Fictional Warships in Movies & TV

[uk 75]

I am too lazy to start a new thread but here are some phonecaptures from youtub of the Royal Navy in the 1997 Bond Film "Tomorrow Never Dies".
First up is HMS Chester. Using her Harpoon launcher to fire a Cruise Missile at some bad guys

Next we have HMS Devonshire, which gets sunk by the bad guy off the coast of China

Just in case you think the RN is all Type 23s, some newspapers feature other stock pics

The Royal Navy flagship, to use the same model of course, is the HMS Bedford.

By the magic of digital cap we can see that the RN Task Group is made up of a realistic 6 ships The white dot is the bad guy

The Chinese Fleet is mentioned but never shown- even Bond films have beancounters.
But we do get Lord Grantham (Actor Hugh Bonneville) doing his bit for Queen and country.

Any Chinese readers, I am not using fake subtitles, I used a Japanese posting

 

[uk 75]

Sorry about the 2 duplicate attachments.

 

[Graham1973]

I think this should go in a separate thread, I intended it for literary works only.

 

[uk 75]

No problem with that but the original thread, which I contributed to, covered all forms of fiction such as tv and films. Happy for the moderator to move.

 

[pathology_doc]

Stealth boat won't accept missile lock? No problem. This film gives us that epic line: "Load starshell and follow with high explosive; we'll have to do this the old fashioned way."

And let's face it, the DDG charging in with gun blazing was sort of epic. After the complete lack of attention guns got in Top Gun** (though to its credit, the original Independence Day gave them their due), it was sort of a relief.

** Edit 2024: The makers of Top Gun must have recognized this in retrospect, because in the long-overdue sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, the gun features prominently.

 

[Graham1973]

Since I've been looking at 'direct-to-DVD' films of late I thought I'd relaunch this thread by adding a couple of submarines from an 'Under Siege' rip-off called 'Depth Charge' dating from 2008.


Depth Charge (2008)

United States

USS Montana (SSBN-423)
Ohio Class Submarine (Modified)
Details as per the real ships
Note: Described as a 'Stealth Prototype', fitted with an unspecified system that renders her undetectable to active and passive sonar. Pennant number clashes with the USS Torsk, a Tench Class Submarine that survived WWII and is currently a museum ship. Pennant number is only visible on the cap badges, not on the hull. The filmmakers rather than having their CGI team make an accurate model of an Ohio Class simply had them modify the Los Angeles Class model to add some missile silos forward of the conning tower...

USS Florida (SSN-541)
Los Angeles Class Submarine?
Details as per the real ships
Note: Class determination based off the ships name. The CGI model used (Screenshots linked below), has been confirmed as based on the Los Angeles Class by Hood. The name does not fit the naming scheme for the Los Angeles Class and clashes with that of the Ohio Class Submarine USS Florida (SSGN-728). The pennant number lies in a range (537 to 544) assigned to the Tench Class that was ultimately not used due to the end of WWII. The cap badges clearly show the pennant as SSN-541, the CGI model shows the pennant as SSN-561, it may have been reused from another 'direct-to-DVD' film. This pennant number also lies in a cancelled range (557-562).

Note: In the case of the Montana the pennant number was only visible on the cap badge. In the case of the Florida, as noted above the cap badges give the pennant as SSN-541, the number painted on the sail gives the pennant as SSN-561, this second number is in the cancelled range (557 to 562)

 

[Graham1973]

From a 1950s film I found on YouTube... Sorry, no screenshots.


