“There is a long tradition of naval design aesthetics in the history of maritime peoples. In addition to their main role in warfare, warships served as a political instrument for the effective projection of naval power, prestige and influence of the nation …"
- Consultant to the US Navy Engineering Center, Herbert A. Meier.
The design of a warship is a problem of the layout of various kinds of payloads. In the design process, “lines of force” are born that unite the visual composition of an object and project its power into the surrounding space. They are set by the lines of the frontal projection of superstructures and the side ledge, the size of the horizontal interval between the lines of decks and superstructures, the depth of the side, the longitudinal deflection of the hull.
Verticals help to make the subject static, while tilt lines from the visual center towards the bow and stern add dynamism to the silhouette. The external perception of a ship's appearance is determined by the degree of its superstructures moving forward and upward, which creates a general impression of impetuosity and readiness for action. The relatively large horizontal spacing between the lines of the decks and superstructures creates a sense of bulky stability, while the small ones emphasize the strength and dynamism of the ship. The power of the power lines further enhances the slope of the freeboard and stem of the ship.
Having identified the criteria for analysis and studied the external appearance of ships of different countries according to their method, the specialists of the US Navy Engineering Center unanimously recognized the best Soviet school of shipbuilding … Ships of the "red" have always been distinguished by their unique charisma and the most sinister silhouette.
“The warship is an instrument of politics, the main weapon of which is effective persuasion. Aesthetic perfection enhances the persuasiveness of the warship, enhancing the credibility of national politics. The appearance of Soviet warships was a deliberate attempt to ensure the maximum propaganda effect of the use of the fleet, thanks to the use of artistic design style”.
- G. Meyer, continued.
I bring to your attention a selection of the most beautiful surface warships, covering the time interval over the past 70 years. The power, beauty and pride of all the fleets of the world.
10th place - Teutonic knight
The armored fat men did not like to be shot in full face: their body deeply set in the water with huge clumsy boules became visible. Disgusting view! The Scharnhorst-class battlecruisers were the only battleships that retained their outward swiftness even slightly.
Long, relatively narrow, for its displacement hull, ending with a high "Atlantic" bow (just ending; the numbering of the frames for the Germans was carried out from the stern).
Glittering metal blisters of fire control systems. The sinister shape of the main caliber turrets, somewhat reminiscent of a fascist helmet in shape. And protruding, along most of the length of the hull, a strip of an armor belt. All this made the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau the most charismatic battleships, whose hull lines confirm the seriousness of their intentions.
9th place - "Misl Sponge" (missile catcher)
Hounds of the North Atlantic. A series of 50 missile frigates of the “Oliver H. Perry”, promising to become a reliable and cheap means of controlling sea communications around the world. Sharp, swift stem, entering the waves like a knife. Long solid superstructure. Two helicopter hangars and an elegant "one-armed bandit" in the bow of the hull (universal launcher Mk.13).
"Perry" resembles tea clippers of bygone eras. And his modern nickname is a reflection of the fact that all missile weapons have been dismantled. In its current form, the frigate is only suitable for chasing drug couriers' boats, because it cannot perform any more serious tasks. What will happen to him in the event of an enemy attack? Missile catcher.
However, that doesn't stop Perry from being a fantastically beautiful frigate.
8th place - Skinny American
Unlike battleships of the "armor and steam" era, the missile cruiser "Ticonderoga", on the contrary, should be photographed exclusively from the bow angles. In this case, the bulk of a modern ship will rise in front of us, in whose guise lies the entire power of the Pentagon's defense technologies.
The American is proud of her graceful bow with a 40-meter bulwark. But it is worth changing the angle - and before us appears a lanky barge, decorated with 83 antennas. The vulgar appearance of "Ticonderoga" is complemented by two huge "towers", on the walls of which are hung radar grilles.
7th place - Pyramid
The most modern warship, the stealthy missile and artillery destroyer Zamvolt. The floating pyramid, the height of a 16-storey building, ushered in a new era in the history of the fleet. An era of amazing layout and bold technical solutions.
Everything here is unusual - from the strange blockage of the sides to the inclined stem-breakwater, reminiscent in shape of the destroyers of the Russo-Japanese War. An extremely large, high-tech destroyer, whose appearance fully reflects the technical advantage and ambitions of the country in which this ship was built.
6th place - "Berkut"
A masterpiece of domestic shipbuilding. A mighty cruiser that surpassed any of her foreign peers for a whole decade (1970-80).
The large anti-submarine ship of project 1134B "Berkut-B" (also known by the name of the lead ship, "Nikolaev") impresses with the number of weapons and antenna posts installed on it. In a modest but surprisingly elegant hull with a displacement of 8 thousand tons, four anti-aircraft missile systems were able to accommodate, backed up by the power of anti-submarine weapons and auxiliary equipment.
According to analysts of the US Navy, the large anti-submarine ship (BOD) "Nikolaev" gave the impression of a "ready-to-fight fighter". The superstructures and the hull of the cruiser "demonstrated coordinated and targeted lines of force."
5th place - "Udaliy"
Swan song of the Soviet shipbuilding. Large anti-submarine ships of project 1155, which replaced the Berkuts, became a worthy continuation of the class of Soviet destroyers with hypertrophied anti-submarine weapons.
BOD pr. 1155 "Udaloy" deservedly fall into this list for the unbearably beautiful curves of the lines of their hull. The impression is enhanced by the traditional, for Soviet ships, layout with the placement of a large number of weapons on the upper deck.
4th place - "Orlan"
An atomic giant with a monumental appearance.
What was this ship built for? Even the creators of "Orlan" do not know the answer to this question. Crammed with missiles, he continues to plow the seas, bringing terror and awe to "likely opponents."
In the 250-meter body of the TARKR there is not a single free space where a missile, cannon or radar is not installed. However, due to its outstanding size, "Orlan", unlike "Berkuts", does not seem to be overloaded with weapons. On the contrary, a promising layout with the placement of weapons in the underdeck space, gives the cruiser a polite and noble look.
3rd place - "Nimitz"
100 thousand tons of diplomacy. A grandiose floating airfield with a side height of over 20 meters. All this is an ominous fusion of marine and aviation technology, stunning the observer with its size.
The largest warship in the history of mankind, the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, has surpassed all permissible limits in terms of size and cost. At the same time, his noble posture and splendor were so strong that they were able to sow panic in the media around the world.
2nd place - Her Majesty's Battle Dragon
The famous pirate and murderer Sir Francis Drake argued that the best emblem for a warship is an enemy corpse nailed to the stem. The bow of the new British destroyer is adorned with a red Welsh dragon. The symbol of the inviolability and safety of the protected object.
The excellent Daring broke all stereotypes about modern destroyers. The appearance determines its essence. Inside the towering pyramids, there is an unprecedented complex of airspace control equipment.
1st place. Remains free
Everyone who is passionate about the topic of the Navy has their own ideas about the beauty of warships. I invite all readers to express their opinion in the comments!
