List of ship classes of World War II
Class Type Country Launch Year Displacement ( tons )
Akagi Aircraft carrier Imperial Japanese Navy 1925 36,500
Argonaut Submarine United States Navy 1927 4,161
Ark Royal Aircraft carrier Royal Navy 1937 22,000
Aquila Aircraft carrier Regia Marina N/A 23,500
Dristigheten Seaplane carrier Swedish Navy 1927 3,445
Fieramosca Submarine Regia Marina 1931 1,556
Graf Zeppelin Aircraft carrier Kriegsmarine N/A 33,550
Hiryū Aircraft carrier Imperial Japanese Navy 1937 17,300
Hood Battlecruiser Royal Navy 1918 45,470
Kaga Aircraft carrier Imperial Japanese Navy 1921 38,200
Ranger Aircraft carrier United States Navy 1933 17,577
Wichita Heavy cruiser United States Navy 1935 10,589
Settembrini Submarine Regia Marina 1932 953
Shimakaze Destroyer Imperial Japanese Navy 1942 2,570
Sōryū Aircraft carrier Imperial Japanese Navy 1935 16,200
Surcouf Cruiser submarine French Navy 1929 3,250-4,304
Wasp Aircraft carrier United States Navy 1939 19,000
Single-ship `` classes ''
The List of ship classes of World War II is an alphabetical list of all ship classes that served in World War II. Only actual classes are included as opposed to unique ships (which are still included if they were the only one of a class to be built, for example, HMS Hood was the first of the four planned Admiral-class battlecruisers, but the other three were cancelled.) The list of ships of World War II contains major military vessels of the war, arranged alphabetically and by type. The list includes armed vessels that served during the war and in the immediate aftermath, inclusive of localized ongoing combat operations, garrison surrenders, post-surrender occupation, colony re-occupation, troop and prisoner repatriation, to the end of 1945. For smaller vessels, see also List of World War II ships of less than 1000 tons. Some uncompleted Axis ships are included, out of historic interest. Ships are designated to the country under which they operated for the longest period of the World War II, regardless of where they were built or previous service history.