My favorite has to be the Benson class. They did so much Yeoman work in both the Atlantic and Pacific, especially early on in the war. I can't help but wish that one had been preserved.
As an American, the Norwegian, Australian, and especially Canadian warships don't get equal time with the exploits of RN and USN. Then there is the destroyer attack on the wounded Bismark where she signaled to the German ship... I AM POLISH!!!
Finland might be a good option if you ever plan to do a tour of Europe. In Turku, there is Forum Marinum, which has some interesting ships such as the Corvette FNS Karjala and Minelayer FNS Keihässalmi. These ships have a combination of Western and Soviet equipment because of the strategic situation. In Helsinki, you can find the submarine Vesikko. This submarine is not well-known, but it has a lot of prewar historical importance related to German rearmament. There are also coastal artillery in various islands. For example: Örö and Kuivasaari fortress islands. Örö has 12 inch cannons from when Finland was part of the Russian empire.
Yeah for the USN as they were stuck with 111 Wickes and 156 Clemson, they had to wait till 1932 to start new build destroyers whereas since the RN had already started new destroyer construction between 1924-26 with Ambuscade and Amazon then completed 4 classes of destroyers before the USN started the Farraguts
Thanks for watching and commenting. Agreed about the lapse in building, of course, but the Navy Dept. never stopped designing new surface combatants, even when they were unable to build them, so they weren't starting from scratch when FDR and the Congress agreed to recapitalize the Navy.
It warms my heart that Ryan is also a four-stacker fan. I’m still holding out that one that we sold off and lost track of miraculously turns up somewhere
The closest you can probably get is the hulk of the partially scrapped USS Corry (DD-334) on a mudbank in Californias' Napa River or, if you are really hopeful, that the USS Putnam (DD-287) which survived til 1955 as a banana carrier in the Caribbean, was NOT actually scrapped as reported.
Just so you guys know It's going to be easy to go to Poland and then get on a ferry to see Smalland. When you're in Poland you can drop by the Naval museum, just so you know they have one of the decomissioned Kobben class subs as a walk in exibit. Ought to be open to visits this summer. Boat's in place and they are finishing up the cradle and surrouding area of the boat. Bonus feature is that you can see the cannons from the sunken Sweedish ship that battled the Polish navy in the 1600s before you go visit Vasa that was meant to take out the Polish navy but sunk due to errors in placeing the gun ports.
Favorite DD class for me would be the 1930s Tribals. Both for their appearance, and for their combat record. Runner ups would be the Shiratsuyu class and the J/K/N classes.
For me, I got to go with my favorite ship that’s really personal to me because my great grandfather served on her during the Korean War. The USS Laffey, DD 724 in her 1954 configuration. She looks amazing with those anti-aircraft guns on her stern! Also, I love me some wicks and Clemson. Fletcher are kind of overrated for me but I see why people love them so much. They’re probably on my third or fourth on my list.
Mine would be the Laffey, my uncle served on her as a BT during Vietnam. Also, my one grandfather served on a destroyer during WWII, don't know which one though.
Regarding the Zumwalt-class, all three WILL see combat. Currently, two of the class are undergoing refits to replace the AGS with Hypersonic Missiles. They will be the first USN surface warships to field hypersonic weapons. Whilst a boondoggle, they have found their place.
I had two friends that were destroyer men in EARLY WW2. One on DEWEY and one on BLUE. Dewey was in hurricane and rolled almost 180. Blue off Savo as radar picket has all the guns of the J fleet pointed at her. Early DD’s but FAST
If i had to chime in with my favorite destroyer, i’d vote the Somers class. They had one of the heaviest broadside of torpedoes and guns (though SP mounts are a downside) and like many pre-war designs, they are gorgeous ships until the USN ruined them mid-war a la the Brooklyn Class light cruisers. They look beautiful and they carried the first air encased boilers of the USN that meant the boiler rooms could stop being pressurized
While there aren't that many museum ships in Europe, from WW2 Germany at least has the last Type 7 and Type 21 around. And some post war ships (most of them in the German Naval museum in Wilhelmshaven). And next to U-995, the Type 7, on the hill with the Naval memorial is a screw from Prinz Eugen
My favorite destroyer would have to be the Kidd, and it has nothing to do with the fact that I work just 10 blocks from her, and may or may not have had something to do with Ryan getting soaked during a certain High Seas History episode on the Kidd's TH-cam channel.
