The Russian cruise Aurora according to report No. 10295 dated 4 January 1939 of the American Military Attaché at Riga, Latvia

Original postcard Chocolate Estrella

In his report dated Riga, Latvia 4 January 1939 No. 10295 dealing with the Soviet Baltic Fleet in the Training Season 1938 used the American Military Attaché major G.B. Guenther a so-called reliable source. Between April-May served the old cruiser Avrora already for years as a stationary training vessel. She was now repainted and seen in the harbor of Leningrad and at her usual anchorage at Kronstadt.(1)

Note

1. Part of Pallada-class protected cruisers preceded by Svetlana succeeded by Varvag, ordered in June 1896, laid down by Admiralty Shipyard, St. Petersburg, Russia on 23 May 1897, launched on 11 May 1900, commissioned on 16 July 1903, decommissioned on 17 November 1948 and museum ship since 1956.

Source

National Archive. Record Group 165: Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs Series: Security Classified Correspondence and Reports. File Unit. Russia: Navy - MID 2503-16 THRU 2503-265. Roll 1443.

French light ship BF 6 (ex-Dyck 1946-1978) Sandiettié 1978-

Dunkirk, France 27 July 2026

Building by Forges et Chantiers started in 1946, commissioned in 1949 as BF 6 Dyck and since 1978 Sandiettié until June 1989. Owner since 1997 city Dunkirk, monument since 17 March 1997, arrived at Dunkirk on 3 June 1998, restored and since 2007 as museum ship open for public. 

French sailing ship (ex-Grossherzogin Elisabeth 1901-1946) Duchesse Anne 1946-

Dunkirk, France 27 July 2026

Launched by Johann C. Tecklenborg, Bremerhaven, Germany as tarining ship for the Deutscher Schulschiff-Verein, Bremerhaven on 7 March 1901, handed over to France as war reparation on 15 August 1946, renamed Duchesse Anne and served as cadet training ship for the French navy, purchased by city Dunkirk in 1981 and since 1988 lying before the Harbor Museum, Dunkirk. 

French tug Entreprenant 1965-

Dunkirk, France 27 July 2026

France -flagged, IMO 6519338 and call sign TO2058. Built by Ateliers&Chantiers Ziegler Frères, Dunkirk, France with yard number 152 in 1965 for Abeilles International, nowadys museum ship. 

Portuguese caravel Vera Cruz sailing replica built in 2000

Vlissingen, Netherlands 4 June 2026

Portugal-flagged, homeport Lisbon, Portugal, MMSI 263804290 and call sign CRAH7. Operated by Aporvela. Dimensions 23.82 (hull)-26.00 x 6.65 x 3.30 x 27.69 (height)metres and sail area of 235 square metres. Built by shipyard of Vila do Conde, Portugal in 2000 representing a caravel from the 15th-16th Century. 

Dutch cog Kamper Kogge replica built between 1994-1998

Vlissingen, Netherlands 4 June 2026

Reconstruction based on a wreck of a cog from 1336 discovered in the Flevepolder, Netherlands off Nijkerk. Building time 4 years by shipyard Kee Sars in contrary to the building time in the Middle Ages which was just 4 months. Weight 45 ton, dimensions 21,6 (prow) x 7,56 x 3,4 x 1,9 metres, displacement including ballast 70 ton and deadweight 60 ton. Sail area 144 square metres. Crew nowadays 12 men. 

Model German steam whale catcher Rau IX 1939

Maritime Museum Hamburg, Germany, 2023.

Built by Deschimag, Werk Seebeck, Wesermünde to be added to the fleet of the whale factory Walter Rau. Due to the outbreak of the Second World War was the season 1939-1940 cancelled and the fleet transferred to the navy. Rau IX became a submarine chaser and so-called Vorpostenboot. After the war used for sweeping mines and in 1948 handed over to Norway and became a whale catcher. Later under the flag of Iceland renamed Hvalur V and under the flag of the Far Oer Heykur Wale. In 1969 returned to Bremerhaven, Germany and became a museumship. 

Russian research vessel (ex-Mars 1939-1945, Empire Forth 1945-1946, Equator 1946-?, Admiral Makarov ?-1949) RV Vityaz 1949-

©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

Built by Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau AG, Bremen, Germany with yard number 614 in 1939. During the Second World War used by the Kriegsmarine in 1940 and as military hospital ship between 1942-1945, seized at Copenhagen, Denmark by England in 1945, allocated to the Soviet Union in 1946, converted into a research vessel between 1948-1949, retired in 1979 and since 1982 museum ship. 

