Iowa Class Battleships And Alaska Class Large Cruisers Conversion Projects 1942-1964: An Illustrated Technical Reference [Paperback]

Wayne Scarpaci (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1934840386 | ISBN-13: 978-1934840382 | Publication Date: April 18, 2008

This book presents an overview of proposed conversions of the Iowa class battleships and Alaska class large cruisers from 1942 to 1964. This book covers 16 conversions, with line drawings and full color original art illustrations for 11 of 16 proposed projects. Coverage extends from MACK-equipped double-ended Talos Guided Missile Battleship designs to Jupiter-IRBM-carrying "Missile Monitor" designs. This is a truly unique volume that provides not only new proposed conversion information, but a look at the ongoing US Navy modernization and experimentation projects of the early postwar/cold war era. This book is a must for those who have an interest in battleships in general and the Iowa class in particular.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Born in 1950 into a career Navy family at Glendale, California, I grew up around ships and naval bases. I started with my art by drawing the ships I was seeing at age five years ? and I have continued to the present. My art skills are entirely self-taught. In the late 1960s I served in the Army?s Nike Hercules Missile Program and in the California Army National Guard. After a career as a computer engineering technician working largely on military projects, my India-born wife, Swarn, and I relocated in 2005 to the Eastern Sierra Nevada.

Product Details

• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: Nimble Books LLC (April 18, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1934840386
• ISBN-13: 978-1934840382
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,389,168 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in Glendale Ca into a career Navy Family..I grew up on and around naval stations...I lived on Guam, in Manassas VA, and San Diego CA....In 1966 I enlisted in the Army's Nike Missile Program and was stationed in Germany ...After discharge I worked as a computer engineering technician on many military and civilian projects in the San Diego Area...As well as on projects in Texas, Oregon, Nevada, New Jersey, and Greenland...I worked on many varied projects and aboard many ships...In the early 1970's I worked at the Ballistic Missile Early Warning Site I Complex in Thule Greenland ....In the mid 1970's I worked aboard the USS Kitty Hawk CVA63 for an extended cruise deployment......My first gym workout was at a 'Charles Atlas' gym in National City CA at age 14...then it was on to 'Vic Tanneys'.... I always had a home weight set and over the years I tried to maintain a fair level of Physical Fitness...And after wrestling for years with my weight I developed the fitness and nutrition program that is presented in my newest book 'Dynamic Fitness over 60'...(Know that I am now 61 years old 5'9" with a 31" waist, 11% bodyfat, benching 250lbs)....In 2005 my India born wife Swarn and I relocated to Northern Nevada..Where I starting writing in 2007, completing my first title in Apr 2008....I currently have 5 warship technical reference titles published...'Dynamic Fitness over 60' is my first Fitness and Nutrition title....When not writing my wife and I enjoy traveling the beautiful empty expanses of Northern Nevada, and the Great Basin that we have come to love so much.....For us it is as our state song says: "Home Means Nevada" ....We currently reside near Carson City NV with our two cats (kids) Cozy and Dakota...Please be sure to visit my website at www.fitnessbywayne.com for great recipes, nutrition and workout tips...Stay Healthy Wayne

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not worth $1 per page, July 9, 2008

By 

Thomas Pope (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Iowa Class Battleships And Alaska Class Large Cruisers Conversion Projects 1942-1964: An Illustrated Technical Reference (Paperback)

With 24 pages of real content (not counting index, title page, colophon, blank pages at the end) and a large typesize at that, I was very disappointed in this book.

Each conversion project was given at most two paragraphs of attention, while every other one got a nice piece of lineart and a full color painting. The projects themselves were interesting and informative, but there is only so much you can learn in a single paragraph.

Were it not for the illustrations and artwork (which are all beautiful) I would have given this one star. Were it half the price I would have given it three.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Way overpriced!, December 24, 2008

By 

Ian Roberts - See all my reviews

This review is from: Iowa Class Battleships And Alaska Class Large Cruisers Conversion Projects 1942-1964: An Illustrated Technical Reference (Paperback)

I'm a big fan of the Alaska class cruisers and I've spent a lot of time researching them, so any time a new book appears about them I buy it!

However, I must say that I am not exactly impressed with these "Nimble Books", as they are extremely pricey for what you get. The book itself is 38 pages long, of which only 24 actually contain information about the subject at hand. Five pages after the content ends are filled with information about the publisher and then followed with seven blank filler pages. The entire publication just sort of seems like it was put together by a teenager for a history project; there are many typos and misspellings that are quite easy to catch. Perhaps a new editor is called for? One thing that grates on my nerves is the author's use of the abbreviation "MACK" in all capitals; "mack" is a combination of "mast" and "stack" and, therefore, does not need to be capitalized!

The data provided about the conversion projects is interesting enough and it does an alright job of explaining them in detail. The paintings are nice, and the line drawings are just sort of decent... they are shown at such a small size as to be almost irrelevant; no detail is visible and one only gets a basic idea of what's going on with each conversion project.

I would recommend a prospective buyer to just save their money, or wait until the book decreases in price.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Iowa Class conversions review, September 8, 2008

By 

Stephen R. Taylor "Steve" (Cabarita, New South Wales Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Iowa Class Battleships And Alaska Class Large Cruisers Conversion Projects 1942-1964: An Illustrated Technical Reference (Paperback)

This is unfortunately one of the most disappointing books I have read on these great warships. The text is very loosely spaced and occupies barely 21 pages, with very few illustrations. The only positive are the paintings of the possible look of the ships as modified in service.
The text does not even cover the Vietnam era updates or the other possible conversions considered in the 1970's and 1980's, which would have made it more worthwhile.
A very limited book and a great disappointment, and very poor value as well.
I returned it immediately.