Mariusz Motyka Book order

Focusing on the limited fleet of the Kriegsmarine, this book delves into the history and significance of the four battleships launched between 1935 and 1941. It explores their design, operational roles, and the strategic context within which they were developed, providing insights into naval warfare during that era. The narrative highlights the technological advancements and challenges faced by these vessels, offering a detailed examination of their impact on maritime history.

This book delves into the history and significance of two lesser-known battleships from World War II, offering insights into their design, operational roles, and the impact they had on naval warfare. Through detailed analysis and research, it uncovers the stories behind these vessels, highlighting their contributions and the strategic decisions surrounding their deployment. Readers will gain a deeper understanding of naval history and the technological advancements of the era.

The SS Red Oak Victory is now a museum ship in Richmond, California. It is a cargo ship of the type Victory. It was put into service at the end of 1944, and she was in service until 1968.The ship was built for three months at the large Permanente Metals Company shipyard in Richmond. On January 10, 1945, she began her maiden voyage to Pearl Harbor.

The Imperial Naval Staff demanded the development of a destroyer project with powerful weaponry and capable of reaching speed of 40 knots. The project was approved and marked with the symbol "F52", it was included in the financial plan of 1939 "Maru Yon". According to the project, the armament was to consist of three two-barrel 127 mm gun turrets, and two seven-tube torpedo launchers. Due to the heavy weight of the tubes and the inability of emergency manual control of the launchers, this idea was abandoned. In connection with this, a project was prepared and the construction of the Japanese destroyer with the number 125 later named "Shimakaze" commenced.

Suzutsuki (Japanese large World War II destroyer) Akizuki type, in service from 1943 to the end of the war. "Suzutsuki" was the third ship in a series of large Akizuki-type destroyers specifically designed as anti-aircraft defense ships, whose main armament consisted of 8 universal guns of 100 mm caliber, with excellent ballistic characteristics.

Akizuki was the lead ship of her class of destroyers in the Japanese Imperial Navy considered by many to be among the best Japanese warships of that type in service during World War II. Those long-range vessels were fast, heavily armed and featured surprisingly good electronics (at least by Japanese standards of the time). Add to that the exceptionally graceful lines and the result is one of the most capable large destroyers in service with the IJN.

Yahagi, the second Japanese warship of that name, was the third of the four Agano-class vessels (the other three being Agano, Noshiro and Sakawa). Construction of the Agano-class cruisers was approved by the Japanese parliament (Diet) in March 1939 under the Fourth Naval Armaments Enhancement Program (Dai-Yon-Ji Kaigun Gunbi Jūjitsu Keikaku), also known as the "Four-in-Circle" Program (Maru Yon Keikaku), or simply Maru 4. Under the terms of the program, the four light cruisers (kei jun'yōkan), also referred to as type B cruisers (otsu-gata jun'yōkan, or simply otsu jun) were officially classed as second-class cruisers (ni-tō jun'yōkan), and were to fulfill the role of destroyer squadron flagships. At that time destroyer squadrons (DesRon), called literarily torpedo squadrons (suirai sentai), consisted of four four-ship destroyer divisions (DesDiv, or kuchiku-tai).

The German battleship Scharnhorst was built at Wilhelmshaven shipyard. It was initially designed as a heavy cruiser, then battleship, matching up to French Dunkerque-class ship. The ship was laid down on 15 June 1935, launched on 3 October 1936 and commissioned on 7 January 1939; the name Scharnhorst was given by the widow of World War I cruiser Scharnhorst, Capt. Felix Schulz.During her service Scharnhorst underwent numerous rebuilding and modernization, the most important were: bow reshaping, enlargement of aircraft hangar and relocation of the catapult to the roof of the hangar, removal of the mast from the funnel and construction of new tripod mast situated behind the hangar, installation of degaussing coils along the sides, replacement and strengthening of antiaircraft armament, rebuild of radio compartments on the main range finder (conning tower), installation of FuMo 27 and FuMb 4 radars with antennas, expansion of admiral's bridge.

The Agano-class cruisers, including Yahagi, were developed as part of Japan's naval expansion in the late 1930s, reflecting the nation's military ambitions prior to World War II. Yahagi, the second ship to bear its name, played a significant role in naval operations. The book delves into the historical context of its construction, the technological advancements of the Agano-class, and the strategic importance of these vessels during their service. It offers insights into naval warfare and the evolution of Japan's maritime capabilities during a tumultuous period.