Mystery Submarine (1950)

Germany (WWII) (By 1951 'Non-State')

U-64
Type XXI U-Boat
Details as per the real ships
The torpedo's carried aboard are described as "German Mk. 6 Torpedoes" (I have no idea what the scriptwriter intended by this remark.).
Explicitly described in dialog as a Type XXI. Also referred to as the "...first in her class..." and stated to have been commissioned by Admiral Doenitz himself (e.g. He personally attended the commissioning.).
Note: The pennant number is that of a Type IXB U-Boat in service 1939 - 1940. In the film the submarine did not surrender at the end of WWII and is acting for the "...highest bidder." (E.g. Pirates/Mercenaries.), albeit still under full naval discipline from appearances. Film makers used an unidentified 'Fleet Submarine' to stand in for the U-Boat. The submarine is based at an unspecified South American coastal farm owned by a German expatriate. A character in the film explicitly identifies the submarine as being a Type XXI.

United States

USS Twining (DD-540)
Fletcher Class Destroyer
Real ship, details as in service

USS Weatherburn
Fletcher Class Destroyer?
Details as per the real ships.

Unnamed
Destroyer, class not specified
No other details provided.

Note: Dialog indicates events are taking place "...six years..." after the war, e.g. 1951.

 

[Graham1973]

A 'Direct-to-DVD' film from the 1990s

Steel Sharks (1996)

United States

USS Oakland (SSN-798)
Los Angeles Class Submarine
Details as per the real ships.
Represented in film by a mixture of newly shot model footage and stock shots from 'The Hunt For Red October'.
The Pennant Number is that of the Virginia Class Submarine USS Massachusetts (SSN-798).

Note: A mixture of carrier stock footage, including some of the USS Enterprise (CVN-65) is used to represent the USS Coral Sea (CV-42). The shots set aboard her feature characters wearing caps reading USS Coral Sea (CV-40), clearly someone didn't do their research.

Iran

903
Kilo (Pr.877) Class
Details as per the real ships.
Represented by newly shot model footage.

Plot summary: In the aftermath of Desert Storm, the Iranians kidnap a US Chemical Weapons expert, one described as having '...forgotten more about chemical weapons than most people know...'. A team of Navy SEALs is sent to get him back.

Note: Royal Oaks Entertainment was a production house specializing in 'gung ho' action films for the 'straight-to-VHS/direct-to-DVD' market. This film, which clearly had a higher budget than those that followed it, provided stock footage which was recycled through several later movies, with the last known use being in an early 2000s sci-fi horror movie. Evidence can be seen of the higher budget because of:
(a.) The presence of not one, but two 'washed up' Hollywood actors.
(b.) The use of custom baseball caps, later films by this company simply used navy blue baseball caps with no printing.

 

[Graham1973]

A 'Direct-to-DVD' film from the 2000s

Deep Water, 2000

United States

USS Andersonville (CVN-68)
Nimitz Class Aircraft Carrier
Details as per the real ships
Note: Represented by stock footage of USS Nimitz (CVN-68). I have no idea just what process led to the choice of name for this fictional carrier. I have to assume the filmmakers thought 'Andersonville' was a battle in the US Civil War, in fact it is the name of one of the most notorious POW camps from that conflict. The US Navy would never use it for the name of a warship.

Plot summary: A plot to kidnap an oil barons daughter is complicated by a stolen nuke.

Note: This was one of a trio of films made for the 'direct-to-DVD' market by an outfit calling themselves Phoenican Entertainment. Most of the budget went on hiring James Coburn. The other two films in the trio are notorious for recycling footage from "Airport'75" and "Airport'77" respectively. While no footage from "The Poseidon Adventure" appears in this one, some of the films set pieces do, helicopter footage shot for "Steel Sharks" (1996) also makes an appearance in this film.

 

[JohnR]

The film that gets me is X-men: First class. The final scene's where they are on the beach "surrounded" by Russian and US warships with features from every ship and weapons systems from the 1960's to the 2010's?!?!

Another one from the 'archives' is the episode of UFO, when the Aliens are trying to destroy warships sea dumping nuclear waste, it initially uses a County Class destroyer, including showing the loading of a Seaslug missile. On the second attack the Seaslug gets knocked out and the ship start to shoot at the UFO with the guns, and they morph from the forward shot of the County and then a Lion class cruiser.

