Customer Reviews

Type XXI U-Boat (Anatomy of the Ship)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I found this book to be not as good as I had expected. I am not saying that it is bad. It is a very good book to have on the XXI.

I am an Engineer by trade, a history buff and modeller by choice.

As an Engineer this book was a bit of a let down.
As a history buff, on a very focused topic, it was good.
As a modeller (RC submarines) it was excellent.

The first in the series not to be written specifically as an 'Anatomy' Volume, but a translation of another language (German). A relevant language considering Kohl served on U-boats and a gifted artist, and Rossler a historian. I won't go into the history of the whole u-boat war as this book doesn't, read the two volume history of the U-Boat war by Blair Clay Jr. for true insight.

This volume covers a basic history, but unlike the usual volumes, does not contain the technical data one would expect and has a somewhat melencoly presentation of a great weapon that was never given it's opportunity to shine as a comerce raider against unarmed merchantmen. A great deal of time and photos are dedicated to bomb damage to construction yards and unfinished u-boats by US and UK bombers.

The line drawings are as usual excellent, and one is somewhat disappointed by the lack of overall expertise in presentation we expect from this wonderful series. In all, a good buy as a collectable, but if you are not, get a cheaper option.

I found this book to be not as good as I had expected. I am not saying that it is bad. It is a very good book to have on the XXI.

I am an Engineer by trade, a history buff and modeller by choice.

As an Engineer this book was a bit of a let down.
As a history buff, on a very focused topic, it was good.
As a modeller (RC submarines) it was excellent.

This is the fourth book in the truly excellent "Anatomy of the Ship" series which I have been asked to study and review. Whilst I was already familiar with the Type VII U-Boat, this was not the case with the Type XXI - so I had to do some additional research into the vessel before embarking on this review - which, incidentally, refers to the new "revised" edition of the book produced in late 2002.

As with the V1 and V2 rockets, the Type XXI U-Boat was, much needed by Germany in the closing stages of World War Two but arrived too late to save them from defeat. It was an all-electric submarine and the closest it came to serious warfare was when U-2511 - having already received the order to cease hostilities, carried out a successful mock attack on a heavily defended British Cruiser without being detected. As the book quite rightly asserts, had this weapon appeared a few years earlier, the fierce battle of the Atlantic might have had a very different outcome.

Conway Maritime Press are well known for their "Anatomy of the Ship" series in which they provide the finest technical documentation for specific ships or ship types ever published. "The Type XXI U-Boat" is hard-back measuring 10¼" (wide) x 9¾" with 127 pages of detailed and factual information. This wide format allows the publishers to produce first class detailed line drawings of every aspect of the ship in a size that is easy to see and follow. All the information is right there.

Commencing with a potted history of how the type XXI came into being, we are then treated to a series of "Tables" which provide us with such technical details as; Design particulars, weights, boats delivered and commissioned and what happened after the war. This is followed by a chapter entitled "Construction" in which the publishers have reproduced 10 pages of stunning historic photographs - some of which still show their post-war classification of "Confidential." After a short chapter on the SU and CHG underwater detection equipment we are then treated to another 36 pages of historic photographs - showing almost every aspect of this type of vessel, before coming to 69 pages of detailed line drawings.

And once again, the information is very technical, very detailed and, by all accounts, very accurate. Under the first main heading "General arrangement and external appearance" we have drawing after drawing showing every aspect of the Type XXI in 1944 itemising each of the slight changes made as the vessel evolved throughout the planning and design process. Not only is the entire hull shown in both elevation, plan and cross-section, there are individual close-ups showing different aspects of the bridge layout and deck gun configurations. Then everything is repeated for the internal features both longitudinally and by cross section before concluding with a close examination of the conning tower and Junkers air compressor. Finally the book includes the internal arrangements and main deck plans of the "Wilhelm Bauer" - the only Type XXI submarine to have been restored and which is on display in Bremerhaven.

Like it's sister book on the Type VII U-Boat, this is not about what this or that specific vessel achieved - although they do all get a mention. As the title suggests, this is a book about the design and construction of a "Type" of ship and, yet again, I find myself congratulating both the authors and publishers for a job well done.

NM

I bought this book to help with a cut away model of a Type XXI that I am currently building. I only have one other of the "Anatomy of the Ship" series: "Type VII U-Boat" so I didn't have any expectations of the book format. Although it may differ from their normal layout, it has everything I need. And a lot more.
To help with the layout and accuracy, I find this book indispensable. The photos and drawings are excellent, especially helpful since the instructions with the model (Revell #05078) are a little off.
I have built five other sub models and have 16 other books on submarines: primarily U-boats. I feel that the "Type XXI U-Boat" was a necessary addition to my collection. Well worth the money. Glad I bought it.

Technically speaking now, this is the book for the type 21. Not a lot of background and battle history, but thats not the scope of this book. It is basically a technical book describing and modeling every inch of the type 21. Could have a bit more pictures but the technical drawings are great and the explainations and descriptions of equipment and areas of the subs are excellent. Recommended.