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A VERY, VERY Initial review of Friedman's "The British Battleship 1906-1946
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First, the "health warning" - this is based on an INITIAL 2-hour skim through. I ONLY really looked at the parts covering from the Nelson class onwards and three-quarters of an hour was just looking at the appropriate notes (!) MUCH, much more reading is required (and recommended).
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Right, the first thing to say is that this book is DENSE, there is an awful lot in the book and the notes are fascinating - I went from one to another just reading and learning (and I regard myself as well read on this subject).
The book is in Friedman's normal style, with a good selection of photos (a large minority of which I had not seen, but maybe others have). There are numerous drawings and some colour "as builts" - more later.
The text covers general design matters, plus specific classes (initial design and modifications) with bits of politics, strategy, etc.... where relevant so the book SEEMS to cover most matters (much more reading required) for someone who want a single comprehensive book on the matter.
I had some matters which I "wanted" to see, either things that needed clarification or things that I hadn't found. Thankfully most of my initial list SEEM to be included. Friedman deals with the Nelson's manoeuvrability explaining that experience found them perfectly acceptable. He explains the actual decision for choosing the heavy external "vertical" belt for the KGVs over the extended internal angled belt. He covers the proposed mods to Nelson with US 5-inch turrets (both 5-inch/54s and 5-inch/38s) and indeed (MUCH TO MY PLEASURE) he has found a small photo of a the proposed 8 x 5"/38 as a wind tunnel model, it is small, but should inspire many modellers. (Unfortunately he doesn't SEEM to mention the proposed mods to Warspite to upgrade the AA, including an additional 4 x twin 4-inch turrets (making a total of 8 twins) plus better directors and more light AA.) Another long sought for query (the layout of the 10 4.5-inch BD turrets in the initial KGV designs) is answered by Friedman saying that they all above the shelter deck "as per Renown".
The KGV section is concise (but other books cover the detail, but the 1938 Lions and Vanguard are well covered (I couldn't find a drawing of the 1942 Lion however ????????). One oddity is that the lengthy discussions regarding the placement of Vanguard's Y-turret and the problems of hull width, side protection width and hydrodynamic efficiency are mostly glossed over.
There are plenty of pages given over to other designs and DESERVEDLY (considering the amount of work that was put into them, and their consequences for the KGVs and Lions) the various 12-inch designs from post-Nelson to (just) before the KGVs (indeed the KGVs are almost just an upsizing exercise). Anyone interested in the evolution of designs and the various by-ways of design should find this fascinating.
So, all that leads to a really good book. Now, however to more good and, possibly, bad bits, the drawings.
First, to be positive, there are lots of drawings and they SEEM to cover most of what people want. However they are almost all reproduced across the single page meaning that they are reasonably small, but basic layouts and important fittings can be located. There are a few exceptions to that rule. The front and end papers have drawings going over the gutted and as they are onto the hardcovers they can fold out pretty flat - these cover Neptune, as built, side and plan and Vanguard, 1954, again side and plan. In the middle of the book is a colour section of side-view as-builts in various types of fold-outs - these are mini works of art. There are single pages of Canada, St Vincent, Barham and Warspite (a bit small for me, but others may like them better). New Zealand, Courageous, Rodney and KGV all get an "across the gutter" two page spread - they are large enough, and lovely to me. Princess Royal, Iron Duke, Repulse and Renown get a three page layout - one "across the gutter" pair which extends across a gate fold extra "page" (the Repulse and refitted Renown are reproduced above/below each other which is very useful). This arrangement allows the centre-fold of the book to be a four-page (with the middle two being "across the gutter") of HMS Valiant. So, beautiful but odd.
That's the good, the poor (I would hardly say bad) is that the simple line drawings seem a little odd to me, a little grey and "fuzzy"..... this SEEMS to be caused by a combination of light printing (either the ink chosen or the weight of line being rather small (????????) with the dread modern curse of "pixellation" the curves seem to be coming out as, mostly line with small steps. It isn't awful, but it is a shame for model makers.
DON'T let that last bit put you off, the book is a marvel, and it really does contain a vast wealth of detail. I look forward to a good couple of weeks to read it cover-to-cover. Buy it, it's well worth the ridiculous small sum it cost.
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