49 Naval Forces Trivia Quizzes (2024)

1. This class of boats were the last and largest diesel-electric attack submarines built by the Soviet Navy before the collapse of the Soviet Union.

From Quiz Submarines of the Soviet Navy

Answer: Kilo class

The "Kilo" class began entering service with the Soviet navy in 1980. The largest diesel-electric submarines built by the Soviets, the "Kilos" were designed for anti-shipping and anti-submarine operations, mostly in coastal waters. The "Kilo" class was built in three batches, with units of the third variant, Project 636.3, still being built as of 2023. "Kilos" were also in service with eight other countries as of 2023.

2. This French light cruiser, the name ship of a projected class of six ships, was the first anti-aircraft cruiser built by the French Navy. Delayed by World War II, the ship was commissioned in 1956. What was her name?

From Quiz Light Cruisers of the World Part 5

Answer: De Grasse

Laid down in 1939, "De Grasse" was captured incomplete by the Germans in 1940. The Germans had planned to complete her as an aircraft carrier, but very little was done and work stopped in 1943. "De Grasse" weighed 12,350 tons and carried sixteen 5-inch guns. The ship was scrapped in 1975.

3. This single ship, built in England, was the only light cruiser designed and built for a South American navy. For which country was this ship built?

From Quiz Light Cruisers of the World Part 4

Answer: Argentina

The "La Argentina", built in Great Britain between 1937-1939, was designed as a training ship for naval cadets. The ship was very similar to the British "Arethusa" class. Armament was nine 6-inch and four 4-inch guns on a displacement of 7500 tons. "La Argentina" was decommissioned in 1972 and broken up in 1974.

4. This French light cruiser was designed as a training ship but served in combat throughout World War II. What was her name?

From Quiz Light Cruisers of the World Part 3

Answer: Jeanne d'Arc

"Jeanne d'Arc" was built between 1928-1930 and carried eight 6.1-inch guns on a displacement of 6500 tons. Designed as a dedicated training ship, she had accommodations for over 150 trainees. The ship took French gold reserves to Canada in 1940, then served with the Allies in the Mediterranean. She resumed training duties after the war and was scrapped in 1964.

5. The "E" class of British ships was designed in 1918 to counter a rumored class of very fast German cruisers, but they were not completed until 1926. How many of them were built?

From Quiz Light Cruisers of the World Part 2

Answer: Two

Completed in 1926, the "E" class ships "Emerald" and "Enterprise", while based on the preceding "C" and "D" classes, were much larger and faster, mounting seven 6-inch and three 4-inch guns on a 9400 ton displacement. They were the fastest ships in the British fleet on the outbreak of World War II and saw action in every theater. A third ship, "Euphrates", was cancelled. Both ships were scrapped in 1948.

6. Designated as scout cruisers when completed, this class of three ships were the first to be called light cruisers by the U.S. Navy and numbered under the new system, "CL" for a light cruiser and "CA" for a heavy unit. Can you name the class?

From Quiz Light Cruisers of the World Part 1

Answer: Chester class

The "Chester" class ships, weighing 4700 tons and armed with two 5-inch and six 3-inch guns, were completed in 1908 and all three served in World War I. Small and under-armed, they were discarded soon after the Washington Treaty came into effect, all three units being scrapped by 1923.

7. The third and last armored cruiser built for the Austro-Hungarian Navy was the "Sankt Georg" of 1901. What was her fate?

From Quiz Armored Cruisers Part IV

Answer: Surrendered to Britain after World War I

The "Sankt Georg" carried two 9.4-inch, five 7.5-inch, and four 5.9-inch guns on a displacement of 8,200 tons. She spent most of World War I in port, blockaded by the Italian and French fleets. The ship was surrendered to Britain after the war and scrapped in 1920.

8. The Russian armored cruiser "Gromiboi", laid down in 1897, was one of the larger units of her type, with a heavy armament. How many guns were carried in the secondary battery?

From Quiz Armored Cruisers Part III

Answer: Sixteen 6-inch guns

The "Gromiboi" carried four 8-inch and sixteen 6-inch guns on a displacement of 12,450 tons. She was damaged in the war with Japan but survived. "Gromiboi" served as a harbor guardship in World War I and was scrapped in 1922.

9. The first ship in the world to carry the designation of an armored cruiser was the "General Admiral" of 1873. She was the lead ship of a class of two vessels. What country built her?