 

[Graham1973]

Another one from the 'archives' is the episode of UFO, when the Aliens are trying to destroy warships sea dumping nuclear waste, it initially uses a County Class destroyer, including showing the loading of a Seaslug missile. On the second attack the Seaslug gets knocked out and the ship start to shoot at the UFO with the guns, and they morph from the forward shot of the County and then a Lion class cruiser.

I remember that one. It had Philip Madoc doing a pretty good impersonation of an RN Captain. Though if you want stock footage fun, Irwin Allen had Gerry Anderson beat hands down. One of the better episodes of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea is built almost entirely from footage taken from 'The Enemy Below'...

Later: Here is a screen shot from that episode showing the ship model constructed for that episode...

 

[uk 75]

The Bedford Incident - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Very good description of the ships used in this 1965 classic Cold War thriller which had real RN Type 15 frigates standing in for a USN Coontz missile destroyer, bit like the real RN really.

 

[uk 75]

The original film version of the "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" had Allied nuclear submarines hunting the Seaview. Aurora models of the Skipjack were probably used. Moebius reissued this and the Seaview models. A nice chart on ptinterest shows comparison silhouettes of real and fictional subs.

 

[JohnR]

The Bedford Incident - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Very good description of the ships used in this 1965 classic Cold War thriller which had real RN Type 15 frigates standing in for a USN Coontz missile destroyer, bit like the real RN really.

I was going to mention this one , but I couldn't remember the title of the film, so I was going to look it up today on IMDB. I remember that if the ship was shown in a close up for 'real' it was the Type 15 and if shown from a distance it was a beautiful model of the Coontz class. A small detail that stuck in my head was as Sydney Poitier came below after being 'dropped off' by helo, there was a rack of Lee Enfield SMLE's on the bulkhead behind him.

 

[Graham1973]

When uk75 bought up 'The Bedford Incident', I was reminded of the 1990s time travel TV series 'Seven Days' which had several episodes reworking the plots of well known films ('Fail-Safe', 'The Bedford Incident', 'Crimson Tide' & 'Kelly's Heroes', being the films I've identified that had this done to them.). In the case of 'The Bedford Incident' it's plot became the basis of an episode in the series second season entitled 'The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea'.

The fictional warship in that episode was the USS Melville (DD-998). Close-up scenes were filmed on the HMCS Huron (DDG-281), at that time laid-up prior to scrapping. The 'at sea' footage was made up of the same Arleigh Burke footage used in the TV series 'J.A.G.' Like 'J.A.G.' and 'Steel Sharks' custom baseball caps were used to provide the new identity.

In the first season of J.A.G you have three examples of this. USS Daniel Boone (DDG-72), a fictional Arleigh Burke, USS Seahawk (CVN-65), a rebaged USS Enterprise (CVN-65) and USS Tigershark (SSN-28) a fictional member of the Seawolf Class described as an 'Improved Seawolf'. 'At Sea' footage in all three cases was provided by various items of stock footage.

I've attached screenshots from all three, the 'Seven Days' images come from YouTube.

 

[Graham1973]

Another 'Direct-to-DVD' submarine film from my collection...

Danger Beneath The Sea, 2001

This is an Americo-German co-production that was made for the 'Direct-to-DVD' market. Plotline is derived from 'Crimson Tide' and involves a botched North Korean missile test that puts a Los Angeles Class Submarine named USS Lansing (SSN-795) (The pennant number is that of Virginia Class Submarine USS Hyman G. Rickover.) on a war footing.

Unlike the ambiguous situation in 'Crimson Tide' this film involves outright mutiny. Dockside footage was filmed in Canada with one of the former RN Upholder Class Submarines standing in for the Lansing. 'At sea' footage appears to have used custom models and early 2000s CGI, rather than recycled footage as far as I can tell.

