The Ship Model Forum

I have recently purchased several volumes of the "Navies of the Second World War" series, published in Britain by MacDonald and the US under the Doubleday name from 1965 to 1975 or so. I now have twenty volumes on the Japanese, British, American, German, and Dutch navies. Some of the volumes make reference to further volumes to be published on the Regia Marina, but I have never seen them. Does anyone have or know of the complete list of volumes in this series?

At least the FRENCH and SOVIET navies were also covered in two volumes for each navy.

Oh, yes, of course. Forgot about those; they're in the stack, too. I also forgot to mention that I have individual books of a similar format on cruise liners and tankers, too. I'm just looking to find out if a list of the entire series exists anywhere, and especially if volumes exist on the Regia Marina.

I believe the last "published" volume I have in the series was the AMERICAN SUBMARINES 1973 and on the back cover they list:

4 vol. GERMAN WARSHIPS
4 vol. AMERICAN WARSHIPS
5 vol. BRITISH WARSHIPS
2 vol. FRENCH WARSHIPS
1 vol. NETHERLANDS WARSHIPS
2 vol. JAPANESE WARSHIPS
2 vol. SOVIET WARSHIPS


Several other volumes were listed as future to the above for "lesser" units (Gunboats, Sloops, etc.), but I have never seen these and suspect they were not published.

So I come up with 20 volumes in my "collection".

Thanks, Rick! I think that is the definitive word, as I have never seen the "forthcoming" books on the sloops, etc. either. So there were 20 volumes in the series. Thanks again for your info!

What is the content of those books? Photographs, stories, plans?

_________________
If all else fails, a complete pig-headed refusal to see facts in the face will see us through. - General Melchett

These are small format (6.25-inches by 4.375-inches) reference books with tabulated data by type/class with basic information on building and fates as of date published. There are small photos, some small basic drawings, and a short write-up on the classes and their armament. There are many errors given better information available some 40 years later. Conway's books are better, but occasionally there are photos not available elsewhere and some navies are less well covered elsewhere (Dutch).

'Have had 13 volumes since the early 70s and am hanging onto them. Occasional light refernce reading.

Yes, there are errors. Yes, there also are good specs and some "interesting"...if not always agreeable insights and opinions by the authors.