The idea to build a marvel like that was suggested by the US Navy’s Bureau of Ships as far back as in 1940. For American admirals, this was a dream: a carrier that would be robust as a battleship and have at least 120 aircraft on board. As a result, Midway was so much better than all other US Navy attack carriers, that it was distinguished as a new type —battlecarriers. Midway turned out to be a truly unsinkable ship.

Named for the Roman goddess of the dawn, Aurora made an epic transoceanic voyage and fought in the disastrous Battle of Tsushima in the Russo-Japanese War, covering the Russian retreat and surviving to return home. She later served in World War I and fired the first shot to mark the assault on the Winter Palace at the start of the October Revolution. During World War II, her crew demounted her guns and deployed them in the hard-fought Siege of Leningrad.

Now a museum ship, the Town-class HMS Belfast has a long, proud service history. In World War II she assisted in the destruction of German battleship Scharnhorst and supported the Normandy landings. However, the Royal Navy ships faced another enemy — mines. Belfast fell prey to the most dangerous of them. It's a miracle that she remained afloat, and it's a miracle that she could return to her base for repairs.

One of the attractions of the Buffalo city is the Little Rock ship, part of the Naval & Military Park exposition. It is the last remaining Cleveland class light cruiser, which were famous for their numerosity and endurance, and were considered the heaviest light cruisers in the history of the US Navy.

Best design features, tried and tested during the World War II, — the Daring class was designed as the UK Royal Navy super destroyer. Australia decided to build three of the Daring class destroyers. They are the last artillery ships of their type, which makes them unique.

The Mikasa battleship had cost Japan a 6% of the country’s overall annual budget, and at the time of her construction, she was the most powerful ship in the world. Mikasa was never defeated in battle, and also was part of one of the most dramatic episodes in the history of the Russian Navy — the Battle of Tsushima.

"Our Liberties We Prize, Our Right We Will Maintain", so says the motto of USS Iowa (BB-61), also known as "The Big Stick" and "The Grey Ghost." You know there has to be some interesting stories surrounding names like that and its near 50 years of service. Watch the video to find out!

The Hornet aircraft carrier is known as one of the luckiest of the American World War II ships. She sailed through 59 battles without any damage, and put an end to the history of the Japanese Imperial Navy.

New Jersey battleship is the most decorated ship in the US Navy. After World War I, between USA and Japan began a real competition in who could build the most powerful fleet. And by the end of 1930s, the USA designed a battleship that went to become the best in her type.

The Alabama battleship is a renowned veteran of the Pacific Ocean Theater, and a participant of the Battle of the Philippine Sea. This episode describes her entire history, and reveals how the main battery guns were charged, where aboard the hairdressing salon was located, and how the nickname Lucky A came to be.

For the first time in the history of the US Navy, a ship was named after several people — the five Sullivan brothers. She inherited not only the name but also the “We Stick Together” motto. Saving people became an integral part of almost all the her missions.

USS Salem is a heavy cruiser, one of the last artillery cruisers built in the USA, the Sea Witch of the US Navy, and …a giant that was late for the war. Nevertheless, her technical characteristics exceeded her time, as she was designed as a “nightmare” for the Japanese Imperial Navy.

The Battle of Tsushima is the old tragedy of the Imperial Russian Navy. In this episode, the battle is recreated, and described are the reasons and consequences of the collision of the two empires, the fates of Admiral Togo Heihachiro and Admiral Zinovy Rozhestvensky are told, and legendary Aurora cruiser and Mikasa battleship appear.

The Yamato battle ship is the pinnacle of the battleship type. The biggest battleship in the world, and the best known Japanese Navy ship. Sadly remembered for her defeat in her last battle against 227 American aircraft, which became a demonstrative execution and ended with the giant being defeated and the hopes of the Japanese command crashed.

The Essex class aircraft carriers are the victorious ships of the US Navy. They were nicknamed the Masters of the Pacific: not a single ship of this class was lost in battle, despite several of them sustaining heavy damage.

For the first time in the history of Russian shipbuilding, armor plating became not only protection but also supporting structure. This increased strength and reduced weight, making it possible to strengthen the armament and multiply the ammunition. In her first campaign, her mission was to get into the most powerful storm to understand what was really built.

The USS Yorktown aircraft carrier is a US Navy distinguished veteran, which participated in the Battle of Okinawa and defeat of the legendary Yamato battleship. How did the aircraft carrier help the US Space Program, and how did she earn 11 battle stars during World War II?

The Project 7 Destroyers, also known as Gnevny class are one of the most mass-produced Soviet World War II ships: on the Black Sea, they broke through to Sevastopol and Odessa with ammo, on the Baltic Sea, they defended Leningrad, on the Northern seas, they protected the Allied convoys.

One of the last remaining dreadnoughts in the world is the American Texas battleship. With the help of the archival wartime newsreels and CG animation, we will tell the viewers about the most important points on the battle path of the veteran ship: covering the Normandy landings, artillery duel against the Hamburg battery, and supporting the Iwo Jima invasion.

The Kidd destroyer is one of the most exciting ships in the US Navy, if only because the crew chose a 17th century Scottish pirate William Kidd as their mascot, and raised a pirate flag. Fletcher class destroyers, which included Kidd, were notable for their endurance, but this ship has survived even after successful kamikaze attack.