleships, no matter how great designs the Iowas were. Maybe they are just to perfect for me. Yamato and Musashi - very impressive, but again I never really fancied them.

Hi northcape,

I have a thing for Tirpitz and South Dakota. But Littorio and KGV are also very interesting to me. Yamato and Musashi - gigantic and phenomenal. To bad they couldn't see the action they were designed to...

The Iowa's for me. My dad served on USS Missouri from 1944-46 in Fire Control Main.

German favorites are Bismarck & Scharnhorst class.

Japanese would have to be Yamato class only for their size.

I'm the opposite of northcape as British battleships hold no allure for me

Gentlemen,
Its Warspite for me, I know she was old and did'nt compare with the newer WW2 ships, but what a battle history - in both World Wars!

USS North Carolina BB-55 (the Showboat)

I have visited her several times over the last 20 years. It is only a 6 hour drive to Wilmington, NC from my home. The first time I toured her, I was 16 years old and found myself imagining myself on the conn of the Washington off of Savo. LOL.. It would not have hurt my feelings if all the South Dakota class has been like her. Much better lines than the following class. As WW2 historically went, the NC's armor setup really didn't figure into any battles.

Bob

paul.mercer wrote:Gentlemen,
Its Warspite for me, I know she was old and did'nt compare with the newer WW2 ships, but what a battle history - in both World Wars!

Same for me and for the same reasons.

If battleCRUISERS are eligible here, I am compelled to vote for HMS Repulse. A beautiful ship, not the strongest fighter but sleek, speedy and very pleasing to the eye.

If battlecruisers are "out", then I probably lean toward HMS Valiant.

I'm in a similar "boat" to Dan... Hood has been my lifelong fascination. Bismarck was the first warship I learned about as a child and is responsible for everything that came after (so always occupies a very special place for me), but she was quickly superseded by her victim ....for sheer beauty, power and vulnerability. Reading Ernle Bradford's "The Mighty Hood" as a boy was the clincher..

British BB'? Warspite is it.....I'm ashamed to admit that when I built the Airfix kit of her as a boy, I thought she was hideously ugly...with Hood as my gold standard...but later learned to appreciate all her bulges and bulky WW2 superstructure....what a battleship!!

USA....USS New Jersey...having been aboard her a few years ago.On the Japanese side, Nagato takes top spot.

Hello everybody,

my favourite ship is easy to realize, ... it is my avatar too ... it is the : TIRPITZ !

But I like many other warships, ... Hood, Scharnhorst, Roma, Missouri, Yamato, Warspite, ....

... the HMS Victory ... and la Galeazza Veneziana : Duri i Banchi ! Sempre Duri !

Bye Antonio

Hello good people,
first post on this forum so please be patient!

Like the OP I've always had a love of the comparatively few post WW2 British Battleships especially HMS Vanguard.
A ship that almost seems to have disappeared from the public memory now, beautiful proportions, well built, armed and engineered. Never fired a shot in anger and if the Thames were wider should have replaced HMS Belfast in London.
Hey ho such are the vagaries of life.

Anyway this is an excellent, polite and very well informed forum, I hope I can contribute the little I know to you all.

Peter Underhill

RNfanDan wrote:If battleCRUISERS are eligible here, I am compelled to vote for HMS Repulse. A beautiful ship, not the strongest fighter but sleek, speedy and very pleasing to the eye.[/i].

I wholeheartedly agree. Beautiful ship.

I have always had a fondness for the "R"'s in their World War One versions.

Nobody has mentioned it yet, but for British battleships I would go for HMS Vanguard and as I am British it would have to be my favourite.

As for other navies.... well I think Bismarck has to be the one.

This is a tough one to answer, there are both design issues and history wich have an influence here.
I have always liked the Nelson class with their special designs, the Renown class battlecruisers with their history back in WW1 make them legendary and brings many questions around.
I have a hard time to choose wich one of them wich interests me most.

I like history and history make me some kind of emotional, like an old ship just before scrapping, worn by the time and other forces and you can almost feel the activity wich has been there on the deck despite the total silence.

A picture who had it is this one, that starboardside tells it all..

For me my favourite BB would be Vanguard , she was fast well armed and a monster compared to the older RN Battleships. They could have upgraded her as she aged like the iowas but what can you do.

tameraire01 wrote:For me my favourite BB would be Vanguard , she was fast well armed and a monster compared to the older RN Battleships.
.

Almost like a British version of Bismarck!