As with several other films/TV series I've mentioned, custom crew caps were used to convey the fictional warships identity. In this case the filmmakers tried their hands at a custom crest for the submarine.

 

[Rhinocrates]

I remember watching this years ago:

Gray Lady Down - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Rhinocrates]

The U-96 surely deserves a mention

Das Boot - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Rhinocrates]

A couple of literary examples and their adaptations. First, The Cruel Sea

The Cruel Sea (novel) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The Cruel Sea (1953 film) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

And next, Greyhound - which you really should see.

The Good Shepherd (novel) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Greyhound (film) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It looks like Tom Hanks is this generation's James Stewart.

 

[uk 75]

Warship (1973 TV series) - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Back in the 70s BBC made a series about a Leander class frigate called HMS Hero. HMS Phoebe (F42) played the main part, but according to Wik six other RN Leanders and RAN Derwent also played her.

 

[Graham1973]

Patrol Boat (TV series) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

A short lived Australian TV series with two seasons, the first released in 1979, the second in 1983. Used various members of the Attack Class and Fremantle Class of patrol boats during it's run.

 

[Graham1973]

Another pair of fictional submarines from the early 2000s 'straight-to-DVD' era.

Octopus (2000)

Essentially a revival of the 1950s idea that nuclear radiation made things grow really big. This Americo-Bulgarian co-production throws terrorists into the mix. The backstory is that the Russians tried to smuggle a synthetic form of Anthrax into Cuba during the 1960s but the Americans sank the sub resulting in the creation of a gargantuan Octopus that complicates a prisoner transfer in the 2000s.

This film is more well known for showing a Los Angeles Class Submarine surfacing in a lake!

Here is a link to a (deservedly scathing) review of the film:

You are being redirected...

The two submarines in the film are:

Russia (1962)

Leningrad
November (Pr.645) Class Submarine
Details as per the real ships.
Represented in film by models or early CGI.

United States (2000s)

USS Roosevelt
Los Angeles Class Submarine
Details as per the real ships
Note: Modified to carry a minisub, which she is doing in the story. The minisub is not named during the course of the story, but from the appearance I think the filmmakers meant it to be taken for an Avalon Class Minisub. The Roosevelt also carries camera equipped ROVs. Various pieces of stock footage and custom CGI are used to represent her.

The filmmaker seems to have had some strange ideas about what US Navy personnel get up to on long voyages and depict a game of strip poker going on in the submarines control room in the first scene set on board her...! Nor were they able to obtain custom cap badges to establish the submarines pennant number separate from the stock footage.

 

[Graham1973]

From the era of 'Made-for-TV' 'Movies of the Week'.

Assault on the Wayne (1971)

United States

USS Anthony Wayne (SSBN-509)
Ethan Allan Class Submarine
Details as per the real ships.
Note: All US Ballistic missile submarines prior to the Ohio Class were built to the same general design, so the armament details based in part on what's seen in the film will be 16 x Polaris missiles, 4 x 21inch TT fits the post George Washington Classes of submarine (e.g. Not a George Washington Class which had 16 x Polaris missiles and 6 x 21inch TT). The Polaris missiles normally fitted have been replaced with experimental non-nuclear armed ABM missiles with dimensions identical to Polaris. The class determination has been based on the name only.

'Mad' Anthony Wayne was a Revolutionary War era commander who is credited with restoring the US Army in the aftermath of St Clair's Defeat. The pennant number lies in a cancelled sequence SS-495-521. This is also the same pennant number as the fictional Skate Class USS Tigershark in the film 'Ice Station Zebra' (1968) and is the result of the use of stock footage from that film to represent the submarine in this film.

Plot summary: Agents of an unspecified power (e.g. The Soviet Union...) try to steal prototype ABM equipment.

