Battleships of the Scharnhorst Class, Seaforth

WARSHIPS OF THE KRIEGSMARINE: Battleships of the Scharnhorst Class.

The warships of the World War II era German Navy are among the most popular subject in naval history with an almost uncountable number of books devoted to them. However, for a concise but authoritative summary of the design history and careers of the major surface ships it is difficult to beat a series of six volumes written by Gerhard Koop and illustrated by Klaus-Peter Schmolke. Each contains an account of the development of a particular class, a detailed description of the ships, with full technical details, and an outline of their service, heavily illustrated with plans, battle maps and a substantial collection of photographs. These have been out of print for ten years or more and are now much sought after by enthusiasts and collectors, so this new modestly priced reprint of the series will be widely welcomed.

Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, the subject of this volume, were the product of a long, involved and politically determined design process that saw them develop from an improved Pocket Battleship to what many described as a battlecruiser, although they were really fast battleships. They were the most active, and successful, of the Kriegesmarine's major warships, taking part in numerous famous operations, including the infamous 'Channel Dash'.

Authors: Gerhard Koop, Klaus- Peter Schmolke

Publisher: Seaforth Publishing (2009)

Description: 175 pages, Paperback, 242 X 190 mm 

Condition: NEW COPY.

Shipping weight: 0.7 Kg.

Reviews:

• This is an excellent history of these famous German warships, and will be of value to anyone with an interest in naval warfare. (History of War)
• This classic work, which was first published in 1991, is widely considered to be the best concise history of the development, design details and careers of the two fast battleships that formed the backbone of the German surface fleet in 1939. The text is profusely illustrated with photographs, plans and maps. Excellent value for money and recommended. (Marine News)
• An ace information source for all naval enthusiasts - can't think of a better source of information on the subject. (Firetrench)
• The book is richly illustrated with over 300 photographs, plans and maps, with many of the photographs being detailed close-ups of damage, equipment and life on board. Overall, it is a most thorough account of these two ships, well recommended for the general reader and essential for anyone with a particular interest in the World War 2 German Navy. (Warship World)
• These superb books have been repackaged by Seaforth Publishing from the German language originals produced in the 1990s. Billed as concise, they offer an immensely interesting look at different types of vessels in Nazi service and cover the full aspect of these ships from drawing board to destiny. The individual ship histories are fascinating and there is a wealth of detail that should satisfy any bathtub admiral playing battleships with the soap and sponge.  Seaforth naval books have always been a welcome sight on my doormat and these titles entirely live up to the standard aficionados will recognise. I cannot fault them. (War History Online)

Tags: KRIEGSMARINE, BATTLESHIPS, BATTLECRUISERS