The 'ShipCraft' series provides in-depth information about building and
modifying model kits of famous warship types. Lavishly illustrated, each
book takes the modeler through a brief history of the subject class,
highlighting differences between sisterships and changes in their
appearance over their careers. This includes paint schemes and
camouflage, featuring color profiles and highly-detailed line drawings
and scale plans. The modeling section reviews the strengths and
weaknesses of available kits, lists commercial accessory sets for
super-detailing of the ships, and provides hints on modifying and
improving the basic kit. This is followed by an extensive photographic
survey of selected high-quality models in a variety of scales, and the
book concludes with a section on research references - books,
monographs, large-scale plans and relevant websites.
Built in larger numbers than any fleet carrier before or since, the
Essex class can claim to be the US Navy's most significant weapon in the
defeat of Japan. Carrying up to 100 aircraft and capable of absorbing
enormous punishment (not one was sunk), they spearheaded the Fast
Carrier Task Forces for most of the Pacific War.
