AMP - Accurate Model Parts

SEA => SUBS: Gato => BuSHIPS => Topic started by: aptivaboy on 01 Nov , 2011, 21:59

Title: Any opinions on these books?
Post by: aptivaboy on 01 Nov , 2011, 21:59
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/32-in-44-Building-the-Portsmouth-Submarine-Fleet-in-WWII/Rodney-K-Watterson/e/9781591149538

and

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Surface-and-Destroy/Michael-Sturma/e/9780813129969

I thought before I shelled out my hard earned cash, I'd ask for opinions. Has anyone read these? Any opinions? Reviews?

Thanks,

Robert
Title: Re: Any opinions on these books?
Post by: Rokket on 03 Nov , 2011, 05:20
I haven't heard of these, but the surface attack - I read Sturma's FLIER and it was excellent, so you should enjoy this one. He obviously loves subs and Gatos. If it were me, I'd go for both, but i used. Post a review if you get them!
Title: Re: Any opinions on these books?
Post by: aptivaboy on 25 Nov , 2011, 22:58
The Portsmouth book: its really more of a history of the yard itself, not of the boats built here. Modelers won't get much, if any, insight into Gato details, but if you're interested in management, labor relations, and the various administrative facets of running a major shipyard, then this book will be a slightly dry but interesting read.

Gun actions: a fun read. It actually does go into the moral issues inherent in gun attacks against often undefended sampans. It also offers a fairly different account of the Wahoo/Morton convoy gun action from a crewman's illegal to keep on-board personal diary, which if true, does make one whisper the words, "war crimes." The details of the various gun actions can be fairly chilling, at times. modelers will not see any real discussion of the gun armament carried, the various gun fits, etc. This book is really about the gun actions themselves, US Navy policy on them, morality, and so on.

Basically, buy them if their subjects interest you. Don't look to them for modeling information. Both include photos that are fairly stock; you can find most of them at places like Navsource, the NHS, etc. That isn't meant as a criticism; the text is meant to tell the story, no the photos.