Vanguard Series
Author: Angus Konstam
Price: £9.99
Our thanks to Osprey Publishing for supplying our review copy. Get this excellent reference book here now at: www.ospreypublishing.com
I was round Bill Curtis’s place a few weeks back when to my huge delight and surprise he handed me the subject book. Presented in Osprey’s inimitable booklet style which must now be familiar to all it screams read me from first sight of the cover, a magnificent piece of Artwork by Paul Wright. Angus Konstam, the author, well known to Osprey fans, is a noted naval historian whom with this book clearly has a passion for his subject; and it shows from page 1.
The book covers the design and development, specifications and operations of 12 classes of RN Light Cruisers. The text covers a class by class approach is easy to read and informative if limited by the size of the volume. The black and white photography is all new to me and is well chosen and evocative. As a modeller I particularly like the different ways the turrets are shown and also rigging and signal flags are helpful too as these are often neglected areas of model kits.
The standouts for me though are Paul Wright’s drawings. They are magnificent and again as a modeller not only are they offered in great detail but genuinely inspiring. The side plates are fantastic but the close up of a cruiser deck in line abreast with a sister ship is breathtaking and really fills me with a desire to build one of these beautiful and elegant ships.
The models though are limited mainly to resin in 1:700th scale or one or two in plastic in 1:600th scale. Neither appeals to me but I know it does to so many of you. So if you are interested in naval history, want modelling reference or simply a really good book this one is most highly recommended.
Les V.