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destinationsjou.bsky.social
Destinations Journey
@destinationsjou.bsky.social
860 followers 830 following 500 posts
Retired mining engineer. Proud father and husband. Living the dream in Australia's Hunter Valley. Collector of historical military photos. See the collection at https://www.destinationsjourney.com/historical-military-photographs/
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destinationsjou.bsky.social
The Blackburn Botha was a four-seat #TorpedoBomberr of the #RoyalAirForce. Under-powered and with poor visibility it was only used operationally by 608 Squadron before being inflicted on training units. www.destinationsjourney.com/historical-m... #aviation #RAF #BlackburnBotha #aeroplane #airplane
The Blackburn Botha was a four-seat torpedo bomber built for the British Royal Air Force. Service testing showed that it was under-powered and had poor visibility. Consequently it was only used operationally by 608 Squadron before being withdrawn and used for training.
November 18, 2025 at 11:39 PM
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HMS Royal Sovereign in Norfolk Naval Yard, August 1941 www.destinationsjourney.com/historical-m... #HMSRoyalSovereign #RoyalNavy #MaritimeHistory #NavalHistory #battleship
HMS Royal Sovereign was a Revenge-class battleship of the Royal Navy displacing 29,970 long tons (30,450 t) and armed with eight 15-inch (381 mm) guns in four twin-gun turrets. She was laid down in January 1914 and launched in April 1915; she was completed in May 1916, but was not ready for service in time to participate in the Battle of Jutland at the end of the month. She served with the Grand Fleet for the remainder of the First World War, but did not see action. In the early 1930s, she was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet and based in Malta. Unlike the Queen Elizabeth-class battleships, Royal Sovereign and her sisters were not modernised during the interwar period. Only minor alterations to her anti-aircraft battery were effected before the outbreak of World War II in September 1939. Assigned to the Home Fleet, the ship was tasked with convoy protection until May 1940, when she returned to the Mediterranean Fleet. Royal Sovereign was present during the Battle of Calabria in July 1940, but her slow speed prevented her from engaging the Italian battleships. By March 1942, she was assigned to the Eastern Fleet in the Indian Ocean, but after the Indian Ocean raid by Admiral Nagumo’s Kido Butai, the ship was withdrawn to eastern Africa to escort convoys. In January 1944, she returned to Britain, and in May the Royal Navy transferred Royal Sovereign to the Soviet Navy, which renamed her Arkhangelsk. She then escorted Arctic convoys into Kola until the end of the war. The Soviets returned the ship in 1949, after which she was broken up for scrap.
November 18, 2025 at 8:45 PM
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Japanese Battleship Yamashiro
www.destinationsjourney.com/historical-m... #NavalHistory #MaritimeHistory #ImperialJapaneseNavy #Yamashiro #IJNYamashiro #battleship
Yamashiro was a Fusō-class dreadnought battleships built for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Launched on 3 November 1915, she was completed on 31 March 1917. Due to her age, Yamashiro played supporting roles in the early part of World War Two. At the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Yamashiro was part of Vice-Admiral Shōji Nishimura’s Southern Force. On the morning of 24 October 1944, she was attacked by carrier aircraft and ship listed by almost 15 degrees after a bomb’s near miss damaged the hull and flooded the starboard bilge, until counter-flooding in the port bilge righted the ship. Early the next morning, Yamashiro, accompanied by Fuso was attacked by a force of US destroyers. Fuso was hit and fell out of formation, sinking between 03:38 and 03:50. Yamashiro was also hit by one or two torpedoes but after counter flooding to counter a list was able to continue. During the subsequent night action of the Battle of Surigao Strait, Yamashiro was intercepted by a force of ten cruisers and six battleships. The action started at 03:52 and concluded at 04:19 when she sank. An estimated 1,626 officers and crew were killed in her sinking.
November 17, 2025 at 4:40 AM
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Completed Aludra Scale Model Kit #Aludra #ChainChronicle #E2048 #AntiHero #femalemodel #ScaleModel #MiniatureFigure www.destinationsjourney.com/aludra-scale...
