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Famous Ships
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What
is a ship? A ship is described in the
Oxford English Dictionary as ‘a large
seagoing boat’ or ‘a sailing vessel
with a bowsprit and three or more square-rigged
masts’.
There are many definitions widely used
to describe both boats and ships, however
they can only be taken as a guide because
they are unclear or contradictory. For
example, submarines are commonly known
as boats, however they can be ‘large
seagoing boats’, therefore ships.
Another
definition of a ship is a boat that
is large enough to carry another. However,
many small river and coastal boats carry
dinghies. Clearly they aren’t ships.
Finally there are spaceships, a type
of ship that generally avoids water
altogether.
The pages of this site describe the
facts and information, as well as the
stories, behind some of the more famous
ships and boats to have sailed our seas.
Famous Ships: USS Arizona -
This American Battleship was the
pride of the American Fleet when
launched. She would become one of
the world's most famous ships after
being sunk during the attack on
Pearl Harbor. More facts about
USS
Arizona
Famous Ships: Bismarck – This
was one of the largest battleships ever
to be built by Germany. Construction
began on July 1, 1936, and she was launched
on February 14, 1939. The ship was named
after the former German Chancellor,
Otto von Bismarck. More facts about
Bismarck
Famous Ships: USS Constitution
- This American Frigate became
famous during the War of 1812 and is
affectionately known as Old
Ironsides. She is the world's oldest
commissioned floating naval vessel.
More facts about
USS
Constitution
Famous Ships: Cutty Sark -
This British Clipper was used to
transport tea from China and wool
from Australia. She once held the
record for the voyage from London to
Sydney and later became a preserved
museum ship. More facts about
Cutty Sark
Famous Ships: HMS Dreadnought
- This British Battleship was the
first of it's class. It became the
battleship by which all others were
measured and all battleships before
it became known as pre-Dreadnought.
More facts about
HMS
Dreadnought
Famous Ships: Flying Dutchman – This
mythical ghost ship has been the
subject of nautical lore since the
18th century and has been depicted
in many paintings, books, films and
video games . More facts about
Flying
Dutchman
Famous Ships: Henry Grace a Dieu
– This ship was a carrack belonging
to King Henry VIII’s fleet. Launched
in 1514 she was also known as the ‘Great
Harry’ and was one of the earliest ships
to have gun ports. More facts about
Henry Grace a Dieu
Famous Ships: RMS Lusitania –
This British Ocean Liner, which once
captured the Blue Riband, became the
subject of much controversy after
being torpedoed by a German U-boat
and sinking off Southern Ireland
during the First World War. More
facts about RMS
Lusitania
Famous Ships: Mary Rose -
This 16th century English warship
was the favorite of King Henry VIII.
It sank during the battle of the
Solent and, after more than 400
years, was recovered and now resides
in a museum in Portsmouth, England.
More facts about
Mary Rose
Famous Ships: Mayflower -
This English merchant ship became
famous after being chartered to
transport the Puritans and
Separatists, known as the Pilgrims,
to the New World. When she arrived,
the Plymouth Colony was established.
More facts about
Mayflower
Famous Ships: RMS Queen Mary 2 – This ocean liner had her keel laid
on July 4, 2002 and was launched
on March 21, 2003. At the time of
her launch she was the largest ocean
liner and passenger ship ever built. More
facts about
RMS Queen Mary 2
Famous Ships: HMS Warrior –
This British iron clad Warrior Class
frigate was the fastest and most
powerful warship in the world at the
time of it's launch. Following
extensive restoration, this ship is
currently exhibited in Portsmouth
Historic Dockyard. More facts about
HMS
Warrior
Famous Ships: Golden Hind – This
galleon had her keel laid and was registered
in 1575 in Plymouth, England. Originally
named the Pelican, this ship was renamed
by Sir Francis Drake during its circumnavigation
of the globe. More facts about Golden
Hind
Famous Ships: HMS Victory – This
Royal Navy first-rate ship of the line
had her keel laid on July 23,1759, and
was launched on May 7, 1765. She took
part in several wars, however her best
known role was as Lord Nelson’s flagship
during the Battle of Trafalgar. More
facts about HMS Victory
Famous Ships: HMS Beagle –
This Cherokee class brig-sloop had
her keel laid in June 1818 and was
launched on May 11, 1820. This ship was converted
to a Barque and became well known after
Charles Darwin took part in one of its
scientific surveys. More facts about
HMS Beagle
Famous Ships: SS Great Britain
– This passenger steamship had her keel
laid in July 1839 and was launched on
July 19, 1843. When launched, this ship
was the largest ship in the world and
the first iron built steamship to cross
the Atlantic Ocean. More facts about
SS Great Britain
Famous Ships: SS Great Eastern
– This steamship had her keel laid on
March 1, 1854, and was launched on
January 31, 1858. At the time of completion,
this ship was the largest that the world
had seen and was powered by both a single
screw and twin paddle wheels. More facts
about SS Great Eastern
Famous Ships: USS Maine – This
American battleship, formerly an armoured
cruiser, had her keel laid on October
17,
1888, and was launched on November
18, 1889. This ship became the subject of
intense speculation when it mysteriously
exploded and sank. More facts about
USS Maine
Famous Ships: RMS Titanic –
This Olympic class ocean liner had
her keel laid on March 31, 1909, and was launched
on May 31 1911. This ship became one
of the most famous in history after
sinking on its maiden voyage in 1912.
More facts about RMS Titanic
Famous Ships: HMS Valiant -
This Queen Elizabeth class
battleship had her keel laid on January
31, 1913, and
was launched on November 4, 1914. This
ship saw action in World War I, taking
Part in the Battle of Jutland, and World
War II. More facts about HMS Valiant
Famous Ships: HMS Royal Oak –
This Revenge Class battleship had her
keel laid on January 15, 1914, and
was launched on November 17, 1914. This ship
saw service in World War I and World
War II before being sunk in Scapa Flow.
More facts about HMS Royal Oak
Famous Ships: HMS Barham –
This Queen Elizabeth class
battleship had her keel laid on February
24, 1913, and
was launched on December 31, 1914. This
ship saw action in both World War I
and World War II before being sunk in
1940. More facts about HMS Barham
Famous Ships: HMS Hood – This
Admiral class battle cruiser had her
keel laid on September 1, 1916, and was
launched on August 22, 1918. This ship
saw action in World War II before being
sunk by the Bismarck. More facts about
HMS Hood
Famous Ships: Admiral Graf Spee
– This Deutschland class cruiser had
her keel laid on October 1, 1932, and
was launched on June 30, 1934. Named
after Admiral Maximilian von Spee, this
ship saw action in World War II before
being scuttled. More facts about
Admiral Graf Spee
Famous Ships: U-36 – This type
VIIA German Submarine had her keel laid
on March 2, 1936, and was launched
on November 4, 1936. This submarine took
part in World War II before being sunk,
on her second patrol, by a British submarine.
More facts about U36
Famous Ships: Balao Class Submarine
– These World War II US Navy submarines
were built between 1942 and 1946. The
Balao submarines were an improvement
on the preceding Gato class and were
in service from 1943 to 1975. More facts
about Balao Class Submarine
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