From Quiz Armored Cruisers 1870-1910

Answer: Russia

The "General Admiral" and her sister ship, "Gerzog Edinburgski", were the first cruisers built with an armored belt, instead of only deck armor. The ships displaced 5,100 tons and carried four 8-inch and two 6-inch guns. Like other cruisers of the period, both ships had full sailing rigs in addition to their engines. Both ships were later converted to minelayers and served into the 1950s.

10. Many of the last pre-dreadnoughts built were top-heavy, resulting in poor handling and seakeeping qualities. What was the main reason for this design flaw?

From Quiz Pre-Dreadnoughts Part IV

Answer: Larger caliber secondary gun batteries

Many of the last pre-dreadnoughts built in Britain, the USA, and France carried much heavier secondary batteries than earlier designs. These guns were often 7-inch, 8-inch, and 9-inch weapons. These were "quick-firing" guns designed to fight off ever larger cruisers and destroyers that posed the threat of torpedo attack.

11. Great Britain built the most numerous class of pre-dreadnoughts, which was also regarded in some naval circles as the standard for the type. What was the name of the ship class?

From Quiz Pre-Dreadnoughts Part III

Answer: Majestic class

The "Majestic" class of 1894 consisted of nine ships, the "Majestic", "Caesar","Hannibal", "Illustrious", "Jupiter", "Magnificent", "Mars", "Prince George", and "Victorious". They carried four 12-inch and twelve 6-inch guns on a displacement of 16,320 tons. "Majestic" was sunk by torpedos in 1915; all other ships were scrapped in 1922.

12. The second class of pre-dreadnoughts built by the British Empire were smaller and more lightly armed than the "Royal Sovereign" class of 1889. What was the purpose of this change?

From Quiz Pre-Dreadnought Battleships Part II

Answer: They were designed for service abroad.

The "Centurion" class of 1890 mounted four 10-inch guns and ten 4.7-inch guns on a displacement of 10,800 tons. These ships were designed to serve on foreign stations, and not to be part of the main battle line. "Centurion" and "Barfleur" were both scrapped in 1910.

13. The first example of what would become known as a "Pre-Dreadnought" battleship was built by the British in 1889. Can you name the lead ship of the class?

From Quiz Pre-Dreadnought Battleships

Answer: Royal Sovereign

The "Royal Sovereign" class, began in 1889, set the standard layout for the pre-dreadnought battleship, with four main guns in two twin turrets fore and aft. Secondary armament was carried along the sides. The class consisted of "Royal Sovereign", "Empress of India", "Repulse", "Hood", "Ramillies", "Resolution", "Revenge", and "Royal Oak".

14. The Ottoman Empire lacked the shipyards to build large vessels such as battleships, and ordered them from foreign yards. The three ship "Resadiye" class was ordered from Britain in 1911. How many were completed?

From Quiz Cancelled Battleship Units 1915-1945

Answer: One

The Ottomans contracted with Britain to build their first dreadnought battleship class. The "Resadiye" was completed in 1914, but, with World War I looming, she was seized and served with the Royal Navy as HMS "Erin". Her planned sister ships "Reshad I Hamiss" and "Fatih Sultan Mehmed" were never built.

15. This class of British battlecruisers were some of the largest ships ever built for the Royal Navy. Only one of the four ships planned was completed, just after the end of WW1, and she served into the Second World War. Can you name her?

From Quiz Battlecruisers 1915-1945

Answer: HMS Hood

The "Admiral" class of four ships were laid down in 1916. Due to the need to build smaller convoy escorts, work on "Anson", "Howe", and "Rodney" was suspended in 1919, and they were cancelled. "Hood" was completed in 1920. Weighing 45,000 tons and armed with eight 15 inch guns, she was the pride of the Royal Navy until sunk in May, 1941 by the German "Bismarck".

16. The first American dreadnoughts were designed before the British ship, but they took much longer to construct. What was the name of the first American dreadnought class?

From Quiz Dreadnoughts Part 2: Other Navies

Answer: South Carolina class

While designed before HMS Dreadnought, the South Carolina and Michigan were not completed until 1910. These ships introduced the superfiring turret, with a turret located above and behind another. The design eventually became standard for all battleships. South Carolina and Michigan were both scrapped in 1924.

