The Ship Model Forum

I am looking for references on IJN subjects, specially cruisers and destroyers. Don't need an encyclopedic type where each ship gets a page coverage with just 1 or 2 photos. Need some depth, preferably up-close photos and the ship's refit history, weapons/radar config. Is Watt's book worth the $$?

Watt's book is precisely the encyclopedic type. Each class will get nothing more then 2 or 3 pages maximum cover (depending of the importance of the class of course) and photos are mostly general/famous ones. Information of the ships of each class is the overall technical data usual in encyclopedic books plus some History and fate of the ships during the war. If you need some in depth information you should probably go a bit more specific in ship types. For instance if you need in depth information on IJN cruisers then you should get Lacroix and Wells book which details very well ship's refits and configurations during their career.

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"Build few and build fast,
Each one better than the last"
John Fisher

Is the book worth the cost is very subjective. I have had my copy for over 35 years and still refer to it and the other books in the series for other navies of the same size "references". They are just easy to use in looking up basic information like which ships were in a class, etc. The photos are normally overall views and on the small size since the books are small sized themselves. I have many other books that have much better and more detailed information, but these little books still have value to me. If the seller wants say $100 ... it isn't worth it ... if they want $10 buy it ... in between ... what are you willing to pay?

This book was one of my most referred-to "ship bibles" when it was just into its second printing (and longer ago than I care to admit I was around!). It's pretty darn good for its size, and in its original deep-red, hardbound cover with fine, glossy paper, held up to much wear and tear for decades.

My only complaint about Watts' book is some erroneous information it contains, regarding a certain IJN destroyer's late-war AA armament changes which, after the advent of the Internet and the cornucopia of more accurate information that followed, caused me some minor grief when I cited it as a reference (not the first time that has happened, by the way ).

That's a pretty respectable record, for a book of over 40 years' standing, IMO.

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Danny DON'T "waterline"...!

There are two editions. The later one, circa 1970, is slightly larger format and updated. I still have the original, which has better quality photos, IIRC.