Anatomy of
the Ship: The Battleship Fuso, by Janusz
Skulski. This volume is on Yamashiros sister, Fuso.
Although not on Yamashiro, I include it because it is one of the best titles in the
series. Many of the details of Fuso also applied to Yamashiro. The title is superb in
every respect. If you can look at this volume without wanting to build one of these unique
naval creations, then you have a will of steel. The title is 256 pages filled with
beautiful line drawings, numerous photos and a concise history. Fuso and
Yamashiro: Gakken #30. The single best
source on Yamashiro. This volume is 181 pages in length and written in
Japanese. However, knowledge of the language is not required to benefit and enjoy the
wealth of graphic information contained in this extremely valuable work. The centerpiece
of this book is the extensive color photograph coverage of 1:200 models of Fuso and
Yamashiro. The photos show these magnificent models at almost every
conceivable angle. The models themselves show Fuso, circa 1935 and Yamashiro circa 1941and
have a tremendous amount of detail. Other highlights are a four page color foldout of
Fuso, 52 pages of quality photographs printed mostly with one full sized photo per page
that show not only standard distance shots but also close-in shipboard shots, armoring
diagrams and many large line drawings of the pagoda towers and platform levels of both
battleships. Of special note is a four page back-printed foldout of the plans and profiles
of Fuso and Yamashiro that includes schematic layouts of every level on the bridge. This
title is a gold mine of information.
Mechanism of Japanese Warships: Battleships by Kojinsha. Written in Japanese, this title is available in two
sizes. The hardbound version measures 10 ½ x 7 ½ inches (166 pages) and the softbound, handy
sized version measures 8 ½ x 6 inches (160 pages). The titles portray each class of
Japanese battleship from Kongo to Yamato in sections. The
length of each section is; the pagoda superstructures, 42 pages; the bows and forecastle
decks, 12 pages; turrets and guns, 22 pages; funnels and stack fittings, 19 pages;
mainmasts and after superstructure, 20 pages; aircraft arrangements, 18 pages; stern and
quarterdeck, 20 pages; and miscellaneous photos (boats, radar, fittings, AA guns), 5
pages. On average there are four photos per page with some line drawings. The photos are a
mixed bag, due to the quality of the originals. Some are grainy, some are blurred, some
are dark, some are very clear. Because so many photos are packed on each page, their
individual size is rather small. Because of this, get the hardbound version. Since the
book is larger, the photos are larger and it is easier to identify the features and
variations among the ships.
Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy #2; Fuso, Yamashiro, Ise
and Hyuga by
Kojinsha. Written in Japanese, the title is 180 pages in length and portrays the warships
in photos, mostly one per page, with some line drawings. The section on Yamashiro
is 25 pages long. The title contains quite a number of interesting photos.
Ships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, by Kojinsha. Written in Japanese, this
title is 416 pages long and covers all classes of Imperial Japanese warships from
battleships and carriers down to auxiliaries. The coverage is broken down into historical
eras: The Meiji Era (1868-1912); 1. The Beginning second half of the
19th century; 2. To the End of the Sino-Japanese War; 3. To the End of the
Russo-Japanese War; 4. To the End of the Meiji Era: The Taisho Era (1912-1926);
1. Battleships and Battlecruisers; 2. Cruisers; 3. Destroyers; 4. Submarines; 5. Other
Warships; 6. Auxiliaries: The Showa Era (1926-1947); 1.Battleships; 2.
Aircraft Carriers; 3. Cruisers; 4. Destroyers; 5. Submarines; 6. Other Warships; 7.
Auxiliaries; 8. Converted Merchant Ships; 9. Special Attack Weapons. There is also a
section on Naval Reviews. The format for this book is one to three photos per page on high
quality glossy paper. The captions for the photos are also in Japanese but includes the
ships name in English.
Japanese Battleships 1897-1945, by R.A. Burt. This title is a soft-cover fotofax volume of 46 pages. It has two
to three photos per page with explanatory captions. The only drawings are a two page
center-spread plan and profile of Ise 1945, after conversion to a BB/CV,
with smaller profiles of Ise as of 1918, 1932 and 1937. Six pages are of
statistics of the various classes of Japanese battleships.
Battleships of World War Two; An International Encyclopedia, by M.J. Whitley. This volume of 318 pages is an excellent
overview of all of the battleships of World War Two. It contains six pages on the class
that provides the statistics, design history, modifications and service history of Fuso
and Yamashiro. The bulk of the historical portion of this review comes from
this source as well as the ships statistics.
Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1869-1945 by Hansgeorg Jentschura, Dieter Jung, and Peter Mickel. This
volume of 284 pages is a fair overview of the subject. It contains two pages on the class
with a plan and profile of Yamashiro as of 1937 and additional profiles of Yamashiro
in 1917 and Fuso in 1928 and 1939. It includes statistics, brief paragraphs
of ships features & service history, and one photograph of Fuso. |