Yeah saying ‘They were arguably the greatest destroyer class in history,’ is frankly subjective as there are destroyers that did for more than most of the Fletcher ever did during WW2.
05:40 Yeah as good as the 4-stacker Wickes and Clemson class destroyers were, they were going to be obsolete before the end of the 1920s as the 1854-2242 ton Destroyer Leader HMS Swift had proved that treaty-sized destroyers were doable and it is likely the Royal Navy without the unrealistic treaty limit of 1500 tons was thanks to its destroyer leader construction, in the better position to hit Fletcher sized destroyers of between 2000-3000+ tons long before the USN was Yeah the 4-stacker Wickes and Clemson class destroyers of the USN and 1916-18 W and V class destroyers of the RN are clear signs of what they are for, the American 4-stacker Wickes and Clemson class destroyers are optimised for the US Scouting force which ironically what does them in, they are arguably too specialised as the American Standard battleline speed of 21 knots is too slow whereas the British 1916-18 W and V class destroyers are the ultimate evolution of a lineage starting with the River-class torpedo boat destroyer of 1903 and arguably built with the next war in mind
As someone who lives in Sydney Australia I can only give one answer HMAS Vampire, I also can't help but notice you made almost no mention of any Royal Navy destroyers perhaps this could be rectified in another episode.
My favorite has to be the Benson class. They did so much Yeoman work in both the Atlantic and Pacific, especially early on in the war. I can't help but wish that one had been preserved.
HMCS Haida is one of my favorites, legendary ship, hope to see her one day soon
As an American, the Norwegian, Australian, and especially Canadian warships don't get equal time with the exploits of RN and USN.
Then there is the destroyer attack on the wounded Bismark where she signaled to the German ship...
I AM POLISH!!!
23:24 speaking of movies, Taffy 3’s fight off Samar would make an amazing movie
Finland might be a good option if you ever plan to do a tour of Europe. In Turku, there is Forum Marinum, which has some interesting ships such as the Corvette FNS Karjala and Minelayer FNS Keihässalmi. These ships have a combination of Western and Soviet equipment because of the strategic situation. In Helsinki, you can find the submarine Vesikko. This submarine is not well-known, but it has a lot of prewar historical importance related to German rearmament. There are also coastal artillery in various islands. For example: Örö and Kuivasaari fortress islands. Örö has 12 inch cannons from when Finland was part of the Russian empire.
Yeah for the USN as they were stuck with 111 Wickes and 156 Clemson, they had to wait till 1932 to start new build destroyers whereas since the RN had already started new destroyer construction between 1924-26 with Ambuscade and Amazon then completed 4 classes of destroyers before the USN started the Farraguts
Thanks for watching and commenting. Agreed about the lapse in building, of course, but the Navy Dept. never stopped designing new surface combatants, even when they were unable to build them, so they weren't starting from scratch when FDR and the Congress agreed to recapitalize the Navy.
Mine would be Gearings, especially the FRAM 1, I spent 2 years on one.
It warms my heart that Ryan is also a four-stacker fan. I’m still holding out that one that we sold off and lost track of miraculously turns up somewhere
Honestly Flight I and II Arleigh Burkes are four stackers imo
The closest you can probably get is the hulk of the partially scrapped USS Corry (DD-334) on a mudbank in Californias' Napa River or, if you are really hopeful, that the USS Putnam (DD-287) which survived til 1955 as a banana carrier in the Caribbean, was NOT actually scrapped as reported.
Just so you guys know It's going to be easy to go to Poland and then get on a ferry to see Smalland. When you're in Poland you can drop by the Naval museum, just so you know they have one of the decomissioned Kobben class subs as a walk in exibit. Ought to be open to visits this summer. Boat's in place and they are finishing up the cradle and surrouding area of the boat. Bonus feature is that you can see the cannons from the sunken Sweedish ship that battled the Polish navy in the 1600s before you go visit Vasa that was meant to take out the Polish navy but sunk due to errors in placeing the gun ports.
