Why did the Japanese even build Shimakaze when the construction of the AA-specialized Akizukis at the same time indicates they knew Shimakaze was going to be obsolete and effectively useless upon launch?
I would like an analysis of the v and w class destroyers, they served in so many theatres and were changed into so many roles I find it amazing that some of them were of the same class when you compare them at the end of the war, thank you
Despite the name: Destroyer escorts, I don't know of any time a DE was used I escorting a DD, did DEs ever escort full fleet destroyers (or even destroyer leaders)? Was there any official strategy about this? And what would be the ideal number of DEs to escort a destroyer?
After all these years, - Destroyers - Concept and Development (1860-1914) - Destroyers - Interwar development and design (1918-1939) - Destroyer Development in WW2 - (1939-1945) Finally I have them all
@@Colonel_OverkillI’m waiting for the Gyatt to be covered, because of the fact that she was a Gearing and thus falls within acceptable range for Drac to cover
@@SoloRenegade the scope of the channel generally ends after the 40s. Drach has mentioned that this is in part because those events are too recent and often have aspects that are still classified. Though he has talked about stuff in the 50s a couple times
It’s true! The Modagor class was designed to act together with the Dunkerque class, but the latter had a smaller turning radius despite being a bettleship!
Thank you for this. It is meaningful for me because my grandfather helped weld together the three Sumner class US destroyers shown (including the USS Laffey) at Bath Iron Works here in Maine. The shipyard's motto was and still is, "Bath Built, Best Built."
I don't know the last time you were up at bath Maine I was there it's probably 15 years ago the best pizza I've ever had was right across the street from the bath naval yard they went out a jalapeno pizza it was amazing I can still taste it
FIVE! YEARS!!!!!!…..NO! FRECKIN! WAY!…..Have I really been listening to you for +5 years!?!?!?!?….I swear, that plague has shot my sense if time all to hell :)
Peace on earth. Vigilance and crushing power projection on water. Merry Drachisms: 9:46 "But then, in a complete 4D chess move ..." 14:17 "Having a revised power-plant that didn't break down quite as often." 14:49 "Which, by now, were unhelpfully being laid down in 1941 and not 1936." 24:06 "Or, giving the fighters something to strafe that wasn't torpedoes full of pure oxygen." 25:54 "The class, as a whole, proved remarkably survivable for a Japanese warship of the second world war." 27:40 "acting more as a giant life-boat." 30:27 "Resulting in a somewhat 'blocky' ship that almost looks like a low-polygon model from a 1990s video game." 49:40 "And, after a survey of the bipedal attack-dogs that comprised most of the Royal Navy's destroyer captains."
Thank-you so much for creating a display of the so enjoyable wit and sarcasm that Drach brings to these history lessons. I come to Drach's lectures like a pet expecting treats. "...bi-pedal attack-dogs who commanded the Royal Navy's destroyers." 😂 "...at least provided something else to strafe besides torpedoes full of pure oxygen."😅
It is absolutely wild to me that some Gearings were in service so long that they wound up carrying the same missiles as the Arleigh Burkes. Some had CIWS, some had ASROC, some even had helicopter hangers.
The Sumner at 53:50 threw me for a loop. I looked at those HUGE bofors mounts and moved my head from side to side looking at the flat monitor as if that would fix the viewing perspective. Looked it up and they were dual 3" mounts added later toward the 1950's. I learned as a 12 year old that changing viewing angle on a television does not allow you to look up skirts.
For not being a military historian from go I truly believe you are the best at conveying the message and the information to the masses. Found channel years ago and absolutely love it. It plays all the time in my house and actually keeps my dog calm when I’m gone. I was so bummed when you came to Washington and I found out like 4hrs after you had left a ship only a few hours away from my house. Next time you come to the states I’m definitely gonna come shake your hand. Thanks my guy.
This is often the case. Historians, and this applies to scientists in general tend to have too narrow of a focus. To successfully fully convey information about history you need a fairly broad understanding of history. Drach in my opinion is as niche as a history channel can get. But because of this he can cover topics with a depth that most others can't.
Merry Christmas all! I don't do social media for all the garbage that won't improve my day, so here I will give my seasons greetings to far more naval historians thank I thought existed! This channel and it's sober kind voice has meant a lot. A great Thank you and blessed holidays to all!!
