Duel of the Ironclads: USS Monitor and CSS Virginia at Hampton Roads 1862 (General Military) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I thought this was a great read. Splendid illustrations, well written text. Qucik, easy, and enjoyable. I wanted to know more about the famous battle between the Monitor and Viginia, but didn't want to be bogged down with the text, and I wanted a well illustrated volume. I'm sure that this subject has been written on to no end, but I was more than pleased with this work.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Duel of the Ironclads: USS Monitor and CSS Virginia at Hampton Roads 1862 (General Military)

Previously published in three separate volumes as Campaign 103: Hampton Roads 1862, New Vanguard 41: Confederate Ironclad 1861-65 and New Vanguard 45: Union Monitor 1861-65.When the ironclad USS Monitor steamed out to meet the CSS Virginia on 9 March 1862, the face of naval warfare was changed forever. A four-hour duel left neither ship victorious, but in the wake of the battle wooden warships were rendered obsolete. This book details the clash at Hampton Roads, as well as tracing the development of ironclads within the Union and Confederate fleets. Union ironclads evolved quickly from the time of the production of the Monitor, so that by the end of the war the US Navy possessed the most powerful artillery afloat. The Confederate fleet, meanwhile, was born out of the hulks of existing vessels in naval yards and backwaters within sight of the enemy - its very existence was a tribute to the ingenuity of Southern shipbuilders.

Click here for more information about Duel of the Ironclads: USS Monitor and CSS Virginia at Hampton Roads 1862 (General Military)

Read More...

Trafalgar and the Spanish Navy: The Spanish Experience of Sea Power Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)While the author has made the point that there were many fine officers in the Spanish Navy, and that there were many excellent ships, the facts indicate that this combination was never capitalised upon, and the result was invariably disasterous. The best of leaders can only do so much with what they are given, and in the case of Spain, this meant far too few seamen, far too much influence by the Army, far too little training for crews, and some of the worst treatment imaginable. There is no point in building enormous warships if they cannot be effectively manned! Further, it is well-documented that ships of the line of the Spanish navy, although enormous in size, were laughably undergunned compared to their contemporaries. This is not made clear in this book. That said, it would also be of enormous benefit to view some of the plans and profiles of these ships, so as to compare them with their British and French contemporaries. Dozens of books have been written about HMS Victory and other Royal Navy ship types, but almost nothing about the ships of the other navies of the time, and even less in English! It is a great pity the author chose to use so many primitive contemporary Spanish paintings for illustration rather than something either commissioned for the book (expensive, no doubt!), or obtained with a bit more research into what is available.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Trafalgar and the Spanish Navy: The Spanish Experience of Sea Power

Back by popular demand, this dramatic appraisal of the Spanish Navy and its defeat by the British at Trafalgar in 1805 disproves many long-held beliefs about the competence of the Spanish fleet. The author examines the factors that shaped the development of the Spanish Navy in the eighteenth century and maintains that the well-built ships and skilled forces were nowhere near as ineffective as they are usually represented. The book includes specifics of Spanish warship design and construction and is illustrated with beautiful contemporary plans, engravings, and photographs of ship models, some in full color. 208 pages. 120 illustrations. Hardcover. 8 x 10 1/2 inches.

Click here for more information about Trafalgar and the Spanish Navy: The Spanish Experience of Sea Power

Read More...

Gray Ghosts: U.S. Navy and Marine Corps F4 Phantoms Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The entire focus of this book is the personal experiences of flight crews who flew the Phantom. I find it a refreshing break from the typical aviation book laden with boring and dry technical jargon. The personal anecdotes of how this awesome aircraft started out as a fleet defense fighter and was eventually used as almost everything else is much more interesting.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Gray Ghosts: U.S. Navy and Marine Corps F4 Phantoms

This new study of the sea-going Phantoms includes contributions from over a hundred aircrew and maintainers who were involved in the Phantoms success from the earliest service development flying to its twilight years in the Reserve units. There are personal accounts of MiG battles from more than a dozen MiG killers, first-hand descriptions of the F-4s introduction into combat with the Marines as a CAS and reconnaissance aircraft, memories of Bear intercepts on Mediterranean cruises, narratives covering the aircrafts service into the 1980s, and much more. These voices are blended with a detailed technical and developmental description of the aircraft, supported by comprehensive appendices and over 450 photos in color and black and white.

Get 24% OFF

Click here for more information about Gray Ghosts: U.S. Navy and Marine Corps F4 Phantoms

Read More...