November 15, 2025 at 1:30 AM
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HMS Conqueror was commissioned into the Royal Navy on 23 November 1912 During the Battle of Jutland, HMS Conqueror fired a total of 57 twelve-inch shells No hits are recorded. #HMSConqueror #battleship #RoyalNavy #MaritimeHistory #NavalHistory www.destinationsjourney.com/historical-m...
The third of four Orion-class battleships built for the Royal Navy, HMS Conqueror was commissioned into the Royal Navy on 23 November 1912 During the Battle of Jutland, HMS Conqueror fired a total of 57 twelve-inch shells at German ships. No hits are recorded for any of the shells fired. Conqueror also took part in the failed attempt to intercept the German ships that had bombarded Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby in late 1914 and the inconclusive action of 19 August 1916.
November 13, 2025 at 8:15 AM
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Fokker G.I Dutch Heavy Fighter 1/72 Scale Model. The Fokker G.I was a Dutch twin-engined heavy fighter aircraft comparable in size and role to the Messerschmitt Bf 110 #FokkerGI #fighter #aeroplane #airplane #aircraft #WorldWarTwo #SecondWorldWar www.destinationsjourney.com/fokker-g-i-s...
November 13, 2025 at 4:52 AM
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HMS Howe Royal Navy battleship Escorted Arctic convoys, participated in the invasion of Sicily then HMS Howe was moved to the Pacific bombarded Okinawa as part of the British Pacific Fleet www.destinationsjourney.com/historical-m... #HMSHowe #RoyalNavy #MaritimeHistory #NavalHistory #battleship
HMS Howe was the last of five King George V-class battleships built for the Royal Navy. Laid down 1 June 1937 and launched on 9 April 1940, she was not commissioned until 29 August 1942 because resources were need for higher priority projects such as merchant and escort ships. Howe spent the early part of her career escorting Arctic convoys before participating in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily. In July 1944, HMS Howe was moved to the Pacific, where she bombarded Okinawa as part of the British Pacific Fleet. Post war, Howe was used as a training ship, until placed in reserve in 1950. She was sold for scrap in 1958 and broken up in 1951.
November 13, 2025 at 12:53 AM
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Japanese Escort Carrier, Shimane Maru, after being attacked by Avenger aircraft operating from HMS Victorious, 24 July 1945 www.destinationsjourney.com/historical-m... #warship #navalwarfare #IJN #ImperialJapaneseNavy #escortCarrier #AircraftCarrier #MaritimeHistory #NavalHistory
Shimane Maru was the lead ship of her class of escort carriers for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II. Although she was completed, the ship did not enter active service before being destroyed by British aircraft on 24 July 1945. The concept of the class was similar to British merchant aircraft carriers. The class consisted of two oil tankers of 10,002 gross register tons (GRT) that were modified by the Navy to provide minimal anti-submarine air cover for convoys going from Southeast Asia to the Japanese homeland. The conversion consisted of fitting a full-length flight deck, a small hangar, and a single elevator. An island and catapults were not installed. The only other change was the rerouting of the boiler uptakes to the aft starboard side where they discharged in a typical downward-facing funnel. The Shimane Maru was fitted with a single geared steam turbine set with a total of 8,600 shaft horsepower (6,400 kW). It drove one propeller shaft using steam provided by two boilers. The ship had a designed speed of 18.5 knots (34.3 km/h; 21.3 mph) and a range of 10,000 nautical miles (19,000 km; 12,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). The flight deck was 154.99 meters (508 ft 6 in) long and had a maximum width of 23.01 meters (75 ft 6 in). The hangar, built on top of the well deck, was served by a single elevator from the flight deck. It had a capacity of a dozen aircraft.
November 11, 2025 at 2:27 AM
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The #ArmstrongWhitworth Albemarle was a British twin-engine transport of the #SecondWorldWar Designed as a medium bomber, the Albemarle was used as a #transportaircraft, paratroop transport and glider towing. www.destinationsjourney.com/historical-m... #aviation #RAF #RoyalAirForce #WW2
The Armstrong Whitworth A.W.41 Albemarle was a British twin-engine transport aircraft that entered service during the Second World War. Designed as a medium bomber, the Albemarle was used for general and special transport duties, paratroop transport and glider towing. Albemarle squadrons participated in Normandy and the assault on Arnhem during Operation Market Garden.