Hey drach i recently watched your video about the battle of jutland on History Undone. There you talk about the differnt qualities of coal greatly affecting a ships performance. Would you be able to do a full video about fuel, the differnt qualities/where they were found, i.e Welsh coal vs german coal and maybe a video, like a part 2 on oil? I know its alot to ask but i am very curious and i love your video formats. Hope you have an amazing xmas, thankyou so much for your work.
Indeed, I second the notion that the topic needs a dedicated video at this point. Fuel quality was an absolutely critical factor in determining actual and potential performance on land, air, and sea. Having better or worse fuel limited what nations could make and deploy to start with, let alone how well their deployed assets could perform.
@@genericpersonx333it still is a major limiting factor. It's now over 30 years since I was in the fuel Business bit I rember the Americans used to love refueling here because. Of the type and quality. Our little navy has to operate on the tropics and the Great Southern.
A subject you might consider is what life was like below deck in ships engaged in battle. I can only imagine what it must have been like with all the chaos like in the engine, boiler rooms and magazines. My Father was a Merchmarine on a Liberty ship at the battle of Leyte stationed in the boiler room.
Surprisingly calm and quiet. With everyone either on watch or closed up at Action Stations, the flats and messdecks are all empty, and no one is talking.
One of my grandfathers was aboard a destroyer that was torpedoed, and responsible for counting crewmen to lifeboats. His count substantially low, he went looking for them and found the engine room crew trapped in a flooding space behind a warped hatchway. His farmboy strength let him free the trapped crewmen, and their appeal that he be awarded the Navy Cross brought his background undesirable attention, as he had enlisted at the age of fourteen. Fleet Admiral Nimitz took him under his wing, making him his yeoman, and he witnessed the signing of the Japanese surrender. He was one of the U.S. Navy crewmen allowed to view the signing, because he had grown to six foot eight during the war from his five foot eleven at enlistment!
My Grandpa was in a sub chaser in WWII. They got caught in a typhoon and he said they were lashed to their engine room stations eating nothing but crackers for days and having to monitor the throttle so the engines didnt over-rev when the screws came out of the water from the wave action.
I served on a DD, THE USS L.F.MASON DD852, a gering class fram1 that was laid down in 1945, she was decommissioned in 1976, then sold to the Taiwanese Navy, turned into a reef in the late 1980's, she started life with 3 5" 38 mounts, later she was framed to two mounts,asroc, increased sonar radar and com gear, plus other goodies, a very fast ship.
I know that the path to the Fletcher was marked with a lot of trial and error to try and get the whole concept to work but I do love how the presentation here almost implies the US navy just banged out two or three sets of perfection and just cruised through to the end of the war. Great video Drach, thank you!
My seamanship instructor at school, (RMNS, later Bearwood College) was a certain Commander West (RN rtd) a small but ferocious gentleman who had served in destroyers during WWII. He taught us many things, including sailmaking, ropework, how to launch, row and recover a whaler (we had our own 50acre lake) and sailing. He described his role onboard as “mostly damage control and firefighting”.
Merry Christmas, Drach! I wish to you and all the family a Happy New Year and may you have everything you wish for. As an answer to your question, I would surely appreciate a video examining those destroyers you mentioned, it will be equally as interesting as this one, concluding a wonderful series of development. Have a nice time.
The only Sumner class ship still afloat, is USS Laffey herself. You can visit her at Patriot Point in Charleston harbor South Carolina. The Essex class USS Yorktown is also there.
Back when I was about 10 years old (late 60s) I was given a book "A Boy's Treasury of Sea Stories". Of the many short stories and articles in there my most read was the story of USS Laffey's fight against the kamikazes. Re-reading it a few months ago reminded me that Cdr Beckton must have been an inspirational officer for his crew to keep fighting against such odds. Well done to the USN from an ex-RN officer.
Very good follow-up to first two of the destroyers series. A future video of post war destroyer development, including the Darings and American counterparts would be very much anticipated and appreciated.
Your idea of a follow on video is a great idea! Could you also please perhaps add a section in regards to the " cheap and cheerful " escorts such as the Italian Specias, the British Hunts, and the Australian Bathurst classes, along with any other types that fit the " cheap and cheerful " categories. Thank you very much.
Yep. We 100% need a video on the 'last of the gun fighters'. Plus while time wise it's mostly out of the channels scope there is a pretty interesting batch of gun armed JMSDF Destroyers dating from the 1950s to the mid 1960s that I think would be intesting to discuss as the absolute last of the gun boats...
