U.S. Battleships

An Illustrated Design History

By Norman Friedman; Ship plans by A. D. Baker and Alan Raven
Hardcover $105.00
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Overview

The Norman Friedman Illustrated Design History series of U.S. warships books has been an industry standard for three decades and has sold thousands of copies worldwide. To mark and celebrate this achievement, the Naval Institute Press is proud to make these books available once more. Digitally remastered for enhanced photo resolution and quality, corrected, and updated, this series will continue to serve—for scholars and enthusiasts alike—as the foundation for U.S. naval warship research and reference for years to come.  

U.S. Battleships is one the most comprehensive references available on the entire development of U.S. battleships, starting in 1886, with Maine and Texas, continuing to South Carolina, the U. S. Navy’s first dreadnought, through to the behemoth Montana-class of World War II, Friedman authoritatively analyzes the design and performance histories of this popular type. The long careers of the Iowa-class, including their recommissioning in the late Cold War, are covered. Like the other books in Friedman’s design-history series, U.S. Battleships is based largely on formerly classified internal U.S. Navy records.

Friedman, a leading authority on U.S. warships, explains the political and technical rationales for building battleships and recounts the evolution of each design. Alan Raven and A.D. Baker III have created detailed scale outboard and plan views of each ship class and of major modifications to many classes. Numerous photographs complement the text.

About the Author

Portrait of Norman Friedman

Norman Friedman

Norman Friedman is a prominent international defense analyst and historian specializing in the intersection between policy, strategy, and technology. He has published more than forty books, including The Fifty-Year War, an award-winning history of the Cold War; a history of naval fighter aircraft; and design histories of many U.S. and British warships.

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Arthur Baker

A. D. BAKER III is a highly regarded naval authority known for his work as an illustrator and writer. His line drawings appear in several books, including others in this series. He was the long-time editor of The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World and a contributing editor to the journals Warship International and U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings.

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Alan Raven

Alan Raven is a British-born naval historian, illustrator, and professional ship-model builder whose work frequently appears in modeling magazines.

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Editorial Reviews

“Years ago while I was still just a young battleship enthusiast, I bought my first copy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History. I frequently reference it when creating exhibits, and filming videos for the museum's YouTube channel. The book is still as relevant today as it was when it was first released, and perfect for anyone interested in learning more about U.S. Navy Battleships!” —Ryan Szimanski, executive director of the Historic Naval Ships Association and the curator for Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial

More Info

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