Soviet Union transferring destroyers and submarines to Comminist China according to the Australia Station Intelligence Summary dated 1 August 1955

Gnevny-class destroyers©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

Anshan as museumship. Chinese Naval Museum Qingdao, 2019

An item reported the possible transfer of warships by the Soviet Union to Communist China. It included two Gordy-class destroyers, two S-class submarines and two M-class submarines. The ships were seen on 26 June in the Tsushima Strait going to the south and at Tsingtao. There was a possible that the ships were at Tsingtao to participate in Chinese naval exercises although it was more likely to be handed over to the Chinese navy. If so the Chinese navy would then possess 4 Gordy-class destroyers, six M-class and six-S-class submarines.

Note

1. Jane’s Fighting Ships 1956-1957 mentioned indeed 4 Gordy-class destroyers, 4 S-class, 4 Shsuka-class, M-V-class and 1 M-II-class submarines. In fact the Gnevny-class destroyers preceded by planned Gogland-class and realized Fidonisy-class succeeded by Storozhevoy-class. Sold to Communist China were the Reshitelny (Changchun, museum ship at Rushan), Retivy (Chin Lin, later Taiyuan), Rekordny (Anshan) and Rezky (Fushun).

Source

Website Royal Australian Navy, Sea Power Centre.

American tank landing ship USS LST 325 1942-1964, Greek RHS Syros L-144 1961-2000, American M/V LST-325 2000-2004, USS LST-325 2004-

Facebookpage Museumships

USS LST 325 Ship Memoriaal, Evansville, USA 26 May 2026

Photos made by Jim Dobbins

Laid down by Philadelphia Navy Yard on 10 August 1942, launched on 27 October 1942, commissioned on 1 February 1942, decommissioned on 2 July 1946, reclassified as T-LST in 1951, stricken on 1 September 1961, transferred to Greece, acquired by USS LST Memorial Inc. on 1 September 1964, renamed RHS Syros (L-144), de commissioned in 1999, sold 2000, acquired as m/v LST-325, renamed USS LST-325 in 2004 and nowadays museum ship

Dutch floating replica of the Ark van Noach or the Ark van Johan 2012-

Krimpen aan den IJssel, Netherlands 24 May 2026

Built as a museum ship in 2012. 

Russian nuclear ballistic missile submarine TK-208 Dmitry Donskoy 1976-

Project 667BDRM Delfin/ NATO Delta IV-class. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

Project 941 Akula-class/NATO Typhoon. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

Near Kiel, Germany 1 August 2017

Part of 941 Akula-class/NATO Typhoon preceded by Projects 667b Murena, 667B Murena-M, 667BDR Klamar and 667BDRM Delfin NATO named Delta I-V class succeeded by Projects 955 andd 955A respectively Borei-class and Borei-A class. Designed by Rubin, laid down by Sevmash on 30 June 1976, launched on 27 September 1979, commissioned on 23 December 1981, in service in February 1982, decommissioned on 6 February 2023 and planned to be preserved as part of the Central Naval Museum in 2025.

Sources

Breyer, S. and N. Polmar. Guide to the Soviet Navy, 2nd edition.

Jordan, J. Soviet submarines 1945 to the present.

Kouznetsov, N. La Marine sovietique en guerre 1941-1945.

Pavlov, A.S. Warships of the USSR and Russia 1945-1995.

Polmar N. and J. Noot. Submarines of the Russian and Soviet Navies 1718-1990.

Schulz-Troge, U. Die sowjetische Kriegsmarine.

Jane’s Fighting Ships several editions.

Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

Russian ships info dated 12 April 2026 19:46 o’clock.

Typhoon-class dated 5 May 2026 15:20 o’clock

German submarine (ex-U2540 1944-1960) Wilhelm Bauer 1960-

Bremerhaven, Germany 7 May 2026

Type XXI. Laid down by Blohm&Voss, Hamburg, Germany on 29 October 1944, launched on 13 January 1945, commissioned on 24 February 1945, scuttled near the light ship off Flensburg on 4 May 1945, salvaged in June 1957, repaired by Howaldtswerke, Kiel, Germany, as Wilhelm Bauer resreach vessel between 1 September 1960-28 August 1968, test vessel voor technical developing of the new Type 206 submarines, involved in a collision on 6 May 1970, laid up and decommissioned on 15 March 1982, sold and since 27 April 1984 museum ship. 