Had a great day at work, got a ton done, boss took me out for lunch, deposited my paycheck, got two turkeys in a brine to bbq for tomorrow.... and this video to watch this evening. What a perfect day!
Good summary. They were said to be the elite of the RN, and I can see that. A charging destroyer , with all those torpedoes , could likely sink any warship with a lucky hit. All glory goes to the main units , but the sea dogs know who's the deadliest.
The US 5"/38 guns on the Fletchers were enclosed, but not really protected. Was good to add some material to the gun house for twins on the later ships. When i saw the crew protection on the Fletcher class USS THE SULLIVANS it seemed like tin for a shed vs the armor on the twins on USS NEW JERSEY. You can walk through mount 55 on her.
Awesome video, as always! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. In 1967 & 1968 I was privileged to serve aboard a Gearing Class destroyer, thus fulfilling a life-long ambition.
Excellent video, thank you! It's a big challenge to summarize development of so many classes and keep track of the differences and changes. A similar summary of capital ships would be much easier to follow but that's because there were so many more ships actually built in this smaller, less resource-hungry type. The technical features of destroyers are, however, equally sophisticated and make an interesting story. This video is a fine contribution to our understanding of the wartime effort of the various navies. Yes, I'd like to see another video on the last of the all-gun destroyers even though they were postwar.
Speaking of Destroyers... have you ever considered a video regarding the USN 4 stack destroyers that were converted to fast transports? Likely a few interesting missions/actions.
I still remember Drach's description of destroyer captains "aggressive and who would usually be sectioned under the mental heath act in peace time" Royal navy: X enemy stands for everything we dont stand for. Also, they told me you guys look like dorks. Destroyer captain and crew: they look like dorks! Launch torpedoes! RN: But you're still docked. Do it anyway, fix bayonets! Fix bayonets? Crew precedes to produce a dozen meter long bayonet from a tardis cupboard and fixes it to the bow the goes flank speed straight from It's moring, screaming incoherently with an impressive amount and variety of insults thrown in. Happy turkey day, everyone.
And plenty that were never so much as drawn in their alleged timeframe. Most of which these days don't even bother making up a design date and just slap 1944 on what seem to be Washington Treaty alt histories.
Merry Christmas and enjoy Boxing Day. Thank you for this holiday gift of destroyer class review. I'm always struck by how brilliant the Fletcher class was simply because stability was left for upgrades. Anchors away.
While the post-war DDs are outside of this channel's timeframe, could we say they are the fruit of the ships from this period? If so, a brief overview of these ships would complete the story. So, yes. I would like to see more on these ships. Perhaps a Friday video?
Merry Christmas Drach. Just wanted to say thanks for the work you have done in crafting a remarkable legacy of history you have crafted. I have been watching you since the robo-voice, and you have continued to impress and improve! Your work both inspired and encouraged me through the process of getting into and completing my MA in History for which I am grateful!
Merry Christmas to you and your growing family. I hope you have a great new year 2025. Thank you for all your hard work over the years. I still haven't caught up and seen all your video's. It is nice to see and well deserved to find you guesting on other podcasts and video's and being recognized as an authority in your field.
Your mentioning the Destroyer-Minlayer variant of the US Sumner class destroyers made me think of a specific one. USS Aaron Ward (DM-34) which goat hammered when she was on Radar Picket Duty.... (The before and after pictures are shocking!) May I suggest: A Rum Ration (or Dry Dock section) covering the US Radar Pickets (and their battles)? Covering the night attack on the USS Aaron Ward and the other ships in her Task Group? All (saw service) versions of ships called USS Aaron Ward?
THE ONLY THING THAT KEPT THE AARON WARD'S HULL WHICH FROM SPLITTING IN HALF WAS THOSE MINE-RAILS KEPT THE HULL OF DM-34 FROM COMING-APART AT THE SEAMS BY THOSE JAPANESE KAMIKAZE-NUT-JOBS I THINK THAT THEIR MENTAL STABILITY IN THEIR SKULLS MIGHT MAKE TH EM BOARD CERTIFIED
Hi Drachinfel - I loved this episode. Will go back to see the previous episodes, I am particularly interested in the V and W class ships, including having read a great book on the Scrap Iron flotilla. And yes, please do an episode on the post war destroyers, including the Daring class. I live less than 1 km from a modified Daring Class ship - the Vampire, here in Sydney. As I understand it, it was the RAN's last pure gunboat. Cheers from the antipodes.
