Fictional Warships - Novels

[Graham1973]

Another of those 'Self-published on Amazon' thrillers...

Richard Smith, The Fin Chasers, 2017

United States

Coast Guard

Unnamed (MLB-???) (Unofficial name: 'Fin Chaser')
47ft (14m) Motor Life Boat (Modified)
Details as per the real ships.
Ship has been converted into a research vessel, has an observation tower similar to those on sports fishing vessels fitted, along with a bowsprit, a cradle holding a 16ft (4.9m) long minisub (Named: Jaws, 2 crew, battery powered, fitted with 3x Mares Spearguns) and launching positions for two unmanned, remote controlled minisubs.
Armament is mostly hand held (6 x M4 Carbines, M9 Pistols, 6 Mares Spearguns), an M240B MG is carried but not mounted.
Note: While this ship retains it's rescue capability, it's current assignment is shark research along the US Gulf Coast.

USCGC Casco
Cutter, unspecified class
No other details provided.
Note: Also referred to as a 'Heavy Cruiser'. The name was last used on the Casco Class Cutter USCGC Casco (WHEC-370) a former US Navy Barnegat Class Seaplane Tender that was transferred to the Coast Guard in 1949 and decommissioned in 1969.

Air Force

Neptune
Air transportable mini-sub
Length: 40ft (12.2m)
Manta-ray shaped ('Wings' fold upward over the body to allow air transport.)
Crew: 3 (Pilot, Weapons Systems Officer, 'Flight' Engineer.) + 1 passenger
Exact dimensions are not given but when the wings are folded it can be carried inside a C-130 Hercules which has been modified to allow it to land/take off from water.
Note: Stated to have been designed and built by the United States Air Force for the purpose of making covert retrievals without having to ask the US Navy to do it. Described as being as maneuverable as a "...very, very, slow F-16."
Armament includes laser weapons of an unspecified type. 4x J-65 Armour Piercing Torpedoes (Fictional?), 2x R-40 Heat Seeking Missiles (Fictional?)
Fitted with manipulator arms (Mounted internally, have to be extended to use.)

Non State

Unnamed (ex-Sahand)
Moudge Class Frigate
Details as per the real ships
Note: Supplied to the Islamic State by Iran. stated to have been smuggled to Cuba for handover.
Carries a minisub of unspecified type.

Plot summary: The year is 2017, something has been driving sharks off the US Gulf Coast into a frenzy.

Note: This is a pretty silly story, thankfully the author recognizes it at one point having a character comment that the USAF submarine "...looks like it came out of one of Clive Cussler's latest novels...".

[Foo Fighter]

I do not mean to be rude, but, what is the real purpose of this thread which seem to rehash ships mentioned in fictional stories?  I just cannot see the point.

[Jemiba]

Well, you're right in a way, this thread is better suited to this section here.

[Foo Fighter]

Fair point but if there us to be a reason to the subject there could be some assessment of the plot to propaganda or factually based scenario's being wargamed to adjust tactics/doctrine and theory.  This does not seem to do any of that as far as I can see.  Perhaps a little more debate about the topic might see us learn a little more about the situations these stories are set to, background wise.

[Jemiba]

As the title implies, this section here was started to discuss or at least point to
alternative historical scenarios, or perceptions of the future, often perceptions
from many years ago. The themes are as widespread, as are the interests of our members,
and no, it's not an indispensable theme for this forum, I think. But the Bar is neither !
Apart from our main theme aviation, naval themes obviously are of interest to quite a lot
of people here, so why not list novels about such themes ? Feel free to post a similar
list in a thread like "Aviation Novels", pointing to aircraft, that are either fictional,
or based on real ones. 
And as a point more related to our serious matter, such a thread can be used in a similar
way to our blacklist here https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,26358.0.html  ,
for identifying or tracing fakes or faulty mentions.
If somebody is interested in more additional information, I think, he should feel free to
elaborate and tell them to all of us !