November 11, 2025 at 2:09 AM
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Zuikaku Japanese Aircraft Carrier www.destinationsjourney.com/historical-m...
Zuikaku Japanese Aircraft Carrier - Destination's Journey
Photos of the Japanese aircraft carrier Zuikaku, at Pearl Harbour, Coral Sea, Philippine Sea and her sinking at the Battle off Cape Engano
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November 5, 2025 at 4:46 AM
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Japanese Aircraft Carrier Zuiho www.destinationsjourney.com/historical-m...
Japanese Aircraft Carrier Zuiho - Destination's Journey
Originally laid down as the submarine tender Takasaki, Zuiho was a light aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy.
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November 5, 2025 at 4:41 AM
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HMS Avenger D14 British Escort Carrier www.destinationsjourney.com/historical-m...
HMS Avenger D14 British Escort Carrier - Destination's Journey
HMS Avenger (D14) was a Royal Navy escort aircraft carrier during the Second World War. Commissioned in Mar 1942, sunk Nov 1942 by U-155
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November 5, 2025 at 4:11 AM
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Avro Anson under restoration at the South Australian Aviation Museum www.destinationsjourney.com/aviation/air...
Avro Anson - Destination's Journey
Photos of the Avro Anson EF954 owned by the South Australian Aviation Museum being restored. Previously operated by the RAAF
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November 3, 2025 at 7:02 AM
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The Jindivik was Australia’s most successfully produced #aircraft. First flying in August 1952 manufacturing continued until 1997 The #Jindivik undertook a range of tasks including surveillance, target towing and cruise missile simulation www.destinationsjourney.com/aviation/air... #aviation #drone
GAF Jindivik N11-752 Named from an Aboriginal word for ‘Hunted One’, the Jindivik was Australia’s most successfully produced aircraft. Design began in 1948 by Government Aircraft Factory (GAF) engineers. First flying in August 1952 manufacturing continued until 1997. The Jindivik undertook a large range of tasks including surveillance, target towing and cruise missile simulation. The RAAF, RAN, RAF, USN and the Swedish Air Force operated the Jindivik. Delivered to the Navy in February 1987 as N11-752, SAAM’s Jindivik is a Mark 203B . Following various missions, it crashed on take-off at Jervis Bay in May 1992. After a period of storage at Australia’s Museum of Flight at Nowra, it came to the South Australian Aviation Museum in June 2004.
November 3, 2025 at 4:00 AM
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Supermarine Spitfire Vc at the South Australian Aviation Museum. www.destinationsjourney.com/aviation/air... #SupermarineSpitfire #Spitfire #aviation #RAAF #RoyalAustralianAirForce #aviation #aeroplane #airplane
Constructed in 1942 by Westland Aircraft Ltd, Yeovil, Somerset, UK, Supermarine Spitfire EE853 transferred to Australia in 1943. It became part of the RAAF’s 79 SQN at Goodenough Island and later Kiriwina Island, PNG, using Squadron code UP-O. Given the RAAF registration A58-146, it helped protect bombers as far as Rabaul, New Britain. A landing accident on 28 August 1943 on Kiriwina Island saw it back on Goodenough Island for repairs. Langdon Badger found the aircraft in 1971 and had it shipped to Adelaide in 1973. After four years of restoration at Parafield Airport, Langdon displayed the Spitfire at his home in Adelaide. Since October 2001 the aircraft has been on display in the South Australian Aviation Museum on a long-term loan basis.