17. What country built the original dreadnought battleship, and in what year was she commissioned?

From Quiz Dreadnought Battleships Part 1:Europe

Answer: Great Britain 1906

HMS Dreadnought was built very quickly and was commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1906. At once, all of the other battleships in the world were rendered obsolete, as Dreadnought was faster and better armed than anything else afloat. This began an arms race among all the major naval powers of the world. She served throughout World War I and was scrapped in 1921.

18. The first Soviet ekranoplan was known by its Soviet designation 'KM'. How do these initials translate into the English language?

From Quiz Is it a Ship? Is it a Plane? It's an Ekranoplan!

Answer: Prototype Ship

The designation 'KM' stands for 'Korabl Maket' which means Prototype or Experimental Ship when translated literally from Russian. The impressively sized KM was built and tested during the mid 1960s and its existence was revealed by CIA intelligence officers in 1966 after the examination of a series of satellite images. Weighing in at an estimated six hundred tons, the KM was two hundred and ninety-five feet in length, had a wingspan of just over one hundred and twenty-three feet, flew at an altitude of between thirteen and forty six feet and travelled at a cruising speed of over three hundred miles per hour; it was, in its day, the largest vehicle to take to the air on earth. The KM was operated by the Soviet Navy until 1980 when it was involved in an accident in which it crashed and sank.

19. Most occupations have their nicknames. What might a group of sailors be called?

From Quiz Down to the Sea in Ships

Answer: Tars

Sailors have been known as "tars" for centuries. This goes back to the fact that during the age of sailing ships, the wooden hulls were made watertight by caulking them with pitch or tar, and sailors would also use a small piece of tar to hold their hair, which was often worn in a pigtail, in place. Even today a sailor may be called a tar, or a Jack Tar.

20. What was the name of the world's first nuclear powered submarine?

From Quiz Modern Submarines

Answer: USS Nautilus

The USS Nautilus (SSN 571) was the world's first operational nuclear powered submarine. She was launched in January 1954 and accepted into the US Navy in January 1955.

21. The London Naval Conference that produced the 1930 Treaty was preceded by an arms limitation conference that failed to reach agreement. What was that prior unsuccessful conference?

From Quiz Between the Wars: The London Treaty of 1930

Answer: The Geneva Conference (1927)

The Washington Treaty of 1922 contemplated a further conference as the tenth anniversary of that Treaty approached. In 1927, U.S. President Calvin Collidge duly issued invitations to the four other signatory powers - Britain, Japan, France and Italy - to meet in Geneva. Britain and Japan accepted, but both France and Italy declined to attend. The U.S. had two basic aims in Geneva: (1) limit the total tonnage of cruisers and smaller craft to 300,000 tons each for the U.S. and Britain and 180,000 tons for Japan and (2) avoid more severe restrictions on the size of individual warships. The British delegation sought over 500,000 tons of cruisers and smaller ships, and a reduction in the maximum size of individual cruisers. Japan was also unwilling to limit its cruiser tonnage to only 60% of the total allowed to the U.S. and Britain. The absence of France and Italy made little difference. The three largest naval powers could not even agree among themselves, and the Geneva Conference collapsed. In 1930 - during the Depression - the same issues arose at the London Conference, but agreement was achieved.

22. Christopher Columbus set sail for the New World with three ships. Which one did he command?

From Quiz Ships and Sailors

Answer: Santa Maria

Probably everyone knows how, in 1492, 'Columbus sailed the ocean blue'. He commanded the Santa Maria, which was a nao - what we might call a carrack. No-one really knows what she looked like but she was probably around 18m long by 12m wide, with a crew of 52. She was a slow cargo-type vessel which ran aground off Hispaniola on Christmas Day 1492. They had to abandon her and Columbus had her disassembled; he used the timbers to build the first Spanish settlement, La Navidad, where he had to leave 39 men, with supplies, to await his return.The Nina and Pinta were caravels, commanded by brothers Vicente Anes Pinzon and Martin Alonzo Pinzon. They each carried 18 crew members.Amazing to think of such tiny ships undertaking this epic voyage into the unknown.

23. What was the lead ship for the most numerous class of American fleet carriers?

From Quiz Aircraft Carrier Trivia

Answer: USS Essex

USS Essex served until 1969, when she was decommissioned in Boston.

24. Which naval battle is considered to be the most decisive engagement between capital ships in the age of steam?

From Quiz Things Nautical and Naval # 4

Answer: The Battle of Tsushima.

