Title:Collins/Janes Warships of World War II (Text by Bernard Ireland)

Cost: $8.00 USD (about £5.00 UK)

Currently available from: Pacific Front Hobbies   Barnes & Noble   Amazon.com

Every now and then I add a gem to my book collection. Warships of World War II is my latest find. This 256 page softcover book devotes two pages to each of 115 World War II naval combatants. Organized by country, each section contains a b&w photo, specifications and a concise well written description of the class. Naval author Bernard Ireland wrote the text, which I found to be remarkably informative.

This is a small format book able to fit in one's shirt pocket. This makes it especially useful for me. San Francisco Bay is visible from my home. One never knows when a pagoda masted IJN battleship will pass through the Golden Gate. I can quickly refer to my Warships of World War Two (I never leave home without it), identify the interloper, and take appropriate countermeasures. That's a lot of security for a mere US $8 (4 pounds in the UK).