World War 2

World War 2 on the Water

Naval warfare changed dramatically during World War 2, thanks in no small part to the rise of the aircraft carrier and submarines.

Type XXI U-boat
The Allies were fortunate that the Type XXI U-boat arrived too late to see combat.

X-Craft
Britain's X-craft were used for special attack missions in heavily defended harbors that were impervious to conventional submarine attack.

T Class
Known also as the Triton Class, these boats formed the backbone of the British submarine force during World War 2.

Gato Class
American Gato Class submarines were the bane of Japanese merchant ships during World War 2.
Type VII U-Boat
Perhaps the ultimate symbol of the deadly underwater predator, the Type VII U-boat may be the most famous submarine class in history.

Hood Class - Battle Cruiser
Known as the 'Mighty Hood', it was considered the greatest warship ever built.

Deutschland Class - Pocket Battleship
The British dubbed Germany's Deutschland class the 'pocket battleship' because it was so small, fast and deadly.

Essex Class - Aircraft Carrier
In total, 24 Essex class were built - more than any other class of large carrier.