Yes, please do one more on the post-war gun destroyers Drach. They're fascinating because, with modifications, they straddle the change from missiles to guns, while still being firmly rooted in late WWII concepts.
The German "torpedo boat" designation is almost certainly a treaty thing. They were not allowed a navy. A ship that you can claim isn't a ship is useful. Like modern Japanese "helicopter" carriers that work just fine with f-35s.
Pinned post for Q&A :)
@Drachinifel How does radar tell distance vs size of objects?
Why did the Japanese even build Shimakaze when the construction of the AA-specialized Akizukis at the same time indicates they knew Shimakaze was going to be obsolete and effectively useless upon launch?
what books on predreadnoughts do you recommend?
I would like an analysis of the v and w class destroyers, they served in so many theatres and were changed into so many roles I find it amazing that some of them were of the same class when you compare them at the end of the war, thank you
Despite the name: Destroyer escorts, I don't know of any time a DE was used I escorting a DD, did DEs ever escort full fleet destroyers (or even destroyer leaders)? Was there any official strategy about this? And what would be the ideal number of DEs to escort a destroyer?
After all these years,
- Destroyers - Concept and Development (1860-1914)
- Destroyers - Interwar development and design (1918-1939)
- Destroyer Development in WW2 - (1939-1945)
Finally I have them all
what about Post-WW2 destroyers?
Drach basically ignores the shit with missiles, which is the vast majority of post 45 DDs
It has taken 5 years but now he has done it!
@@Colonel_OverkillI’m waiting for the Gyatt to be covered, because of the fact that she was a Gearing and thus falls within acceptable range for Drac to cover
@@SoloRenegade the scope of the channel generally ends after the 40s. Drach has mentioned that this is in part because those events are too recent and often have aspects that are still classified. Though he has talked about stuff in the 50s a couple times
A conclusion to the destroyer development series is an excellent Christmas present. Thanks, Drach!
Seconded
I feel bad. All I got for Drach was a thumbs-up and this comment.
"Some battleships were more agile than the Mogadors" , made me laugh so hard. Merry Christmas !
It’s true! The Modagor class was designed to act together with the Dunkerque class, but the latter had a smaller turning radius despite being a bettleship!
Long and narrow to maximise speed = turning radius of a battleship.
Thank you for this. It is meaningful for me because my grandfather helped weld together the three Sumner class US destroyers shown (including the USS Laffey) at Bath Iron Works here in Maine. The shipyard's motto was and still is, "Bath Built, Best Built."
I don't know the last time you were up at bath Maine I was there it's probably 15 years ago the best pizza I've ever had was right across the street from the bath naval yard they went out a jalapeno pizza it was amazing I can still taste it
FIVE! YEARS!!!!!!…..NO! FRECKIN! WAY!…..Have I really been listening to you for +5 years!?!?!?!?….I swear, that plague has shot my sense if time all to hell :)
Yup
It is both amazing and sad...
Those 374 days of March 2020 were totally unreal
Amen, man.
It’s (almost) the same with Ship Happens. Their first video documenting the restoration of a botched up and rotting HDML was posted in January 2021.
What a wonderful Christmas present.
Thanks Drach.
Edit: Also, I would absolutely want a video on the last of the gun-based destroyers.
Same Here!
Peace on earth.
Vigilance and crushing power projection on water.
Merry Drachisms:
9:46 "But then, in a complete 4D chess move ..."
14:17 "Having a revised power-plant that didn't break down quite as often."
14:49 "Which, by now, were unhelpfully being laid down in 1941 and not 1936."
24:06 "Or, giving the fighters something to strafe that wasn't torpedoes full of pure oxygen."
25:54 "The class, as a whole, proved remarkably survivable for a Japanese warship of the second world war."
27:40 "acting more as a giant life-boat."
30:27 "Resulting in a somewhat 'blocky' ship that almost looks like a low-polygon model from a 1990s video game."
49:40 "And, after a survey of the bipedal attack-dogs that comprised most of the Royal Navy's destroyer captains."
Thank-you so much for creating a display of the so enjoyable wit and sarcasm that Drach brings to these history lessons. I come to Drach's lectures like a pet expecting treats. "...bi-pedal attack-dogs who commanded the Royal Navy's destroyers." 😂 "...at least provided something else to strafe besides torpedoes full of pure oxygen."😅
When a battleship has a beter turning circle than a destroyer, something has gone terribly wrong.
