Royal Navy " specifications " ?

[Mark Keever]

Off topic a bit. By chance, during World War Two, did the Royal Navy ever publish a book ( or website today ) that contained " characteristics " of it's vessels ? This would include sizing, armaments, building data & etc. The U.S. Navy published " SHIPS' DATA U.S. NAVAL VESSELS " by the BUREAU OF SHIPS NAVY DEPARTMENT. This series can be found here: alternatewars ( dot ) com
Respectively submitted, THANK-YOU !

[j.sabourn]

Didn’t or don’t they Still have a book called Janes Warships. ?. Janes was always considered the ruling authority on such. But there are other similar publications around. I have one such book entitled Battleships by Peter Hore which lists the worlds fleets of such going way back. Someone bought me way back in the mists of time, and have only recently glanced at it,. But you name a battleship and no doubt everything that was ever known about that vessel will be listed. Cheers JS

[Doc Vernon]

There seems to be a Downloadable Vesion JS ?? Is it the one ?
cHEERS


https://ihsmarkit.com/products/janes...ing-ships.html

Sorry that's just the Contents of the Book
Cheers https://cdn.ihs.com/www/pdf/JFS-Cover-TOC.pdf

But it here though

https://ihsmarkit.com/products/janes...ing-ships.html

[j.sabourn]

That’s the one Vernon, Today when various national navies have their ships built in foreign yards makes a mockery of all secrecy as to their capabilities. I wouldnt mind betting any recent vessels built as such will have minute pingers and other electronic devices which are untraceable built into their construction. In the ever event of the likes of warships against warships each side depending on the knowledge of the other vessel and the means of targeting such with its already built in beacons , will be the ultimate victor. The days of the. 70s and 80s. Ships could be identified by their propellor noise. Modern advances since then will be far in advance of this by now. A ship is a target the same as a target ashore and can be quashed from hundreds and sometimes thousands of miles away. When it comes to that type of warfare Technology wins the day. Cheers JS

My suggestion to the likes of the RN which is an Island Nation would be to build as fast as is practical a large fleet of smaller vessels with a high hitting power, and also capable of patrolling the waters around its borders to contain any small illegal entries into the country. The days of the large capital ship, although impressive to the onlooker have gone well past their use by date. In this case small is beautiful. JS

Going a bit further as to merchant vessels the same applies to, what’s the use of a 300,000 ton tanker ? One missile and its gone for a burton. 15 smaller ones as of old would be more practical . JS.

[Mark Keever]

Thanks to all ! I do have in my possession JANES'S Fighting Ships 1944-5, however, it seems to lack the smaller auxiliary vessels. If you get a chance to look at ( search " Alternate Wars Ships Data " ), they list some 54 different files. Looking for the British equivalent...

[j.sabourn]

Mark I believe in the British Armed forces as regards shipping, you had certain sections in addition in the other 2 branches of the army and Air Force. For example the RASC had landing craft and the RAF had air/sea rescue vessels. The RN had their own version of auxiliary naval vessels in the auxiliary merchant fleets. They also had numerous naval parties working from chartered merchant vessels. I would imagine that Jane’s fighting ships would cover all naval regular ships. Any others would be under different headings, and found in different volumes, if not on the internet. Cheers JS

In another post on here you might be interested to know being an American that there are very few secrets today as regards shipping which I found out twenty odd years years ago Whilst working on a Russian Survey ship, whilst perusing a volume not for my eyes , of British and American warships , which even contained the Marital status of their COs. Maybe would have been handy for any cocktail parties they happened to meet at. Cheers JS

[Bill Morrison]

I have E.C. Talbot Booth's All to World's Fighting Fleets, Fifth Edition approx 1940. The detail in it is out-standing. If you can get a copy off the internet it's worth while.
Bill

[j.sabourn]

In 1957 when up for. 2nd. Mate. The. RASC ( Royal Army Service Corps) we’re recruiting newly azcquired 2nd.Mates certificates , for service on landing craft which were being utilised by the army for carrying stores around their Meddy bases. A few went for those jobs, don’t know what happened in the finish. Doubt if anyone still in those jobs. JS

[Bill Cameron]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Janes-Fight.../dp/0710631855, Janes up to date book can be found on Amazon if you can afford it

[Mark Keever]

Thank-you for the direction ! It appears author E.C. Talbot Booth has at least 15 books dealing with relevant matter...