Hands down, US Fletcher class destroyer. 175 built, the next two US destroyer classes based off of it. It was the destroyer that screened the US carrier battle groups. 5 duel purpose 5" guns, numerous AA guns, 10 21" torpedo tubes (only effective after the US solved its torpedo problem). speed, 38 knots. a true warship. also, one could argue they won the war for the US. It was basically the Navy’s version of the Sherman tank. plus, the last one was decommissioned in 2001, so a life of 57-59 years depending on when it was commissioned.
Favorite Weapon Systems
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@wittmann:
Italian Battleship Vittorio Veneto was Italy’s Iowa in a way. it was their prettiest ship, it was their best ship, and most advanced ship.
And I think she and her sisters ships were, after the Iowas, the second-fastest battleships ever built.
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Did not know that. I have never had much interest in ships.
Will look in up later. Am still at work.
I just like pretty ships and I think German ones and the Vittorio Veneto were pretty. -
@wittmann:
Did not know that. I have never had much interest in ships. Will look in up later. Am still at work. I just like pretty ships and I think German ones and the Vittorio Veneto were pretty.
Yes, the Italians have a flair for building elegant machines, sports cars being a good example. (Another one is the French-Italian GOCE satellite , whose sleek design caused it to be described as the “Ferrari of space”.) In one of my books on the Iowa class battleships, the author mentions the contemporary foreign battleship classes and says that the “the Italian ships were, not surprisingly, handsome vessels.” He likewise expresses admiration for the elegant lines of the Iowas (whose long, slender hulls were intended to give them a high speed, but which as a side-effect gave the ships a graceful appearance). He says that, by contrast, the Bismarck and KGV classes had the blocky, solid look of heavyweight boxers – adding that, of course, naval architects are in the business of designing weapons of war rather than works of art.
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The Zara class cruisers were some fine cruisers and good looking ones that that, they just had the great misfortune of having the Warspite intercept the at night when the crew was at rest and blind from having no radar.
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Think you for that information Worsham.
I have just read about them and the 4 ships’ history: interesting (and sad). -
@ABWorsham:
In your opinion what was each country’s finest weapon system during WWII?
The U.S. - Airplanes, including each type and Ships, including all on surface Watervessels
The U.K. - Airplanes in Specific Fighters and Strategic Bombers
Italy - Ships and light Tanks
The S.U. - Infantry Mortars, secondary Tanks and Fighter Airplanes
France - Defensiv lines and methods
Finnland - Knifes and Skiings
The Reich - Tanks, followed later on by Submarine both were called Elite
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Here’s what I want:
A Japanese battleship that can launch German V2 rockets loaded with American A-bombs. After annihilating the enemy cities with my atomic rockets I will sail in and land my British soldiers equipped with Russian T34-85s to finish the extermination.
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