|
Mystery Ships |
Photos on this page require identification, if you can help please email the webmaster. |
 |
| 1. Apr. 15, 2013 I have confirmed BR = Borea. The exact same image is shown in Jane's Fighting Ships of WWII. Philip J. Heydon, I.S.M. 2. Apr. 15, 2013 Italian destroyer BOREA (1927) same photo is in 1942 Jane's. Barry Lake |
 |
Royal Navy Sloop? 1. Apr. 15, 2013 One of the Grimsby class --they varied a bit. Photo is in the 1930s with the white and buff. Barry Lake 2. Apr. 15, 2013 Not easy to identify actual vessel but certainly one of the 'Grimsby' class escort vessels. Class on 6 consisting of the following: Grimsby, Leith, Lowestoft, Wallington, Londonderry, Deptford. The short size of the name letters attached to the hull suggests only HMS Leith. Philip J. Heydon, I.S.M. |
 |
Nov. 7, 2012 I'm sending You a photo of the French destroyer, but I'm not sure which one it is. As I am not familiar with French pennant number in the 1918-1939 period, I don't know if more than one ship has the certain number, in this case number "8". Somewhere I have seen the destroyer with this "8" and it was written that this is "Guepard" and on the other occasion it was written "Panthere". This photo was taken in 1929 in Boka Kotorska bay (now in Montenegro), but then one of the main bases of Yugoslav Royal Navy. Cheers Vladimir Tarnovski Reply 1. Nov. 9, 2012 This says she is Vauquelin too (she had #8 at first) So that mystery photo must have been 1934 or later. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vauquelin_class_destroyer Regards, Barry Lake Reply 2. Nov. 12, 2012 Further research suggests this is Guépard of the Guépard class. The photo has a copyright from the studio (not shown in the photo above) dated 1929. Guépard matched the photo above and is the only one of the class that was active in 1929. Vladimir Tarnovski & Michael Pocock |
 |
 |
An unidentified British or Canadian (Corvette?) seen in 1943-44. It appears that another ship is alongside showing the small funnel aft. |
Reply 1 Sept. 26, 2012 She is HMCS Prince David, a former passenger ship converted for wartime. Below is another photo of her as a landing ship from Wikipedia. Barry Lake |
 |
|
 |
A very difficult ship to ID, a CAM ship seen on the Clyde June 5, 1941. |
Reply 1 Nov. 5, 2012 She is not a CAM Ship. These are a very rare photos of HMS Ariguani one of the FSC (Fighter Catapult Ship). The aircraft in the catapult is a Fulmar. She initally carried 2 Fulmars, then Sea Hurricanes. She made 3 operational launches that resulted in 1 interception. Best regards, José Antonio Veiga NOvegil Cadiz, Spain |
|
 |
An unidentified Hospital Ship, No. 3 on the hull. |
1. July 30, 2012 It's the HMHS TJITJALENGKA. Best regards, Morten Merstrand Denmark |
|
 |
An unidentified Royal Navy cruiser. |
 |
Close-up of the superstructure. |
 |
Close-up of the superstructure of HMS Danae, note the crest is different from the mystery ship. |
 |
HMS Dauntless, date unknown. |
 |
Close-up of the superstructure of HMS Dauntless, the crest appears to be similar. |
4. July 29, 2012 It is a Ceres class light cruiser. In addition to the other contributors' findings, note that the Danae class has double starboard anchors while the mystery photo shows only one. Photos of HMS Ceres shows only one starboard anchor. Respectfully, Creig Miller Port Neches, Texas |
|
3. July 28, 2012 I think the new mystery ship is the cruiser (not destroyer!) HMS DANAE but might be DAUNTLESS after the original hanger in the forward house was removed). Those did not have the raised focsle "trawler bow" like most of the other Ds. Revision: I now think she is a C not a D. The scuttle count and spacing does not work for a D. and it does for a C. Also the gun director rangefinder is on the middle level below the bridge in a C same as the mystery pic. So I now think it is a C. Jane's says the earlier Cs did not get a trawler bow so that means the five ships of the CERES class Barry Lake |
