HMS X1 was designed as a commerce raider for the British Royal Navy. The concept was to engage a convoys escorts with her gun armament, which would then enable her and other submarines to sink the merchant vessels.
X1’s gun armament consisted of four 5.2 inch guns in twin turrets, one fore and the other aft. In addition she carried six 21-inch torpedo tubes, each armed with one reload.
Launched on 16 June 1923, she was commissioned in December 1925. In operation, she suffered continual engine problems, resulting in the majority of her time undergoing repairs. It was found that conditions were cramped because of the large crew needed to operate the guns (58 men) and associated auxiliary equipment.
HMS X1 was laid up in 1930 and scrapped in 1936.
HMS X1HMS X1HMS X1HMS X1HMS X1HMS X1HMS X1 at seaHMS X1 at seaHMS X1 at seaHMS X1 being broken up
USS Core CVE-13 was a Bogue-class escort carrier built for the US Navy. Launched on 15 May 1942 and commissioned on 10 December 1942, she was originally designated AVG-13. On 20 August 1942 this was changed to ACV-13 and then to CVE-13 on 15 July 1943. While operating as a part of Hunter-Killer groups, Core and her escorts sank seven German U-boats during the Battle of the Atlantic.
USS Core also operated as an aircraft transport in the Atlantic and Pacific. Post war she took part in Operation Magic Carpet, the repatriation of homeward bound servicemen.
Post war she was redesignated as a helicopter escort carrier (CVHE-13) 12 June 1955, a utility carrier (CVU-13) 1 July 1958 and finally an aviation transport (T-AKV-41) 7 May 1959. During the Vietnam war she ferried aircraft to Saigon.
Core was stricken for disposal on 15 September 1970 and sold for scrap in 1971.
USS Core (CVE-13) ferrying aircraft steamed under the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge possibly 3 September 1945USS Core (CVE-13) underway at sea in 1944USS Core (CVE-13) wearing camouflage Measure 32, Design 4A, 31 August 1944USS Core underway in the Atlantic, probably on 10 October 1943USS Core (CVE-13)USS Core (CVE-13) underway, circa 1944. She is camouflaged in Measure 32, Design 4A schemeGerman prisoners of U-185 aboard USS Barker (DD-213) 24 August 1943 alongside USS Core
Aircraft Operations
General Motors (Grumman) F4F Wildcat
General Motors FM-2 Wildcat launched from USS Core (CVE-13) on 12 April 1944General Motors FM-2 Wildcat flies near USS Core (CVE-13) 1944General Motors FM-2 Wildcat #21 ready for catapulting, in the North Atlantic, 12 April 1944Crash of General Motors FM-2 Wildcat #19 into the ship’s port stacks, while landing, North Atlantic, 16 April 1944Grumman TBM Avengers and General Motors FM Wildcats of VC-36 on the flight deck of the USS Core CVE-13 Atlantic on April 9, 1944
Grumman TBF Avenger
Grumman TBM Avengers and General Motors FM Wildcats of VC-36 on the flight deck of the USS Core CVE-13 Atlantic on April 9, 1944Grumman TBF-1 Avenger of VGS-13 takes off from USS Core ACV-13 February 15, 1943
Captured Japanese Aircraft
Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka being transported aboard USS Core (CVE-13)Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka K-1 training glider being transported aboard USS Core (CVE-13)
USNS Core (T-AKV 41)
USNS Core (T-AKV 41) in Saigon River 1961USNS Core (T-AKV 41) in Saigon 1961 with 32 H-21 Shawnee helicoptersUSNS Core (T-AKV 41) in Saigon River 1961USNS Core arrived in Saigon Dec. 11 1961 carrying helicopters and U.S. Army pilots and ground crewsUSNS Core (T-AKV-41) docks in Saigon Feb. 7, 1962USNS Core (T-AKV 41) docks at Saigon harbor, South VietnamUSNS Core (T-AKV-41) docks in Saigon Feb. 7, 1962USNS Core (T-AKV 41) in Saigon Harbour 17 June 1965 with more than 70 Douglas EA-1F Skyraiders for the Vietnamese Air ForceUSNS Core (T-AKV 41) at Vancouver, BC, 15 June 1964USNS Core (T-AKV 41) at Vancouver, BC, 15 June 1964USNS Core (T-AKV 41) at Vancouver, BC, 15 June 1964An A-1G on the crane of USNS Core (T-AKV-41) at Saigon c1965Douglas A-1 Skyraider aircraft on deck of the USNS Core (T-AKV-41) at Saigon, South Vietnam, circa 1965. Core delivered more than seventy warplanes USNS Core (T-AKV 41) in Saigon RiverUSNS Core (T-AKV 41) docks at Saigon harbor, South VietnamUSNS Core (T-AKV 41) docks at Saigon harbor, South VietnamUSNS Core (T-AKV 41) in Saigon, 1960s.USNS Core (T-AKV 41) in San Francisco Bay. 1966–1967USNS Core (T-AKV 41) docked at Saigon harbor, South VietnamUSNS Core (T-AKV 41) docked at Saigon harbor, South VietnamUSNS Core (T-AKV 41) docked at Saigon harbor, South Vietnam
Galileo Galilei was an Archimede-class submarine built for the Italian Regia Marina. Launched on 19 March 1934, she was commissioned on 16 October 1934. At the time of Italy’s entry into the Second World War, Galileo Galilei was in the Red Sea. On her first patrol, she sank the Norwegian tanker James Stove on 16 June 1940. On the afternoon of 18 June a Yugoslavian steamer Drava was spotted. Galileo Galilei fired a shot across her bows to force her to stop, but on seeing the flag of a neutral country allowed her to proceed. The gunshot however was heard by HMS Moonstone an anti-submarine warfare trawler patrolling nearby.
One British aircraft responded to Moonstone’s signal, arriving at 16:40 and which forced the submarine to dive. After nightfall, Galileo Galilei surfaced to recharge her batteries, but was spotted by Moonstone forcing her to dive again. Subjected to a depth charge attack which caused no damage, she waited out the night on the seabed. On the morning on 19 June, methylchloride poisoning began affecting the crew. At this time, she was detected by Moonstone which commenced a depth charge attack. Considering the weak armament of Moonstone (one 4-inch gun and two machine guns, Captain Nardi decided on a surface action with his two-100mm guns and machine guns.
HMS Moonstone moved too fast for the 100mm deck guns to accurately target her, compounded when the sighting mechanism of the forward gun broke. Hits on the forward gun position, conning tower (killing the captain) and then the jamming of the rear gun caused the senior officer to surrender the submarine when the British destroyer HMS Kandahar also arrived.
After her capture, Galileo Galilei was berthed at Port Said and served as a generating station to charge the batteries of British submarines. She was commissioned into the Royal Navy in June 1942 as HMS X2 (later changed to P 711), and was operated as a training boat in the East. She was scrapped on 1 January 1946.
Galileo GalileiGalileo GalileiGalileo Galilei being captured 19 June 1940 by the British armed trawler MoonstoneGalileo Galilei after her capture along with along with HMS KandaharHMS X2 (ex-Galileo Galilei) at Aden after her capture showing the damage to her finGalileo Galilei after her captureGalileo Galilei after being capturedGalileo Galilei after being captured
