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From the early nineteenth century up until the Falklands
War, liners have been used by the world's navies in troop carrying and
in armed merchant cruisers (AMC) capabilities. This book, as the title
suggests, concentrates on the great liners and the roles that were thrust
upon them making them even greater. Starting with an overview of how events in tandem with advances in ship technology conspired to make these ships a military asset in various wars and in gunboat diplomacy, it then goes on to cover the following liners in great detail. Great Eastern, Kronprinz Wilhelm/USS Von Steuben, Carmania, Lusitania, Vaterland/USS Leviathan, Aquitania, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Elizabeth II. It also makes mention of various other ships throughout the book eg: SS Canberra although "demoted" to a cruise ship receives a passing note of her sterling service in the Falklands, the Mauretania is also discussed and has a photo of her WW1 dazzle guise as well. The book (published by Motorbooks International in 1996) is lavishly illustrated which many photos throughout its 160 pages, many of which will be of great help to the modeller who wishes to model the ships in peacetime or war. While there are also some drawings of the schemes worn by these ships, modellers looking for detailed line drawings and camouflage schemes will have to look elsewhere. |
| All in all a fine book with which to start a liner library, I highly recommend it. | |