Book Review of French Battleships 1922-1950
Authors: John Jordan & Robert Dunas
Seaforth Publishing
ISBN: 878-1-5367-9382-9
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2020
MSRP: $34.95
ISBN: 878-1-5367-9382-9
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2020
MSRP: $34.95
This book is soft-cover with fold-over flaps on the front and back covers.
It is 232 pages in 9 ½” X 11 ¼” page format.
It begins with a black and white photo of the Voltaire battleship of the Danton Class.
Two black and white photos of the Courbet Class dreadnaught.
A black and white photo of the Normandie, with 3 line drawings of her
Black and white photos of Super-dreadnaughts of Cuirisses de 23, 500 tonnes Bretagne Class.
Black and white photo of the Trento and the Corbet.
Acronyms and abbreviations.
There are 47 data lists in the book.
12 line drawings of Crosier de Battelle de 37 Bout.
2 line drawings of Crosier Protégé de 23, 690tw.
A black and white photo of the German battleship Graf Spee.
A black and white photo of Treaty Cruiser Duplex.
A black and white photo of Mere el Kabir Port.
In the Dunkerque & Strasbourg chapter:
46 black and white photos of the Dunkerque and 23 line drawings of parts of her. Two photos of the ammo her guns used and one of a gun barrel.
A black and white photo of the damage done to the control center of Dun.
24 black and white photos of the Strasbourg, with 3 photos of the Loire float-plane about her catapult and 3 line drawings of the aircraft.
There are 13 map illustrations in the book.
A post card is inserted in the book to get information about other Pen & Sword books.
A black and white aerial photo of Milhaud Piers.
There are 38 black and white photos of the Richelieu and 71 line drawings of parts of her. Four photos of ammo aboard her.
There are 33 black and white photos of the Jean Bart and 17 line drawings of parts of her.
There are 20 color profile illustrations. All have red hull bottoms with black waterlines atop the red. 7 have black tips on the top of their smoke-stacks. 16 have pale-gray hulls.
The Dunkerque in 1937
The Strasbourg in 1937, 1939, 1940 and 1942.
The Dunkerque in 1939
The Dunkerque in 1940 as a 2-view, one showing her light –tan deck.
The Richelieu in 1940 and 1942. 2 drawings showing a tri-color on the turret.
The Jean Bart in 1940 with orange turrets and tower tops.
The Jean Bart in 1942 with yellow hull and superstructures.
The Jean Bart in 1950
The Jean Bart in 1955 as a 2-view showing her light tan deck ad medium gray deck nose.
The Clemenceau in 1939
The Gascoigne in 1939.
The Richelieu in 1939 as a 2 view in a black and white splinter camouflage and a dark grey deck.
The Richelieu in 1945 with a dark blue and white splinter camouflage.
The Richelieu in 1946, 1948 and 1952.
There is a black and white photo of 240mm Coast Defense battery of Dakar with 4 line drawings of it.
A black and white photo of Dakar under bombardment by the British.
A black and white photo of the Clemenceau with 8 line drawings of her.
A black and white photo of the Gascoigne with 17 line drawings of her.
11 line drawings of Projects A1, A2, A3, A3bis, 81, 82, 83, 83bis, 83ter, C1, C2 and C3.
Three black and white photos of guns.
Two line drawings of the Alsace.
A 3-view line drawing of a Farman SNCAC N430 seaplane.
More line drawings of projects 1, 2 and 3.
A Black and white aerial photo of Laninon Dock.
Four charts.
Four pages of CONCLUSIONS.
A page of SOURCES
3 ½ pages of the INDEX.
This book will be of great interest to modelers who make ship models and naval historians alike.
I wish to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers, the North American distributor of Seaforth books for this review sample.
All Seaforth book titles can be viewed on Casemate’s web site at:
It is 232 pages in 9 ½” X 11 ¼” page format.
It begins with a black and white photo of the Voltaire battleship of the Danton Class.
Two black and white photos of the Courbet Class dreadnaught.
A black and white photo of the Normandie, with 3 line drawings of her
Black and white photos of Super-dreadnaughts of Cuirisses de 23, 500 tonnes Bretagne Class.
Black and white photo of the Trento and the Corbet.
Acronyms and abbreviations.
There are 47 data lists in the book.
12 line drawings of Crosier de Battelle de 37 Bout.
2 line drawings of Crosier Protégé de 23, 690tw.
A black and white photo of the German battleship Graf Spee.
A black and white photo of Treaty Cruiser Duplex.
A black and white photo of Mere el Kabir Port.
In the Dunkerque & Strasbourg chapter:
46 black and white photos of the Dunkerque and 23 line drawings of parts of her. Two photos of the ammo her guns used and one of a gun barrel.
A black and white photo of the damage done to the control center of Dun.
24 black and white photos of the Strasbourg, with 3 photos of the Loire float-plane about her catapult and 3 line drawings of the aircraft.
There are 13 map illustrations in the book.
A post card is inserted in the book to get information about other Pen & Sword books.
A black and white aerial photo of Milhaud Piers.
There are 38 black and white photos of the Richelieu and 71 line drawings of parts of her. Four photos of ammo aboard her.
There are 33 black and white photos of the Jean Bart and 17 line drawings of parts of her.
There are 20 color profile illustrations. All have red hull bottoms with black waterlines atop the red. 7 have black tips on the top of their smoke-stacks. 16 have pale-gray hulls.
The Dunkerque in 1937
The Strasbourg in 1937, 1939, 1940 and 1942.
The Dunkerque in 1939
The Dunkerque in 1940 as a 2-view, one showing her light –tan deck.
The Richelieu in 1940 and 1942. 2 drawings showing a tri-color on the turret.
The Jean Bart in 1940 with orange turrets and tower tops.
The Jean Bart in 1942 with yellow hull and superstructures.
The Jean Bart in 1950
The Jean Bart in 1955 as a 2-view showing her light tan deck ad medium gray deck nose.
The Clemenceau in 1939
The Gascoigne in 1939.
The Richelieu in 1939 as a 2 view in a black and white splinter camouflage and a dark grey deck.
The Richelieu in 1945 with a dark blue and white splinter camouflage.
The Richelieu in 1946, 1948 and 1952.
There is a black and white photo of 240mm Coast Defense battery of Dakar with 4 line drawings of it.
A black and white photo of Dakar under bombardment by the British.
A black and white photo of the Clemenceau with 8 line drawings of her.
A black and white photo of the Gascoigne with 17 line drawings of her.
11 line drawings of Projects A1, A2, A3, A3bis, 81, 82, 83, 83bis, 83ter, C1, C2 and C3.
Three black and white photos of guns.
Two line drawings of the Alsace.
A 3-view line drawing of a Farman SNCAC N430 seaplane.
More line drawings of projects 1, 2 and 3.
A Black and white aerial photo of Laninon Dock.
Four charts.
Four pages of CONCLUSIONS.
A page of SOURCES
3 ½ pages of the INDEX.
This book will be of great interest to modelers who make ship models and naval historians alike.
I wish to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers, the North American distributor of Seaforth books for this review sample.
All Seaforth book titles can be viewed on Casemate’s web site at:
Highly recommended.