It was very often the case, BBs after all had a shorter lenght to beam ratio.
Some battleships had tighter turning circles than the Fletchers (one reason that class wasn't the best anti-sub class ever).
@@rupertboleyn3885 Almost all battleships had tighter turning radius than Fletchers.
It is absolutely wild to me that some Gearings were in service so long that they wound up carrying the same missiles as the Arleigh Burkes. Some had CIWS, some had ASROC, some even had helicopter hangers.
38:28 - radar being a far sighted choice is a nice little pun 😊
Drach has had several years of gathering the Drachisms for this Destroyer strike.
HEH HEH HEH!
The Sumner at 53:50 threw me for a loop. I looked at those HUGE bofors mounts and moved my head from side to side looking at the flat monitor as if that would fix the viewing perspective. Looked it up and they were dual 3" mounts added later toward the 1950's. I learned as a 12 year old that changing viewing angle on a television does not allow you to look up skirts.
Fantastic work!
And yes, a Part 4 covering the last Destroyers of the Cold War would be deeply appreciated.
As a present for the new 2035?
:')
@@ivoivanov7407 2031, at the earliest. :)
@@ivoivanov7407By then his main problem with post war designs (things still being classified) may not be an issue anymore
GOOD THINKING !
For not being a military historian from go I truly believe you are the best at conveying the message and the information to the masses. Found channel years ago and absolutely love it. It plays all the time in my house and actually keeps my dog calm when I’m gone. I was so bummed when you came to Washington and I found out like 4hrs after you had left a ship only a few hours away from my house. Next time you come to the states I’m definitely gonna come shake your hand. Thanks my guy.
This is often the case. Historians, and this applies to scientists in general tend to have too narrow of a focus. To successfully fully convey information about history you need a fairly broad understanding of history. Drach in my opinion is as niche as a history channel can get. But because of this he can cover topics with a depth that most others can't.
@@HD-mp6yyhe knows more than just Navy history
Merry Christmas all!
I don't do social media for all the garbage that won't improve my day, so here I will give my seasons greetings to far more naval historians thank I thought existed!
This channel and it's sober kind voice has meant a lot. A great Thank you and blessed holidays to all!!
Thanks Merry Christmas Drach Glory to you And Your House
Hey drach i recently watched your video about the battle of jutland on History Undone. There you talk about the differnt qualities of coal greatly affecting a ships performance. Would you be able to do a full video about fuel, the differnt qualities/where they were found, i.e Welsh coal vs german coal and maybe a video, like a part 2 on oil? I know its alot to ask but i am very curious and i love your video formats. Hope you have an amazing xmas, thankyou so much for your work.
By chance, I just listened to drydock 111 where this is discussed
Indeed, I second the notion that the topic needs a dedicated video at this point. Fuel quality was an absolutely critical factor in determining actual and potential performance on land, air, and sea. Having better or worse fuel limited what nations could make and deploy to start with, let alone how well their deployed assets could perform.
No way i watched that video, and then felt obligated to watch drach's series on the battle of jutland just last week
I would watch a multipart series on the history of naval fuels. Just saying.
@@genericpersonx333it still is a major limiting factor. It's now over 30 years since I was in the fuel Business bit I rember the Americans used to love refueling here because. Of the type and quality. Our little navy has to operate on the tropics and the Great Southern.
Merry Christmas Drach
A subject you might consider is what life was like below deck in ships engaged in battle. I can only imagine what it must have been like with all the chaos like in the engine, boiler rooms and magazines. My Father was a Merchmarine on a Liberty ship at the battle of Leyte stationed in the boiler room.
Surprisingly calm and quiet. With everyone either on watch or closed up at Action Stations, the flats and messdecks are all empty, and no one is talking.
@@Strelnikov403 .........until a torpedo breaches the engine room, then all hell breaks loose 😲
One of my grandfathers was aboard a destroyer that was torpedoed, and responsible for counting crewmen to lifeboats. His count substantially low, he went looking for them and found the engine room crew trapped in a flooding space behind a warped hatchway.
His farmboy strength let him free the trapped crewmen, and their appeal that he be awarded the Navy Cross brought his background undesirable attention, as he had enlisted at the age of fourteen. Fleet Admiral Nimitz took him under his wing, making him his yeoman, and he witnessed the signing of the Japanese surrender. He was one of the U.S. Navy crewmen allowed to view the signing, because he had grown to six foot eight during the war from his five foot eleven at enlistment!
