Posted in ww2 Royal Navy

WW2 British submarines

United Kingdom (1918-1945), 57 submersibles 1939, 260 total Introduction British submarines during WW2 were never given the same focus as…

Posted in ww2 Kriegsmarine

Bismarck class Battleships (1940)

Fast Battleships 1939-1945 Germany (1940) KMS Bismarck, Tirpitz Introduction: The most formidable battleship in the world, 1941. The Bismarck is…

Posted in WW2 Japanese Navy

Yamato class Battleships (1941)

IJN Yamato, Musashi. The last IJN battleships: IJN Yamato, like Bismarck, is the subject of a post-war myth. Mysterious, because…

Posted in Coldwar Soviet Ships soviet submarines

Quebec class submarines (1950)

Project 615 – NATO “Quebec” 30 submarines (1950-54) Preserved M-296 These thirty conventional attack submarines called internally project 615, were…

Posted in ww1 Italian Navy

WW1 Italian Submarines

WW1 Italian Submarines Italy (1892-1918) – 80 submersibles An introduction: Italian Submarines in WW1 Italy during WWI operated no less…

Posted in ww2 Kriegsmarine

Scharnhorst class battleships (1936)

Germany (1936) Battleships: Scharnhorst, Gneisenau The Kriegsmarine “terrible twins”: The Scharnhost and Gneisenau were the first Kriegsmarine battleships, completed shortly…

Posted in ww2 US Navy

USS Ranger (CV-4)

USS Ranger (CV-4) USA (1933) USS Ranger (CV-4) was the first USN aircraft carrier designed as such. She was a…

Posted in ww1 Russian Navy

Borodino class battlecruisers (1915)

Borodino class battlecruisers (1915) Russia (1915) Borodino, Izmail, Kinburn, Navarin The First Russian Battlecruisers Artistic rendition of the Borodino, if…

Posted in ww2 USN Aviation

Vought SB2U Vindicator (1936)

US NavyUSN Dive Bomber (1936) The USN dive bomber in 1940 Two cantilever monoplan dive bombers were in service in…

Posted in WW1 Royal Navy ww1 warships

St Vincent class battleships (1908)

St Vincent class battleships (1908) United Kingdom (1908) – St Vincent, Collingwood, Vanguard The second dreadnought-type serie The St Vincent…

Naval Encyclopedia

Naval Encyclopedia provides a one-stop place for everything related to naval warfare through ships classes, going back to antiquity to the present day, with particular focus on WW1, WW2 and the cold war, with daily articles and weekly fleets. This is a long endeavour, with future entries in opacity both in the top and side menus. Naval encyclopedia also goes through some civilian aspects (clippers, liners, oil platforms, naval tech in general) and battles/tactics as well.

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⚒ Tech

Naval-related technology,
associated tactics & statistics


naval battles from the XIX to WW1, WW2 and cold war sea fights

⚔ Battles

Full history of naval battles,
strategies, tactics, fleets and ships


merchandisiding, plans, photos, illustrations

☘ Medias

Photos, blueprints, illustrations,
and Merch to support this site !


About Naval Encyclopedia

Naval Encyclopedia is the first online warship museum. She was laid down in St Nazaire Yard back in September 1995, launched in December 1996 and completed in March 1997, with 1000+ crew for now, and counting. Dedicated to the history of all ships of the industrial era and 20th century, so 1820 to 1990, but also earlier times. The main difference for this early period is to study ships types through some famous examples. After her last refit in 2023, the present ship has been repainted anew, modernized and made more appealing, ready for even more extensive service, hopefully staying in the current state for the next five years of service. Further improvements will be made if practicable. Numerous additions over the years also led to a complete machinery overhaul, new steam turbines and propellers.

Other ships from the same Yard