German ocean going tug Seefalke 1924-

Bremerhaven, Germany 7 May 2026

Built by Tecklenborg, Geestemünde, Germany for account of W. Schuchmann, later Bugsier Reederei und Bergungs A.G., Bremerhaven. Became a musuem ship. 

German light ship Elbe 3 1908-

Bremerhaven, Germany 7 May 2026

Built by Eiderwerft AG, Tönning, Germany for account of the Königliche Wasserbau-Inspektion as Eider for the Eider estuary between 1908-1909, light in the North Sea during the First World War, as the Bürgermeister Anbendroth owned by the Cuxhaven Water and Shipping Authority stationed during the Second World War in the Baltic Sea, as beacon and Pilot station Elbe 3 positioned in the German Bight until 1966, finally decommissioned and became a museum ship. 

German sail training schip Deutschland 1927-

Bremerhaven, Germany 26 April 2026

Launched by Joh. C. Tecklenborg, Geestemünde, Germany on 14 June 1927, delivered late 1927, at the end of the Second World War used as hospital ship, nowadays museum ship. 

German whale catcher RAU IX 1939-

Bremerhafen, Germany 19 April 2026

Built by Deschimag, Werk Seebeck, Wesermünde [Bremerhaven], Germany in 1939 for Walter Rau Lebensmittelwerke GmbH, taken over by the navy and became a submarine chaser , after1945 used as minehunter, handed over as reparation to Norway in 1948, renamed as whale catcher Krutt, laid up late 1960s and became a museumship at Bremerhaven.

German sail training schip Deutschland 1927-

Bremerhaven, Germany 19 April 2026

Launched by Joh. C. Tecklenborg, Geestemünde, Germany on 14 June 1927, delivered late 1927, at the end of the Second World War used as hospital ship, nowadays museum ship. 

Australian whale chaser (ex-Wilfred Fearnhead 1948-1970/1971) Cheynes IV 1970/1971-

Albany Whaling Station, Western Australia. Photos by Bill Donaldson 22-3-2026

IMO 5389566. Registered Fremantle. Built by A/S Framnaes Mekaniske Verksted, Sandefjord Norway in 1948. Sold by the Union Whaling Co., Durban, South Africa to the Chenynes Beach Whaling Company in 1970, beached in Frenchman Bay Albany 1981, museum ship. The company ended her activitities in Australia in 1978, the museum was opened in 1980 under the name Whale World. Steam propulsion.  Gross tonnage 530 tons and as dimensions 45.45 (over all) x 9.0 (moulded) x 5.182 *maximum) metres or 1491. x 29.53 x 17.0 feet. 

British and French passengers ships Queen Mary and Normandie laid up at New York, USA according to a report of the American Naval Attaché at Berlin, Germany Nr. R562 dated 15 September 1939

Diary note dated Sunday 10 September 1939. An item reported that the French passenger ship Normandie (1) and the British passenger ship Queen Mary (2) were laid up at New York, USA with skelton crews. The main part of their crews returned home with other ships. The German press reported fighting between the French and British sailors, the first accusing the latter of dragging them into the war.

Notes

1. Laid down by Chantiers de Penhoet, Saint-Nazaire, France on 26 January 1931, launched on 29 October 1932, completed in 1933, maiden voyage started on 29 May 1935, taken over by the USA on 20 December 1941, was to become a troop transport (earlier proposed conversion into an aircraft carrier) and renamed USS Lafayette, caught fire on 9 February and capsized on 10 February 1942 and broken up between October 1946-31 December 1948.

2. Ordred on 3 April 1929, laid down by John Brow&Company, Clydebank, Scotland with yard number 534 on 1 December 1930, launched on 26 September 1934, maiden voyage started on 27 May 1936, converted at Sydeny, Australia into a trop transport in 1940, out of service on 9 December 1967 and became floating hotel/museum ship.

Source

National Archives. FDR Presidential Library&Museum Roosevelt PSFC000175. War diary Naval Attaché Berlin, volume 1 (1 September 1939-26 May 1940)