How Aircraft Carriers Killed the Battleship

Throughout history, no one could top the power and might of a battleship at sea. Their fearsome firepower was simply unmatched, and as far as anyone could tell, it would remain that way forever. That is, until, a small but significant propeller plane successfully took off from atop a modified battleship, and suddenly, the rules had changed.

Years of development passed, and the aircraft carrier was born. Sea and sky were united in a lethal combination unlike anything seen before. Suddenly, the rules had changed, and everything that once made battleships grand was now their weakness. No longer did strength lie purely on the surface. Aircraft, and the elegant carriers they called home, changed the face of naval warfare forever.

Oceanliner Designs explores the design, construction, engineering and operation of history’s greatest vessels– from Titanic to Queen Mary and from the Empress of Ireland to the Lusitania. Join maritime researcher and illustrator Michael Brady as he tells the stories behind some of history's most famous ocean liners and machines!

00:00 Intro
01:35 Pre-Aircraft Operations
03:16 The Invention of the Airplane
05:02 Early Experiments
09:21 World War II
12:34 Overtaking the Battleship
15:40 Parallel Advancement

#ships #sinking #disaster #titanic #wrecks #exploration #history #adventure #design #engineering #mairitime #safety #vessels #sailing #documentary #story #oceanlinerdesigns

[sixftin]

Hey Mike! Former US Navy aircraft carrier nuclear reactor operator here!

In 5 years serving on the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), we only got to watch one movie in the movie theater (aka hangar bay 2 🤣). That was Star Wars - The Phantom Menace. That was back in 1999. I don't think that really qualifies as having a movie theater.

Also, the only library I had ever heard of on board was the technical library we had for operating manuals. It's possible the top-siders (everyone else that wasn't in Reactor Department) had a library, but we didn't really mingle with them much.

[ScoutSniper]

An aircraft carrier, even in its earliest (pre-WWII) form was able to deliver what amounts to a naval barrage at a range of hundreds of miles from the fleet. That's an exponential upgrade in offensive capabilities not overtaken till the advent of ICBM's.

[michaeldavis]

I love aircraft carrier history. I once visited the USS Yorktown Museum on a summer vacation from my hometown at that time. I visited the Dayton Air Force Museum the year after that. Everything there includes the aircraft carriers and the planes of World War 2, and my favorite Cold War aircraft (SR-71 Blackbird). It's what inspired me to become a pilot ever since my first time flying in the air on my 16th birthday.

[speedydb]

The Aircraft Carrier being flown over at the start of the video is the CV-10 USS Yorktown, a museum ship now located in Charleston, South Carolina. Built during WW2, it inherited its name in honor of the carrier that was lost at the Battle of Midway. I have personally visited the ship and it's well worth the trip for any history, naval, or aviation buff.

[blaxson]

Hmmm... collab between Oceanliner and Drachinifel?

[Gregm-lr]

Aircraft carriers are very impressive, with an incredible history Mike . Thank you for this .

[AussieDave]

Great video again Mike. Ex CVS21 HMAS Melbourne crew member here. Surprised you didn't mention the Australian built seaplane carrier Albatross or the former HMS Majestic (later Melbourne) which had some of the first new techs incorporated into it, like the steam catapult, mirror landing system and angled deck in 1952. But still enjoyed it mate. Bravo Zulu. 🙂

[chrislevy]

Excellent. 10/10. Exactly the doc I wanted to see. Narration and pacing is spot on. Footage outstanding.

DO THE FRENCH SUB SURCOUF

[F-Man]

Hey! It’s our friend, Mike Brady, from Oceanliner Designs, and he’s got another warship video!

[fxgjolteon]

I wasn’t expecting to wake up and see a picture of Hornet as the thumbnail, got really excited for a minute. She’s my favorite ship across all of history, civilian or military. A tad disappointed it’s just a general video on carriers, but always a joy for Hornet to get even a little attention.

[ph]

I think nothing more highlights the coming of age of carriers was when the USN’s most decorated ship from World War 2 was USS Enterprise (CV-6). A Yorktown-Class Carrier that had seen every major engagement barring Coral Sea. Was responsible for the lions share of the kills at Midway. Survived damage that had disabled other carriers and kept on going both through design and a dedicated crew. Was at one point the only Allied Aircraft Carrier available for combat in the Pacific. A fact her crew highlighted by placing a sign saying “Enterprise vs Japan” on her flight deck. Finally, she introduced Night Carrier Ops for the U.S. Navy. Including night fighters, night bombers, electronic warfare aircraft and a prototype AWACS and 174 hours of non-stop ops off of Iwo Jima.

[christianc]

I’m a simple man. I see a new video from our friend Mike Brady and I click

[Transit_Biker]

For those wondering, the Iowa class battleship at 18:22 is BB-61, the Iowa herself in Measure 32 camouflage paint.

[rjcolombe]

Part of my biggest alternate history ideas is what would modern day battleships look like in the 21st century if aircraft carriers never came along as they did....

[emmgeevideo]

The aircraft carrier "changed the way war was waged forever" in the 1930s when the US went on a major effort to build the Essex-class aircraft carriers. These carriers basically won the war in the Pacific in WW II. Of course the Japanese recognized this as well when they built their powerful fleet carriers at the same time. However they didn't have the industrial capacity to keep building carriers to replace their losses and were overwhelmed by the US. Battleships became relegated to escort duty and shore bombardment for amphibious invasions.

I'm surprised Mike didn't discuss the Essex-class carriers. They served into the Vietnam era.

[journeyman_philosopher]

Technically HMS Hermes was the first purpose built aircraft carrier - she was laid down a full two years before Hosho during WW1, but delays in her construction meant Hosho launched first as the British used the lack of pressure from the war to experiment with the design. Hosho herself was inspired by the modified HMS Furious after she received her second flight deck.

Speaking of, I'm glad you mentioned Furious. A battlecruiser (sorry, 'large light cruiser' 😂) with a short flight deck at the bow, a single 18in gun at the stern and light cruiser armour has to be in the running for the weirdest warship design in history. Not sure what Admiral Fisher was smoking when he dreamed up _that_ idea, especially since her half-sisters were pretty conventional.

Also, shout out to HMS Argus for her incredible history - the Hat Box was not only the first flat top carrier in the world, but also at one stage (after the sinking of Ark Royal) during WW2 the only active carrier in the Med. The 30 year old warhorse provided air cover for Force H alone for more than two months, and even after that spent months providing air cover for Eagle while the bigger carrier flew off aircraft for Gibraltar and Malta.

[bgw]

“Ocean liner Design” is a guaranteed top flight view. Thanks, Mike.

[richardsweeney]

Sometime, look into Two carriers on the Great Lakes, U.S.S. Sable and Wolverine.

[francoiscomeau]

One of the patrons of Oceanliner Designs is listed as "Kaiser Wilhelm II" (1859-1941). Amazing!

[PersephoneDaSilva]

Glad to see you're feeling better. Start taking your vitamins so you get sick less often.