November 3, 2025 at 3:54 AM
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Ex-battleship USS Utah redesignated AG-16 as a target ship. She will be sunk at Pearl Harbour. www.destinationsjourney.com/historical-m... #USSUtah #battleship #targetship #USNavy #MaritimeHistory #NavalHistory
The USS Utah (BB-31) was the second vessel of the US Navy’s Florida-class dreadnought battleships. Constructed at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, the ship was laid down in 1909 and commissioned on August 31, 1911. The vessel’s original configuration featured a main battery of ten 12-inch/45 calibre guns mounted in five twin centreline turrets. Initial deployment involved assignment to the Atlantic Fleet, where she participated in standard fleet manoeuvres. A key early action included the transport of personnel for the United States occupation of Veracruz in April 1914. During the period of US involvement in World War I, Utah operated from Bantry Bay, Ireland. Her primary function involved serving as a heavy-unit element for the Sixth Battle Squadron, providing distant cover for Allied convoys against potential German surface raiders. Following the armistice, the ship was utilized for transport and training operations throughout the 1920s.
October 30, 2025 at 11:02 PM
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SMS Szent István was a Tegetthoff-class dreadnought battleship built for the Austro-Hungarian Navy. Struck by 2 torpedoes launched from MAS-15 she capsized roughly three hours later off the island of Premuda. www.destinationsjourney.com/historical-m... #MaritimeHistory
SMS Szent István (His Majesty’s Ship Saint Stephen) was the last of four Tegetthoff-class dreadnought battleships built for the Austro-Hungarian Navy. She was built at the Ganz-Danubius shipyard in Fiume, where she was laid down in January 1912. Launched two years later in 1914, construction on Szent István was delayed due to the small shipyards in Fiume, and further delayed by the outbreak of World War I in July 1914. She was finally commissioned into the Austro-Hungarian Navy in December 1915. She was armed with a main battery of twelve 30.5 cm (12.0 in) guns in four triple turrets, Szent István was struck by two torpedoes launched from MAS-15 during an attack on the Otranto Barrage, capsizing roughly three hours later off the island of Premuda. She is the only battleship whose sinking was filmed during World War I.
October 30, 2025 at 4:05 AM
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Japanese Battleship Settsu www.destinationsjourney.com/historical-m... #Navalhistory #MaritimeHistory #battleship #ImperialJapaneseNavy
Japanese Battleship Settsu - Destination's Journey
Photos of the Imperial Japanese Navy battleship Settsu of the Kawachi-class. Completed in 1911, she was damaged in 1945 and scrapped post-war
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October 30, 2025 at 3:50 AM
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Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Junyō At Sasebo, September 1945. www.destinationsjourney.com/historical-m... #IJNJunyo #aircraftcarrier #ImperialJapaneseNavy #WorldWarTwo #WW2 #WWII #SecondWorldWar #NavalHistory #MaritimeHistory
Jun'yō was a Hiyō-class aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Laid down as the passenger liner Kashiwara Maru, she was purchased by the IJN in 1941 while still under construction and converted into an aircraft carrier. Completed in May 1942, the ship participated in the Aleutian Islands Campaign the following month and in several battles during the Guadalcanal Campaign later in the year. Jun'yō was torpedoed in November 1943 and spent three months under repair. She was damaged by several bombs during the Battle of the Philippine Sea in mid-1944, but quickly returned to service. Lacking aircraft, she was used as a transport in late 1944 and was torpedoed again in December. Jun'yō was under repair until March 1945, when work was cancelled as uneconomical. Considered a constructive loss by US assessors, she was scrapped in 1946-47.
October 30, 2025 at 12:31 AM
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www.destinationsjourney.com/historical-m... HMS Pursuer was an Attacker-class escort carrier of the Royal Navy in World War Two. Built in the US in 1942, she was transferred and commissioned into the #RoyalNavy in July 1943. #MaritimeHistory #NavalHistory #HMSPursuer #AircraftCarrier #EscortCarrier
HMS Pursuer was an Attacker-class escort carrier of the Royal Navy in World War Two. Built in the US in 1942, she was transferred and commissioned into the Royal Navy in July 1943. Although used primarily as a convoy escort on 3 April 1944, she provided fighter support for an air strike on the German battleship Tirpitz in Altenfjord, Norway. She subsequently provided anti-submarine screening during the D-Day Normandy landings, participated in raids on shipping around Norway and provided air cover during the landings in Southern France. With the end of World War Two, she was returned to the US Navy in 1946 and scrapped.