My Grandpa was in a sub chaser in WWII. They got caught in a typhoon and he said they were lashed to their engine room stations eating nothing but crackers for days and having to monitor the throttle so the engines didnt over-rev when the screws came out of the water from the wave action.
I served on a DD, THE USS L.F.MASON DD852, a gering class fram1 that was laid down in 1945, she was decommissioned in 1976, then sold to the Taiwanese Navy, turned into a reef in the late 1980's, she started life with 3 5" 38 mounts, later she was framed to two mounts,asroc, increased sonar radar and com gear, plus other goodies, a very fast ship.
Thank you for your service. My dad shipped aboard DD-857 _USS Bristol._ (see above reminiscence)
I'VE GOT ROBERT SUMALL ALLEN M SUMNER AND HENRY C GEARINGS DD'S BOOK
My father served aboard the Sumner class USS Waldron DD-699 during the Vietnam war. I still have many photos of him aboard.
👋 mine, aboard DD-857 _,USS Bristol._ See above. ☺️🛥️⚓
I know that the path to the Fletcher was marked with a lot of trial and error to try and get the whole concept to work but I do love how the presentation here almost implies the US navy just banged out two or three sets of perfection and just cruised through to the end of the war. Great video Drach, thank you!
Awesome gift to wake up to on Christmas morning! Thank you so much Drach!
My seamanship instructor at school, (RMNS, later Bearwood College) was a certain Commander West (RN rtd) a small but ferocious gentleman who had served in destroyers during WWII. He taught us many things, including sailmaking, ropework, how to launch, row and recover a whaler (we had our own 50acre lake) and sailing. He described his role onboard as “mostly damage control and firefighting”.
Thanks for this long awaited sequel drach! Merry christmas!
Drach finally finished the destroyer series? It's a Christmas miracle!
Merry Christmas, Drach! I wish to you and all the family a Happy New Year and may you have everything you wish for. As an answer to your question, I would surely appreciate a video examining those destroyers you mentioned, it will be equally as interesting as this one, concluding a wonderful series of development. Have a nice time.
Gearings and Sumners looked like mini BB's. Seen many of them in my time in Tonkin Gulf in 1972. Beautiful ships.
The only Sumner class ship still afloat, is USS Laffey herself. You can visit her at Patriot Point in Charleston harbor South Carolina. The Essex class USS Yorktown is also there.
Back when I was about 10 years old (late 60s) I was given a book "A Boy's Treasury of Sea Stories". Of the many short stories and articles in there my most read was the story of USS Laffey's fight against the kamikazes. Re-reading it a few months ago reminded me that Cdr Beckton must have been an inspirational officer for his crew to keep fighting against such odds. Well done to the USN from an ex-RN officer.
I remember Laffy when she was still an active fleet destroyer in the 1970’s.
My Dad was a fire control officer aboard the USS Lowery (DD-770) on picket duty off of Okinawa in spring ‘45.
Merry Christmas, Drach and family!
Thanks!
Aaron ward was a smith class(sumner class with mines)that was hit just as hard as laffey and actually sailed home under her own power.
Wow! What a great Christmas present. Thanks, Drach!
Very good follow-up to first two of the destroyers series. A future video of post war destroyer development, including the Darings and American counterparts would be very much anticipated and appreciated.
Finally! Been looking forward to this one for a long time. Thanks bunches and merry christmas, Drach! Hope you and your family enjoy the holidays!
Your idea of a follow on video is a great idea! Could you also please perhaps add a section in regards to the " cheap and cheerful " escorts such as the Italian Specias, the British Hunts, and the Australian Bathurst classes, along with any other types that fit the " cheap and cheerful " categories. Thank you very much.
Merry Christmas Drach.🎄🎁🌠
A video covering the end of the gun armed destroyer would be a fitting conclusion to the series.
Yep. We 100% need a video on the 'last of the gun fighters'. Plus while time wise it's mostly out of the channels scope there is a pretty interesting batch of gun armed JMSDF Destroyers dating from the 1950s to the mid 1960s that I think would be intesting to discuss as the absolute last of the gun boats...
Mom, look Santa is real!
Had a great day at work, got a ton done, boss took me out for lunch, deposited my paycheck, got two turkeys in a brine to bbq for tomorrow.... and this video to watch this evening. What a perfect day!