The Russo-Japanese War began in 1904 and reached its' high water mark with the Battle of Tsushima, fought on May 27-28, 1905. The Russian fleet consisting of 11 battleships, 8 cruisers and 9 destroyers had steamed over 18,000 miles to attempt to relieve the Japanese siege of Port Arthur. The Russians met the Japanese fleet consisting of 4 battleships and 27 cruisers at the Tusushima strait between the southwestern tip of Honshu island and the Korean peninsula. The two day battle resulted in the loss of 21 Russian vessels and the capture of 6 more together with the loss of 4380 men killed with another 5917 captured. The Japanese lost 3 torpedo boats and 116 men. This decisive tactical victory for the Japanese was attributed to their superior training and discipline as well as the lack of training and the poor material condition of even the 4 modern Russian battleships, throughout the Russian fleet. The strategic Japanese victory was even more dramatic. After the battle, the Russian Czar Nickolas II quickly sued for peace and ceded significant territorial concessions to Japan. The Battle of Jutland was a clash of the Royal Navy's grand Fleet with 37 capital ships (battleships and battle cruisers) with The Imperial German High Seas fleet with 21 capital ships. The battle of 31 May-1 June 1916 resulted in a slight German tactical victory with the loss of 3 RN battle cruisers to the loss of 1 German battle cruiser. The outcome was hardly decisive in that the status quo in the North Sea between the two fleets was not changed. The German High Seas Fleet never again challenged the British Fleet.The Battle of Surigao Strait was a component battle of the larger Battle of Leyte Gulf. This last clash between opposing battleships in history, pitted 2 Japanese battleships and 1 heavy cruiser against 6 U.S. battleships on 25 October, 1944. One battleship was sunk by U.S. destroyer torpedo action early in the battle. By executing the classic "Crossing the T" maneuver the U.S. ships destroyed the IJN Yamashiro.The Battle of Savo Island was an action during the fight for Guadalcanal in October of 1942. The battle resulted in the loss of 3 U.S. Cruisers and 1 Australian cruiser against almost no damage to Japanese forces. While devastating to US Forces so early in the war the battle was hardly decisive.

25. What was the name of the Royal Navy's last battleship?

From Quiz Things Nautical and Naval #3

Answer: HMS Vanguard.

HMS Vanguard was the last and largest Battleship built for the Royal Navy. Laid down in 1941 and commissioned in 1946, she had a brief active duty career of less than 10 years during which she never fired a shot in anger. HMS Vanguard was scrapped in 1960 after being in reserve for 5 years.

26. Ships of the Royal Navy fly a distinctive naval ensign instead of the national flag. What other country also has a distinctive naval ensign?

From Quiz Things Nautical and Naval #1

Answer: Japan

The Japanese Naval Ensign is the "rising sun" flag, familiar from WW2. The national flag is a red sun on a white field.In researching this question I found that most national navy's fly flags different from the country's national flag. The U.S. has no distinctive naval ensign.

27. Battleship Mikasa was designed and constructed in 1898-1902 for the Imperial Japanese Navy by whom?

From Quiz Battleships: Past & Present #5; HIJMS Mikasa

Answer: Vickers in Great Britain

Following the Sino-Japanese Conflict of 1894-1895, Japan was woefully unprepared for modern naval war. Russia, who brokered the end of that conflict, had pressured Japan into territorial concessions that generated an animosity that would eventually boil over into an all out war between Russia and Japan. As a result, Japan ordered six battleships and six armored cruisers from shipyards all over the world, including the Mikasa from Vickers in Great Britain.

28. In May 2003, President Bush flew onto an aircraft carrier. Which one did he visit?

From Quiz All Hands Owner's and Operators Manual

Answer: USS Abraham Lincoln

He is the only sitting president to have ever "trapped" onto a carrier.

29. What class name was given to the first Crimean gunboats built by the Royal Navy in 1854?

From Quiz Gunboats

Answer: Gleaner

The Gleaner class were wooden vessels. The class weighed 216 tons and could make 8kts with its single screw 60hp reciprocating engine. Supply of these gunboats outstripped demand.

30. What does a boot pusher do?

From Quiz Navy Jargon

Answer: Trains new recruits.

These are senior enlisted personnel who returns to boot camp to instruct and train new recruits.

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