British Warships of the Second World War (Blueprint Series (Annapolis, MD.).) (Hardcover)

~ John Roberts (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Although World War II warships have been the subject of many books, it is extremely difficult to find reproductions of the plans from which the ships were built, converted, or refitted. This large-format volume showcases a representative sampling of British ship plans from the archives of the National Maritime Museum collection at Greenwich, England. The author includes both pre-war and wartime plans of the principle classes--from aircraft carriers and battleships down to corvettes and landing craft. Each plan is reproduced at a size that ensures the relevant details of the vessel are visible. The largest vessels are represented over multiple pages that illuminate the complexity of the ships and their wartime modifications. For technical historians and ship modelers, this book is a unique primary source. For those with a general interest in ships, it is an attractive visual survey.

About the Author

John Roberts, a leading authority on warship design and development, has written numerous books on the subject, including Battlecruisers.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: US Naval Institute Press (March 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 155750220X
• ISBN-13: 978-1557502209
• Product Dimensions: 11.7 x 9.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,585,428 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars It's a blueprint book; has no line drawings., June 6, 2001

By	Brookworld "Brookworld" (Silicon Valley, CA) - See all my reviews

John Roberts authored several outstanding books, including "Battlecruisers" by Conway's. Although prominently labeled as a "blueprint" book, I was surprised to discover the photos of blueprints are unreadable. I mistakenly expected line drawings (which are outstanding in his Battlecruiser book); there are none here. Even the 2-page wide blueprints are unreadable; details & labels couldn't be read. The primary purpose of this book appears to be a compilation of blueprints, which are themselves, valuable & historical documents. In this respect, the is similar to an art book -- it replicates original source that is available only in a museum. The text doesn't contain new material, but it is valuable in that it more detailed than "survey" type books but less exhaustive than the in-depth "class" books such as Garzke's battleship series and Friedman's US Navy class ships series. The book covers major warship types that served during WWII, beginning with Rodney/Nelson class, with some reference to Queen Elizabeth class modernizations. I found the text most valuable in describing the design objectives & limitations rather than a description without context (example: HMS Rodney & Nelson are described within the Washington Treaty 35,0000 ton limitation). As I write this without the book in front of me, I don't recall seeing any photographs (besides photos of blueprints), which would be a major disappointment. It's difficult to pass up a book by such an expert as John Roberts, but this may be a candidate. I think the objective of the book is to display blueprint documents that readers could only see if they visited or had access to the Maritime Museum in Greenwich, UK. Had Roberts added a line drawing to each class (and an accompanying photo), I would recommend this book rather than give a marginal approval.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent item for the technically minded., January 30, 2002

By	Ned Middleton (British professional underwater photo-journalist & author) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: British Warships of the Second World War (Blueprint Series) (Hardcover)

This "Blueprint Series" of books are produced in conjunction with the British National Maritime Museum and, as the title and series name suggest, this is a collection of blueprints and associated technical information on various types of British Warship from WW2.

With regard to the previous review, this book is exactly what it says it is. Of course, original blueprints are, by their very nature, large and unwieldy and only a book with the most impractical dimensions could reproduce such documents on a scale of 1:1. For those who wish to get a closer look at the Blueprints contained within this book, however, all they need do is contact the British National Maritime Museum who do provide copies.

This is a large, hardback coffee-table book containing over 150 pages of solid technical information with one or two blueprints across almost every page (there are 80 altogether). In a very professional style, John Roberts analyses the design and function of these ships using a selection of original plans from the collection at the NMM.

The opening chapter on Warship Design in Peace and War, is followed by a detailed examination of; Capital Ships, Aircraft Carriers, Cruisers, Destroyers, Escorts, Submarines, Minelayers, Minesweepers, Monitors, Amphibious Vessels, Trawlers, Depot Ships, MTBs and Auxiliary AA ships. With a wide selection of blueprints from above, the side and specific sections, coupled with detailed information on building, armament, displacement, dimensions, machinery, compliment etc, this is a book for the seriously minded researcher who will find it quite invaluable.

NM