 

[Graham1973]

From the 14th episode of second season of J.A.G 'Cowboys and Cossacks'

USS Cayuga (DDG-51)
Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer
Details as per the real ships
Note: Pennant number (Clearly visible on Crew Caps.) is that of the lead ship of the Arleigh Burke Class stock footage of which was used in several TV series around this time. Ships name is that of Newport Class Tank Landing Ship USS Cayuga (LST-1186) which was in service (1970 - 1994). The TV series J. A. G. aired between 1995 and 2005.

Vasiliev
Sovremennyy (Pr.1156) Class Destroyer (Note: This class identification is based on statistics that are given part way through the episode which match those of this class. )
Details as per the real ships
Commissioned: 1980 (The first class member comissioned in 1980, this fictional ship would therefore be the second member of the class.)
Note: Stock footage used to represent this ship appears to be that of a British Type 42 Destroyer, source unknown. Other footage used is that of Type 21 Frigate HMS Antelope (F170) exploding dating from the Falklands War.

 

[Graham1973]

(S03E18) Tiger, Tiger

United States

USS Stockdale (FFG-62)
Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigate
Details as per the real ships
Note: The Pennant number (Clearly visible on the crew caps) is one higher than the actual pennant numbers for the Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigates.

Note: Represented by stock footage of the USS John A. Moore (FFG-19). The same footage appears in the Season Five episode 'Rogue'.

 

[TomS]

USS Stockdale (FFG-62)
Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigate
Details as per the real ships
Note: The Pennant number (Clearly visible on the crew caps) is one higher than the actual pennant numbers for the Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigates.

This is going to get confusing, since many years after this episode was filmed, FFG-62 was assigned to USS Constellation, first of a new class of FFGs.

Points to the producers/costuming folks for getting it more or less right at the time, though.

 

[Graham1973]

USS Stockdale (FFG-62)
Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigate
Details as per the real ships
Note: The Pennant number (Clearly visible on the crew caps) is one higher than the actual pennant numbers for the Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigates.

This is going to get confusing, since many years after this episode was filmed, FFG-62 was assigned to USS Constellation, first of a new class of FFGs.

Points to the producers/costuming folks for getting it more or less right at the time, though.

Thanks for that piece of information. And I agree with your comment about the costuming people getting it right. If you see my remarks about 'Steel Sharks' and 'Danger Beneath The Sea' that kind of care and attention is rare in low budget naval films.

And here is another good example from J.A.G...

(S04E16) Silent Service

United States

USS Watertown (SSN-696)
Los Angeles Class Submarine
Details as per the real ships
Note: Reference is made in this episode to the season one episode 'Shadow' and confirms the USS Tigershark (SSN-28) from that episode was Seawolf Class Submarine (Even if the episode in question indicates that she was an 'Improved Seawolf' Class Submarine.) and that the submarine in this episode is a member of the Los Angeles Class. Stock footage used derives at least in part from 'The Hunt For Red October'. The pennant number (Visible on the cap badges.) clashes with that of the Los Angeles Class Submarine USS New York City (SSN-696). This is one of the few episodes where you see the ships crest, the two best shots of it are attached. The only other time I've seen producers go that far is the film 'Danger Beneath The Sea'.

 

[Graham1973]

J.A.G (S05E07), Rogue

United States

USS San Pedro (SSN-780)
Los Angeles Class Submarine
Details as per the real ships
Note: Ships name was last used for a Tacoma Class Frigate in service between 1943 and 1945. A Los Angeles Class Submarine of the same name (With the pennant number SSN-747.) appears in the novel 'Sons of God' (2008) by author Tom Jacobs. The pennant number in the episode clashes with that of the Virginia Class Submarine USS Missouri (SSN-780). Unlike many episodes of J.A.G, due to the plotline used for the episode, no custom cap badges appear to have been created for this ship. The pennant number appears only on computer screens.

USS Ellyson (FFG-19)
Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigate
Details as per the real ships
Note: Represented by footage of USS John A. Moore (FFG-19), which as also used in the Season Three in the episode 'Tiger, Tiger'. The pennant number is as with most fictional ships in the series clearly visible on custom cap badges. (Attached shot is the best one I could get.)