Happy Christmas Drach!!!
Part three for aircraft carriers soon?
There is still hope at the horizon i think
Cruisers too
"Bipedal attack dogs that were British destroyer captains"
This is why I show up every week 😁
Sort of like the attitude of USN sub commanders : "I want the deck gun forward, we ain't runnin' from anything."
Anything except Mark 14 torpedos, which are _not_ welcome back aboard after being launched.
Good summary.
They were said to be the elite of the RN, and I can see that.
A charging destroyer , with all those torpedoes , could likely sink any warship
with a lucky hit. All glory goes to the main units , but the sea dogs know who's the deadliest.
This is the video I’ve been waiting for!!!!
The US 5"/38 guns on the Fletchers were enclosed, but not really protected. Was good to add some material to the gun house for twins on the later ships.
When i saw the crew protection on the Fletcher class USS THE SULLIVANS it seemed like tin for a shed vs the armor on the twins on USS NEW JERSEY. You can walk through mount 55 on her.
Finally!!!! Honestly, sometimes I wasn't sure if this video would ever get made.
Merry Christmas Drach!
Thanks for all the education, evidence, pictures and just general entertainment!🍻
Awesome video, as always! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. In 1967 & 1968 I was privileged to serve aboard a Gearing Class destroyer, thus fulfilling a life-long ambition.
Love this video and series. Yes please finish the last gun based destroyers up in a final video. Thanks for all your work.
That broke up Christmas day up nicely, thank you and a very Merry Christmas to you and your family 👪
Please continue these videos for the classes that were not included. Thank you.
Excellent video, thank you! It's a big challenge to summarize development of so many classes and keep track of the differences and changes. A similar summary of capital ships would be much easier to follow but that's because there were so many more ships actually built in this smaller, less resource-hungry type. The technical features of destroyers are, however, equally sophisticated and make an interesting story. This video is a fine contribution to our understanding of the wartime effort of the various navies.
Yes, I'd like to see another video on the last of the all-gun destroyers even though they were postwar.
Merry Christmas to you, Mrs Drach and Mini-Drach.
Speaking of Destroyers... have you ever considered a video regarding the USN 4 stack destroyers that were converted to fast transports? Likely a few interesting missions/actions.
an excellent Xmas present. Thanks drach
At last...it cometh. Hallelujah. Thanks Drach and Merry Christmas to you and Mrs Drach.
I still remember Drach's description of destroyer captains "aggressive and who would usually be sectioned under the mental heath act in peace time"
Royal navy: X enemy stands for everything we dont stand for. Also, they told me you guys look like dorks.
Destroyer captain and crew: they look like dorks! Launch torpedoes!
RN: But you're still docked.
Do it anyway, fix bayonets!
Fix bayonets?
Crew precedes to produce a dozen meter long bayonet from a tardis cupboard and fixes it to the bow the goes flank speed straight from It's moring, screaming incoherently with an impressive amount and variety of insults thrown in.
Happy turkey day, everyone.
Bayonet attached to torpedo?
World of Warships, where ships that were never built find a new lease of life.
And plenty that were never so much as drawn in their alleged timeframe. Most of which these days don't even bother making up a design date and just slap 1944 on what seem to be Washington Treaty alt histories.
Im surprised they haven't added in flying aircraft carriers yet 😂
I got pretty far in the US Destroyer class but finally gave up after facing pay to win destroyers and submarines ruining the game.
@@ColoradoStreaming i miss the first two years after open beta testing ended 😢
@@ColoradoStreaming You could try the console version, no subs, carriers only spot on the minimap, and their aircraft have limited fuel.
Merry Christmas and enjoy Boxing Day. Thank you for this holiday gift of destroyer class review. I'm always struck by how brilliant the Fletcher class was simply because stability was left for upgrades.
Anchors away.
I salute your service! The DD development history has been enthralling. Best 5 years ever
While the post-war DDs are outside of this channel's timeframe, could we say they are the fruit of the ships from this period? If so, a brief overview of these ships would complete the story. So, yes. I would like to see more on these ships. Perhaps a Friday video?
wow, that's amazing, a long waited follow up video
I was a tin can sailor, and as such, thank you for this video!
Same here.
Merry Christmas Drach. Just wanted to say thanks for the work you have done in crafting a remarkable legacy of history you have crafted. I have been watching you since the robo-voice, and you have continued to impress and improve!