[starviking]

As the title implies, this section here was started to discuss or at least point to
alternative historical scenarios, or perceptions of the future, often perceptions
from many years ago. The themes are as widespread, as are the interests of our members,
and no, it's not an indispensable theme for this forum, I think. But the Bar is neither !
Apart from our main theme aviation, naval themes obviously are of interest to quite a lot
of people here, so why not list novels about such themes ? Feel free to post a similar
list in a thread like "Aviation Novels", pointing to aircraft, that are either fictional,
or based on real ones. 
And as a point more related to our serious matter, such a thread can be used in a similar
way to our blacklist here https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,26358.0.html  ,
for identifying or tracing fakes or faulty mentions.
If somebody is interested in more additional information, I think, he should feel free to
elaborate and tell them to all of us !

And this thread is also useful in a historic sense, as it shows how authors saw ships being used, and how they thought they would evolve.

[Hood]

This thread is a continuation of a similar thread on the defunct Warship Discussion 3.0 forum.

It's purpose is several fold:
Like the aviation blacklist, to clearly mark ships some may think are real or may be confused with real ships.
To catalogue the fictional ships portrayed in books, film and TV.
To catalogue naval fiction more broadly.
To display some of the varied artwork on the book covers, especially those from an age gone by when artists actually painted scenes rather than dodgy 3D graphics.
To examine themes of the books published and the plots; for example its clear that most Cold War literature focuses on submarines.
To analyse how authors use naming conventions (or otherwise!).
To be a source for AH ideas and possible artwork ideas.

I'll admit there is a lot of background work between Graham and myself to decipher author's intentions, especially when vague ideas are portrayed.
The range of novels cover everything from late 19th century invasion literature, early 20th century works, wartime propaganda novels (both world wars), children's literature from the early 20th century, action comics, Cold War era novels (1950s onwards), post Cold War scenarios (US vs. China or Iran seem popular themes), techno-thrillers (from early 20th century to today), film adaptations of books. 
We don't tend to touch anime however, its a broad area on its own with its own challenges.

If people would be interested in more of the details of how we piece together these items and more analysis on the storylines then we can provide that.
I would echo Starviking's comment, some of the authors writing in the 1890s and even 1910s had some quite interesting concepts of what the future might hold. Cold War novels reflect the fears of the time, some mirror real-world events and others are speculative.

[Foo Fighter]

A lot more discussion at the moment so hopefully my question, from being taken as insulting, may provoke more debate on this thread.

[Jemiba]

Debating the content of a book, or the way things are represented, or maybe how the typical enemies
changed over the years is ok, I think.
The reasons, why this thread is here and how it should be understood were cited in the last posts, so I can
see no need to debate this any further.

[Foo Fighter]

Not suggesting that any debate should be had about why the thread is extant.  All I was asking about was what it was intended to achieve.  Hopefully more debate on the posts content will enable more to be achieved FROM posting here.  Hopefully we will all learn a bit.

[Graham1973]

Fisher T. Samuels, The Shores of Tripoli, 2014

United States (2014)

USS Dauntless (PC-??)
Patrol Boat, class not mentioned
Length: 85ft (26m)
Displacement: 185,000 pounds (84 tonnes)
Armament: 2 x 25mm Mk.38 Machine Gun (Fwd and stern)
Experimental non-lethal weapon (Code name "November Lima")
Speed: 35 knots (Electric engines, power is supplied either by Diesel engines or Hydrogen fuel cells)
Power from the engines when running under diesel mode can be used to generate additional hydrogen for the fuel cells via electrolysis.
Note: Stated to be newly built

USS Mauler (PC-??)
Patrol Boat, class not mentioned
20 years older than USS Dauntless
Diesel Engines.

United States (1803)

USS Philadelpia
Sailing Frigate
Real ship, details as in service

Plot summary: The United States newest patrol boat suddenly finds itself at a critical moment in US history when the test of a new non-lethal weapon produces a strange side effect.