Favorite DD class for me would be the 1930s Tribals. Both for their appearance, and for their combat record. Runner ups would be the Shiratsuyu class and the J/K/N classes.
For me, I got to go with my favorite ship that’s really personal to me because my great grandfather served on her during the Korean War. The USS Laffey, DD 724 in her 1954 configuration. She looks amazing with those anti-aircraft guns on her stern! Also, I love me some wicks and Clemson. Fletcher are kind of overrated for me but I see why people love them so much. They’re probably on my third or fourth on my list.
Mine would be the Laffey, my uncle served on her as a BT during Vietnam. Also, my one grandfather served on a destroyer during WWII, don't know which one though.
Regarding the Zumwalt-class, all three WILL see combat. Currently, two of the class are undergoing refits to replace the AGS with Hypersonic Missiles.
They will be the first USN surface warships to field hypersonic weapons.
Whilst a boondoggle, they have found their place.
I had two friends that were destroyer men in EARLY WW2. One on DEWEY and one on BLUE. Dewey was in hurricane and rolled almost 180. Blue off Savo as radar picket has all the guns of the J fleet pointed at her. Early DD’s but FAST
I've always had a thing for the Kidd-class: originally meant for the Shah, served in the USN, and still active with the ROCN.
If i had to chime in with my favorite destroyer, i’d vote the Somers class. They had one of the heaviest broadside of torpedoes and guns (though SP mounts are a downside) and like many pre-war designs, they are gorgeous ships until the USN ruined them mid-war a la the Brooklyn Class light cruisers. They look beautiful and they carried the first air encased boilers of the USN that meant the boiler rooms could stop being pressurized
While there aren't that many museum ships in Europe, from WW2 Germany at least has the last Type 7 and Type 21 around. And some post war ships (most of them in the German Naval museum in Wilhelmshaven). And next to U-995, the Type 7, on the hill with the Naval memorial is a screw from Prinz Eugen
My favorite destroyer would have to be the Kidd, and it has nothing to do with the fact that I work just 10 blocks from her, and may or may not have had something to do with Ryan getting soaked during a certain High Seas History episode on the Kidd's TH-cam channel.
Yeah saying ‘They were arguably the greatest destroyer class in history,’ is frankly subjective as there are destroyers that did for more than most of the Fletcher ever did during WW2.
*During WW2* maybe, but some Fletchers saw service into the 21st century
Would you count Flight I and II Burkes as four stackers with their stack tops?
USS Ward. Y'all failed to even mention the RN Tribal class destroyers!
There is a four stacker in south SF bay
My Battleship book has NC on front and is paperback
05:40 Yeah as good as the 4-stacker Wickes and Clemson class destroyers were, they were going to be obsolete before the end of the 1920s as the 1854-2242 ton Destroyer Leader HMS Swift had proved that treaty-sized destroyers were doable and it is likely the Royal Navy without the unrealistic treaty limit of 1500 tons was thanks to its destroyer leader construction, in the better position to hit Fletcher sized destroyers of between 2000-3000+ tons long before the USN was
Yeah the 4-stacker Wickes and Clemson class destroyers of the USN and 1916-18 W and V class destroyers of the RN are clear signs of what they are for, the American 4-stacker Wickes and Clemson class destroyers are optimised for the US Scouting force which ironically what does them in, they are arguably too specialised as the American Standard battleline speed of 21 knots is too slow whereas the British 1916-18 W and V class destroyers are the ultimate evolution of a lineage starting with the River-class torpedo boat destroyer of 1903 and arguably built with the next war in mind
Just fast forward Top Gun until they get back in the planes, then it's great
As someone who lives in Sydney Australia I can only give one answer HMAS Vampire, I also can't help but notice you made almost no mention of any Royal Navy destroyers perhaps this could be rectified in another episode.
Agreed. ANZAC forces get little credit. Do more with less.
Thanks for watching, commenting, and advising! We appreciate the input and will rectify this situation in time.