October 29, 2025 at 6:13 AM
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www.destinationsjourney.com/historical-m... #aeroplane #Aircraft #airplane #aviation #Floatplane #HeinkelHe114 #Luftwaffe #RomanianAirForce #SecondWorldWar #WorldWar2 #WorldWartwo #WW2 #WWII
Heinkel He 114 in Romanian Service - Destination's Journey
Photos of Romania Heinkel He 114 floatplanes, operated by Romania. 24 were purchased the last eight of which were retired in 1960.
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October 28, 2025 at 5:44 AM
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British Aircraft Carrier HMS Formidable #maritimehistory #navalhistory #aircraftcarrier #royalnavy #ww2 #hmsformidable
HMS Formidable was an Illustrious-class aircraft carrier ordered for the Royal Navy before the Second World War. After being completed in late 1940, she was briefly assigned to the Home Fleet before being transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet as a replacement for her crippled sister ship Illustrious. Formidable’s aircraft played a key role in the Battle of Cape Matapan in early 1941, and they subsequently provided cover for Allied ships and attacked Axis forces until their carrier was badly damaged by German dive bombers in May. Assigned to the Eastern Fleet in the Indian Ocean in early 1942, Formidable covered the invasion of Diego Suarez in Vichy Madagascar in mid-1942 against the possibility of a sortie by the Japanese into the Indian Ocean. Formidable returned home for a brief refit before participating in Operation Torch, the invasion of French North Africa in November. She remained in the Mediterranean and covered the invasions of Sicily and mainland Italy in 1943 before beginning a lengthy refit. Formidable made several attacks on the German battleship Tirpitz in Norway in mid-1944 as part of the Home Fleet. She was subsequently assigned to the British Pacific Fleet (BPF) in 1945 where she played a supporting role during the Battle of Okinawa and later attacked targets in the Japanese Home Islands. She was hit twice by kamikaze aircraft on the 4th and 9th of May. In both instances, she was saved by her armoured deck and was able return to flight operations rapidly. The ship was used to repatriate liberated Allied prisoners of war and soldiers after the Japanese surrender and then ferried British personnel across the globe through 1946. She was placed in reserve the following year and sold for scrap in 1953.
October 28, 2025 at 4:02 AM
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Blackburn Shark Mk.I K4352. www.destinationsjourney.com/historical-m... #aviation #aeroplane #airplane #aircraft #FleetAirArm #RoyalNavy #BlackburnShark #TorpedoBomber #Biplane
October 28, 2025 at 2:37 AM
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Conte di Cavour after her 1937 refit www.destinationsjourney.com/historical-m... #battleship #BattleshipConteDiCavour #ConteDiCavour #ItalianBattleship #ItalianNavy #Military #RegiaMarina #SecondWorldWar #warship #WorldWar2 #WorldWartwo #WW2 #WWII
The lead ship of her class of three dreadnought battleships (along with Giulio Cesare and Leonardo da Vinci), Conte Di Cavour was launched om 10 August 1911 and commissioned into the Italian Regia Marina on 1 April 1915. She saw no action during World War One. During World War Two, she took part in the Battle of Calabria on 9 June 1940 when, along with Giulio Cesare she engaged elements of the British Mediterranean Fleet. The Italian fleet retired when Giulio Cesare was hit by a shell from HMS Warspite. While in Taranto, Conte Di Cavour was struck by a torpedo during the British night attack of 11/12 November 1940. She was grounded to prevent her sinking the next morning. She was still undergoing repairs at Trieste on 8 September when Italy surrendered to the Allies. Although captured by the Germans they made no attempt to continue the repairs. She was damaged in an air raid on 17 February 1945, and capsized on 23 February. Refloated shortly after the end of the war, Conte di Cavour was scrapped in 1946.
October 26, 2025 at 7:58 AM
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Royal Australian Navy Replenishment Oiler HMAS Stalwart (III) A304 #HMASStalwart #HMASStalwartA304 #Oiler #RAN #ReplinishmnetOiler #RoyalAustralianNAvy #tanker #warship www.destinationsjourney.com/hmas-stalwar...
Royal Australian Navy Replenishment Oiler HMAS Stalwart (III) A304
October 25, 2025 at 12:15 AM