Note: Both of the patrol ships seem to be loosely based on the US Cyclone Class Patrol Boat (First examples launched 1993, still in service), with USS Dauntless (PC-??) conceivably representing a replacement class.

The conflict the author uses as the background is the First Barbary War (1801-1805), the second major conflict the United States engaged in after Independance (The first was the 1798-1800 Quasi-War with the French over the XYZ Affair.), it is also the origin of the second part of the opening line of the US Marine Corps Hymn.

Plot-wise this novel is not too much different from the 1980 film "The Final Countdown" which is probably the most well known military time-displacement story at present. The basic idea was first used by author Dean McLaughlin in the novella "Hawk Among The Sparrows" published in Analog magazine in the July 1968 issue, however as that involves a single-seat fighter version of the SR-71, that is outside the scope of the list.

[Graham1973]

Yet another 'Self-published on Amazon' thriller...

S.T. Mastroianni, Interceptor, 2017

United States

Coast Guard

USCGC Hamilton (WMSL-753)
Legend Class Cutter
Real ship, details as in service.

USCGC Wahoo (WPB-87345)
Marine Protector Class Patrol Boat
Real ship, details as in service.

Customs & Border Patrol

Invincible
High speed interception craft
Real ship, details as in service (link)
Armament: Two 'machine guns', type not specified, most likely the current US Service weapon

Interceptor
High speed interception craft
Same details as Invincible

Korea (Democratic Peoples Republic)

Avenger
Infiltration craft (Converted Motor Yacht.)
Exact dimensions are not given.
Comprehensive electronics fit (Very high end civilian equipment.)
Registered to a Hong Kong based front company
Crew are Chinese born North Korean operatives.
Armament: AK-47s  and unspecified handguns for all crew.

Plot summary: A US/Chinese Yacht Building partnership has just completed their first major boat (A 120ft motor yacht called 'Reunion') and plan to have it delivered to their US customer. However the passage crew do not realize that the North Koreans have managed to modify the boat to carry something into US waters that will, if it is delivered successfully make the Great Leader very happy.

[Graham1973]

Dan Foley, Intruder, 2015

Germany (1944)

U-533
U-Boat of unspecified class
No other details provided.
Note: Pennant matches that of a Type IXC/40 Class U-Boat that was sunk in the Gulf of Oman in October of 1943. The submarine in the novel is sunk in the Atlantic in August of 1944.

United States

USS John Hancock (SSBN-???)
Class not specified
Details would match any of the pre-Ohio Class Submarine classes
Stated that at some point after the events of the novel the submarine is updated to carry Trident Missiles, this suggests she is either a member of the James Madison or Benjamin Franklin Classes.
Note: Name clashes with a Spruance Class Destroyer in service 1977 - 2007.

Russia

Unnamed
Nuclear submarine
Class not specified


Plot summary: The year is 1970. The Ballistic Missile submarine USS John Hancock is on another routine patrol. For the Gold Crew, this means another long patrol filled with films, pranks, poker and ghost stories, this time however the ghost is real and has unfinished business dating back to World War Two...

[Graham1973]

Returning to classic war fiction after spending some time on Amazon...

Alexander Fullerton, Band of Brothers, 1996

United Kingdom

MTB-545
Motor torpedo boat, make not specified
Details as per typical members of that type of ship in British service.

MTB-559
Motor torpedo boat, make not specified
Details as per typical members of that type of ship in British service.

MTB-560
Motor torpedo boat, make not specified
Details as per typical members of that type of ship in British service.

MTB-561
Motor torpedo boat, make not specified
Details as per typical members of that type of ship in British service.

MTB-562
Motor torpedo boat, make not specified
Details as per typical members of that type of ship in British service.

MTB-563
Motor torpedo boat, make not specified
Details as per typical members of that type of ship in British service.

MTB-564
Motor torpedo boat, make not specified
Details as per typical members of that type of ship in British service.

