Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Iowa Class Battleships and Alaska Class Large Cruisers Conversion Projects 1942-1964

by Wayne Scarpaci Nimble Books 978193480382 Softcover 31 pages.
This book presents an overview of proposed conversions of the Iowa class battleships and Alaska class large cruisers from 1942 to 1964. This book covers 16 conversions, with line drawings and full color original art illustrations for 11 of 16 proposed projects. Coverage extends from MACK-equipped double-ended Talos Guided Missile Battleship designs to Jupiter-IRBM-carrying "Missile Monitor" designs. This is a truly unique volume that provides not only new proposed conversion information, but a look at the ongoing US Navy modernization and experimentation projects of the early postwar/cold war era. This book is a must for those who have an interest in battleships in general and the Iowa class in particular.
Nevada artist Wayne Scarpaci has a passion for the history of battleships and has undertaken a series of drawings and paintings. This book takes a look at planned conversions for Iowa and Alaska class ships. The conversions would’ve been for aircraft carriers, assault ships and missile platforms. This book is not a definitive study in the manner of the works of Dr Norman Friedman. The shortness of the book, which is akin to a magazine in stature, is surprising. A better use probably would have been to have a pictorial book of Mr Scarpaci’s artwork. The price of about $23 for what is essentially a 26 page book will limit this to the most ardent of battleship aficionados.

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