 

[Graham1973]

J.A.G (S05E14) Cabin Pressure

United States

USS Manassas (CG-74)
Ticonderoga Class Cruiser
Details as per the real ships
Note: A Ticonderoga Class Cruiser of the same name appears in the 1983 set novel 'Ship, Captain & Crew' (2012) by Tom Jacobs. In the episode (Assumed to be set in 2000, the year the episode aired.) she is represented using footage of the USS Philippine Sea (CG-58).

USS Suribachi (LST-1186)
Newport Class Tank Landing Ship
Details as per the real ships.
Note: The pennant number is that of the Newport Class Tank Landing Ship USS Cayuga (LST-1186). The Cayuga's name was used for an Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer in the Season Two episode 'Cowboys and Cossacks'. The stock footage used to show her exterior is from an unknown source.

Of note in this episode is that all the footage used appears to be daylight footage altered to appear as if it was shot at night.

 

[pathology_doc]

Patrol Boat (TV series) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

A short lived Australian TV series with two seasons, the first released in 1979, the second in 1983. Used various members of the Attack Class and Fremantle Class of patrol boats during it's run.

I remember that. I used to love that show when I was a kid. The patrol boat parked in Darling Harbour as part of the Maritime Museum was one of the stars of that show. When I asked the guide whether this was the case and he told me yes, my inner child cried tears of joy and I think the outer adult did as well.

Godzilla vs Kong, just released, gives us what looks like an Aegis conversion of an Iowa-class BB... or at least something with triple turrets in A, B and Y positions.

 

[Graham1973]

The other Australian 'Patrol Boat' series, this 2000s effort managed to reach 5 seasons and featured fictonal Freemantle and Armidale Class patrol boats.

Sea Patrol - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Graham1973]

2010: Moby Dick (2010)

This is an Asylum 'Mockbuster', which simply makes use of various names associated with Herman Melville and his fiction in a scenario loosely related to the famous novel. The CGI work for this film is particularly poor and the budget didn't extend to the production of custom crew caps.

USS Acushnet
Skipjack Class
Details as per the real ships.
Sunk: 20/11/69
Note: Class identification based on the visual appearance of the CGI which as I've noted was rather poor. The name does not fit the class.

USS Jeroboam
SSN, class not specified
No other details provided.
Mentioned in a characters backstory, does not take part in the story.

USS Pequod
Virgina Class (Modified)
Details as per the real ships.
Note: Explicitly stated to be of the Virginia Class in dialog. The modifications are described as: "...next generation weapon systems, reinforced hull, top of the line surveillance and counter-surveillance equipment...". Exactly what is meant by this is never specified. The name does not fit the class. The CGI used for this submarine actually better resembles the Seawolf Class.

USS Essex
Ohio Class Submarine
Details as per the real ships
Note: Explicitly identified as an Ohio Class in dialog. The sinking of the whaling ship Essex in 1820 after it was rammed by a Sperm Whale was the direct inspiration for Herman Melville's classic novel 'Moby Dick'. The name of course does not fit the class.

USS Somers
'Aircraft Carrier', class not specified.
Note: There have several ships in US service with this name the last of which was a Forrest Sherman Class Destroyer. However I think the reason this name was picked for use in the film was due to the fact that the 1842 Brig of that name suffered a mutiny that is believed to have inspired Herman Melville to write 'Billy Budd'.