|
2. July 26, 2012 Try either the Capetown (1919), Colombo (1918), Carfiff (ex Caprice) (1917) or Ceres (1917). JFS 1939 has a picture of Colombo which is a near exactness having in mind modifications, etc. Location could be Malta. Philip J. Heydon, I.S.M. |
|
1. July 26, 2012 Picture one looks like HMS Frobisher, heavy cruiser. Al Zorn |
|
 |
Submitted by Malcolm Lindsay the ship is flying the German flag, but appears to have been drastically modified from her original appearance. |
July 17, 2012 This is the Panzerfregatte (armored frigate) SMS König Wilhelm. Respectfully, Creig Miller |
|
 |
A photo submitted by Alexander Monreal shows a passenger steamer, probably a transport, seen from a battleship. The steamer has the number 16 on her hull. |
Reply 1 Jan. 11, 2012 S/S BAVARIAN of the Allen line, Transport No 16 in the Boer War. Barry Lake |
 |
Looks like a destroyer that has been converted into an anti-aircraft picket ship. Any help in identifying this vessel would be a big help. |
Reply 1 Nov. 9, 2011 The name of the mystery ship is HMS Adventure, a minelayer completed in 1927. The photo was probably taken in 1943 before her conversion to a repair ship in 1944. All the best and keep up the excellent work, Monty Mills |
|
Reply 2 Nov. 9, 2011 Looks to me like a cruiser of D (Danae) class converted to AA ship. The whole superstructure is like a D class. The problem is that only HMS Delhi was converted and armed with American 5 inch guns and fore guns were shielded. The cruiser on the photo has no shielded guns as far as I can see. Other possibility is that she is a cruiser of C class and at last she can be the HMS Adventure, a minelaying cruiser, built 1924. Vladimir Tarnovski |
|
Reply 3 Nov. 9, 2011 I don't know whether the following is of any help, you probably know the following – the HACS gunnery control system makes it a WW2 era ship using British armaments. It clearly has a primary AA role (I don't think it is one of the amphibious warfare conversions) – the configuration does not match any of the C class cruiser conversions as there appears to be 3 4” turrets aft. The UK fitted out the Jacob van Heemskerck with UK weapons but this ship is smaller and had I think only 1 funnel. Several Polish destroyers were re-fitted but this ship looks far larger than a destroyer. Several merchant men were re-fitted as fleet support auxiliaries but I can't remember any having this scale of armament. None of the designed auxiliaries Adamant, Tyne etc had 3 turrets aft so I don't think it is one of these. I think the most likely answer is, it is one of auxiliary AA ships, the Canadian Prince class. The only other AA ships with 4 * 4” turrets were the Alynbank, Springbank and Foylebank which appear to have 2 turrets forward and aft. Thank you for an excellent and informative web site, Chris Parker |
|
Reply 3 Nov. 9, 2011 Looks like ADVENTURE --big clue is the forward funnel is the thin one unlike the Cs and Ds where the forward funnel is the fat one. Regards, Barry Lake |
|
Reply 4 Nov. 9, 2011 The mystery picket ship looks a bit like a British "D" Class cruiser although the stacks appear somewhat different as well as their spacing behind the tripod mast. Creig Miller Port Neches, Texas USA |
|
 |
A little out of the normal, I received this photo of a radio controlled ship model from a guy who says |
In response to your question to the name of the ship displayed, I believe it to be the OTTO HAHN. A ship from the former GDR. Leo ter Linden |
|
Am inclined to think the model is that of a mythical whimsey. The superstructure looks as though it is 4 deck levels high, yet is hardly any higher than the hull, which clearly shows only 2 levels via portholes. The hull itself is too low to the waterline to be much more that 2 levels as well. |