Your work both inspired and encouraged me through the process of getting into and completing my MA in History for which I am grateful!
Merry Christmas to you and your growing family. I hope you have a great new year 2025. Thank you for all your hard work over the years. I still haven't caught up and seen all your video's. It is nice to see and well deserved to find you guesting on other podcasts and video's and being recognized as an authority in your field.
Thank you for this very kind Christmas present
I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS VIDEO FOR YEARSSSSSSS
I thought you'd forgotten lol. I should have had better faith.
Yeees, been waiting for this for a while. Thanks Drach and merry christmas!
Your mentioning the Destroyer-Minlayer variant of the US Sumner class destroyers made me think of a specific one.
USS Aaron Ward (DM-34) which goat hammered when she was on Radar Picket Duty.... (The before and after pictures are shocking!)
May I suggest:
A Rum Ration (or Dry Dock section) covering the US Radar Pickets (and their battles)?
Covering the night attack on the USS Aaron Ward and the other ships in her Task Group?
All (saw service) versions of ships called USS Aaron Ward?
THE ONLY THING THAT KEPT THE AARON WARD'S HULL WHICH FROM SPLITTING IN HALF WAS THOSE MINE-RAILS KEPT THE HULL OF DM-34 FROM COMING-APART AT THE SEAMS BY THOSE JAPANESE KAMIKAZE-NUT-JOBS I THINK THAT THEIR MENTAL STABILITY IN THEIR SKULLS MIGHT MAKE TH EM BOARD CERTIFIED
Hi Drachinfel - I loved this episode. Will go back to see the previous episodes, I am particularly interested in the V and W class ships, including having read a great book on the Scrap Iron flotilla. And yes, please do an episode on the post war destroyers, including the Daring class. I live less than 1 km from a modified Daring Class ship - the Vampire, here in Sydney. As I understand it, it was the RAN's last pure gunboat. Cheers from the antipodes.
Yes, a video on the gun class destroyers is a must. Also, another great video. Thanks.
Yes, please do one more on the post-war gun destroyers Drach. They're fascinating because, with modifications, they straddle the change from missiles to guns, while still being firmly rooted in late WWII concepts.
I would absolutely love to see a video on the last of the gun-based destroyer.
Thank you I have been looking forward to this series continuing
"..The Gearing production was cut short by the end of the war...at ONLY 98 ships."
LOL. Gotta love the scale of the Arsenal of Democracy....
Yea, we went a little nuts on building ships/tanks/other vehicles/aircraft. . .
Merry Christmas Drach. Thank you, it's the perfect gift!
Thanks Drach, nice that you put one out today, the day I think of as the annual celebration of extreme boredom - and yay! I've got something to watch.
Bravo! Well done, Drach! Thank you, and Happy Christmas!
A fine christmas present, thank you and happy christmas to you and Mrs Drachinifel!
Merry Christmas Drach. Yes to more destroyer videos
I was so waiting for this )) Thank you for the nice Christmas present ))
Drach, definitely please do a short video covering the last of the gun destroyer classes.
Merry Christmas and thank you for this wonderful present Drach!🎄🎅🏻
Seeing the comments I see I’m not alone in thinking a new Drach video at Christmas is a lovely gift, particularly one on such an interesting topic
Drach, Thanks for the video and Merry Christmas you and yours.
Great video Drach - and yes please to a wrap up of the 1945-1950 classes as you mentioned.
Destroyer Development Part 3?! That's a darn good Christmas gift, thank you Drach!!!
I would be interested in a short video covering the last gun destroyers.
MERRY CHRISTMAS DRACH! THANKS FOR THE CONCLUSION TO THE TRILOGY
Thanks Drac! Merry Christmas everyone! 🥂🎄🥳
A zumwalt episode on April first would be fun.
Destroyers are my favorite class of warship. Thank you for this.
Excellent video Drach - and more on destroyers would be great!
Merry Christmas to you and yours - from Canada!
Thanks Drac! This is a great Christmas present!
The German "torpedo boat" designation is almost certainly a treaty thing. They were not allowed a navy. A ship that you can claim isn't a ship is useful. Like modern Japanese "helicopter" carriers that work just fine with f-35s.
Thanks for the Christmas gift, Drach, I've been waiting for it for years 👍😅😅🎄
I'm here for the belief that it's not fake news .
So glad to see this video finally release.
Drachinifel I love you. This is the best Christmas present ever.