 

[Rhinocrates]

TV actually, HMS Vigil, a Vanguard-class SSBN. It's a submarine, so true to cliche, it's always dimly lit. The onshore bits are in Glasgow, so.... 'There's been a murrrdurrr.' Disappointingly, so far one detective has not said that she likes biting because it's like kissing with teeth, another has not said 'You know nothing', the EO hasn't exposed himself in the mess, and an admiral has not corrected anyone's grammar.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWV-j_9FAw4

 

[PMN1]

TV actually, HMS Vigil, a Vanguard-class SSBN. It's a submarine, so true to cliche, it's always dimly lit. The onshore bits are in Glasgow, so.... 'There's been a murrrdurrr.' Disappointingly, so far one detective has not said that she likes biting because it's like kissing with teeth, another has not said 'You know nothing', the EO hasn't exposed himself in the mess, and an admiral has not corrected anyone's grammar.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWV-j_9FAw4

Apparently the insides were modelled on The Red October as the RN declined to assist.

 

[Hood]

Apparently the insides were modelled on The Red October as the RN declined to assist.

Well the Red October was captained by a Scotch Russian after all.

 

[sferrin]

A US Belknap class cruiser was in Firefox.

 

[NOMISYRRUC]

HMS Cerberus a C class submarine from the BBC Radio play The Light of a Thousand Suns by James Follett. It's a cross between Dr Strangelove, Fail Safe and Day of the Triffids.

 

[NOMISYRRUC]

Warship (1973 TV series) - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Back in the 70s BBC made a series about a Leander class frigate called HMS Hero. HMS Phoebe (F42) played the main part, but according to Wik six other RN Leanders and RAN Derwent also played her.

You beat me to it!

Series One opening titles.

Episode written by Robert Homes my favourite Dr Who and Blake's Seven writer.

Trailer for the Series One DVD featuring Don Henderson

Ian Mackintosh one of the co-creators of the show went on to do The Sandbaggers.

Bryan Marshall who played Commander Alan Douglas Glenn HMS Hero's second commander was also the captain of HMS Ranger in The Spy Who Loved Me.

I remember watching the Blue Peter report that's mentioned in the Wikipaedia article.

Link to Series 4 Episode 11 that has Patrick Troughton as the guest star.

Around the same time David Troughton was appearing in the BBCTV series Wings which I recommend highly.

Can anyone confirm or deny whether James Cosmo was in Warship?

 

[NOMISYRRUC]

One for @Archibald

I'm cheating because this is a real warship (FFS Foch) appearing in the French TV series Les Chevaliers du Ceil which in turn was based on Tanguy et Laverdure, a comics series by Jean-Michel Charlier and Albert Uderzo (of Astérix fame).

It was shown on the BBC in the early 1970s as a children's programme. They renamed it The Aeronauts, dubbed it into English and the theme song sung by Johnny Hallyday was replaced by The High Flying Aeronauts sung by Rick Jones who was a Playschool presenter and was also Yoffy in Fingerbobs.

 

[NOMISYRRUC]

From the 14th episode of second season of J.A.G 'Cowboys and Cossacks'

USS Cayuga (DDG-51)
Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer
Details as per the real ships
Note: Pennant number (Clearly visible on Crew Caps.) is that of the lead ship of the Arleigh Burke Class stock footage of which was used in several TV series around this time. Ships name is that of Newport Class Tank Landing Ship USS Cayuga (LST-1186) which was in service (1970 - 1994). The TV series J. A. G. aired between 1995 and 2005.

Vasiliev
Sovremennyy (Pr.1156) Class Destroyer (Note: This class identification is based on statistics that are given part way through the episode which match those of this class. )
Details as per the real ships
Commissioned: 1980 (The first class member comissioned in 1980, this fictional ship would therefore be the second member of the class.)
Note: Stock footage used to represent this ship appears to be that of a British Type 42 Destroyer, source unknown. Other footage used is that of Type 21 Frigate HMS Antelope (F170) exploding dating from the Falklands War.

USS Wayne was also the American submarine in The Spy Who Loved Me in which Shane Rimmer uttered the immortal line...

"What's the matter, sailor? You never seen a major taking a shower before?"

Was HMS Fearless playing herself or a fictional British amphibious assault ship in that film?