MGB-864
Fairmile D Motor Gun Boat
Details as per the real ships

MGB-866
Fairmile D Motor Gun Boat
Details as per the real ships

MGB-870
Fairmile D Motor Gun Boat
Details as per the real ships

MGB-874
Fairmile D Motor Gun Boat
Details as per the real ships

MGB-875
Fairmile D Motor Gun Boat
Details as per the real ships

Note: I am not sufficiently familiar with British MTB/MGB numbering to determine if the pennants above are real pennants or fictional.

Unnamed
Hunt Class Destroyer
Details as per the real ships

Unnamed
Hunt Class Destroyer
Details as per the real ships

Germany

Heilbronne
Armed Merchant Ship (U-Boat Supply ship)
4,500 tons
Two Funnels
Speed: 17 knots
Converted pre-war Banana Boat
Ship is armed, but no specific details are provided.

Unnamed
Several R-Boats (Small minesweepers)
Details as per the real ships

Unnamed
Several M-Class Minesweepers
Details as per the real ships.

Unnamed
Several Elbing Class Torpedo Boats
Details as per the real ships
Note: Author refers to these ships as T-Class Torpedo boats, but the limited details he provides suggest that he had the Elbing Class in mind.

Unnamed
Several Armed Trawlers
No specific details provided

Plot summary: It is October 1943, a German U-Boat supply ship is attempting to break out into the Atlantic Ocean.

Note: The authors introduction states that the engagement which forms the heart of the novel is loosely based on several wartime 'After Action' reports involving the British Coastal forces.

[Graham1973]

Anthony Molloy, On The Edge of Darkness, 2013

United Kingdom

HMS Nishga
Tribal Class Destroyer
Details as per the real ships.

MTB-34
Torpedo Boat
Exact make/type not specified

MTB-35
Torpedo Boat
Exact make/type not specified

Note: I do not have a good source for MTB Pennant numbers so these may be real pennants used fictionally.

Germany

Nienburg
Heavy Cruiser, class not specified
6 x 8 inch guns (Armament is not described in much detail however clues from the combat sequence in which she appears imply the layout of the main armament is A & B (Twin Turrets), X & Y (Single Turrets).)
12 x 4 inch guns
6000 tons
30 knots
"...double mounted torpedo tubes and the usual Ack-Ack stuff."

Wagner
Type 1934 Class Destroyer
Details as per the real ship
Note: Author refers to this ship as a Maas Class Destroyer. Name does not fit the class all of which were named after German Navy personnel killed in WWI.

Unnamed
S-Boat
Details as per the real ships
Note: Captured by the crew of HMS Nishga, taken into RN service as HMS Edward

Unnamed
S-Boat
Details as per the real ships
Note: Captured by the crew of HMS Edward, taken into RN service as HMS Ethelred

Unnamed
F-Class Escort Ship (Frigate)
Details as per the real ships

Plot summary: The crew of a British destroyer fight an unorthodox campaign during the German invasion of Norway and after, causing chaos amongst the German invaders, initiative that catches the eye of Winston Churchill.

Note: This is the first book of a 27 novel series and the plot covers fictional events during the Norwegian Campaign, Battle of Boulogne (1940) and the evacuation from Dunkirk. The novel reads like a  'Boys Own Adventure' story of the type written in the 50s and 60s (See for example 'Mettle at Woomera' (1962?) or 'Jimmy-The-One: A Submariner Sinclair Story' (1960), on the list for examples of such stories from that period, more recent examples of this type of story to be found on this listing are 'HMS Vengeful' (2015) and 'The Cauldron' (2013)). The authors afterward, claims that he based several of the exploits featured in the story on actual events that took place in the Norwegian theater of WWII, a move that makes me think of the forwards W.E. Johns used to write for the Biggles short story collections. He also has one of his characters comment that following one daring operation the after action report "...reads like a Boy's Own adventure story.", which shows he's not taking himself completely seriously.