Book Review of
The French Battleship Jean Bart
Author: Witold Koszela
Kagero Top Drawings 125
Polish-English Publications
ISBN: 978-83-66673-83-0
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $25.95
Polish-English Publications
ISBN: 978-83-66673-83-0
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $25.95
HISTORY:
The French battleship “Jean Bart”, together with the twin “Richelieu”, was among the largest and most modern ships of this class that served in the Marine Nationale. Their construction was based on the experience gained during the construction of Dunkerque battleships, smaller and less armed units, but quite modern for their times.
A characteristic feature of the aforementioned ships, including the Jean Bart, was the unusual layout of the main artillery, concentrated in two four-barreled turrets, located in the fore part, while medium caliber artillery was located in the stern part.
This, in combination with the massive body of the command tower and the chimney, hidden form the rest of the superstructures, created an amazingly presented silhouette of a beautiful and very dangerous ship.
Jean Bart was built at the Ateliers et Chantiers de Saint-Nazaire (Penhoet) shipyard in Saint-Nazaire. The keel was laid on December 12, 1936. The ship was launched on March 6, 1940.
The deteriorating international situation of that period caused that the Jean Bart, designed a Richelieu type (in total the French planned to build four units of this type), was not completed before the occupation of France by the German army. At the time of France’s surrender, the ship was finished in about 80%, which meant it could not be put into service and directed to military operations.
In order to save a valuable vessel, the unfinished Jean Bart was sent to Casablanca, which was to prevent it from being taken over by the Germans. However, the uncertain position of the Vichy government meant that the French ships remaining in the colonial ports of North Africa, including the Jean Bart, were perceived by the British as a threat and closely monitored .
After two years of a relatively quiet stay, Jean Bart became the target of the Allied ships during Operation “Torch” (Allied landing in Morocco and French Algeria). On November 8, 1942, during an artillery duel with American ships supporting the landing operation, Jean Bart was hit several times by 406 mm shells from the USS Massachusetts battleship and several aerial bombs. The ship was badly damaged and required sizable repair.
As in the case of its twin Richelieu, the Jean Bart was considered to be sent to ne of the shipyards in the United States, but ultimately those plans were cancelled and she remained in Casablanca until the end of the war. After the war, her fate was also uncertain.
Various scenarios were considered , ranging from continuing the finishing works according to the original design, conversion into an aircraft carrier, and ending with scrapping. Ultimately, the decision was made to complete the ship as a battleship with significant changes to the original design .
After being brought back to France, the ship was repaired and modernized . On January 16, 1949, Jean Bart officially entered service. This event was significant because she became the last battleship-class ship commissioned into service.
The post-war service of the battleship was not marked by spectacular events. Two years, after entering the service, its anti-aircraft armament was modified to give it final configuration. In 1956, the battleship took part in operations in the area of the Suez Canal. In July 1957, the last firing of the main caliber guns was carried out, and on August 1 of the same year, the ship was transferred to the reserves. Jean Bart was officially decommissioned in 1968 and scrapped two years later.
THE BOOK:
Kagero is based in Lublin, Poland.
Their books are printed in both English and Polish.. This book is in both languages
Most of their books come in self-sealing clear cello envelopes. This book is no exception to that.
The book is soft-bound of 24 pages in 8” x 11 ½” page format
The cover art shows a color illustration of an above-view of the Jean Bart, with its brown deck and light grey superstructure and turrets, that have jet-black bases on the gun barrels.
There is a side view all in light grey.
There are 2 sheets of diagrams of the Jean Bart inserted into the book. Both sheets are 24 ½” x 18” format, printed on both sides and folded 4 times to make them fit loosely into the book.
The first sheet is all to 1/200th scale. The face side has color profiles of the Jean Bart’s port and starboard sides and its top.
The sides and superstructure are medium grey, with a black waterline. The deck is brown wood. The turret tops are medium-grey.
The reverse side of the sheet repeats these views again, but as line drawings and not in color.
The second sheet is to 1/400th scale. It gives the same views on each side as line drawings.
The last page of the book shows 15 black and white cover arts of other Kagero books:
The Japanese Battleship Kongo 1944
The Aircraft Carrier HMS Invincible
The Sturmpanzer IV Brummbar
The Me-210/Me-410
The Ta-154
The Tornado
The French Aircraft Carrier Clemenceau
The Me-162 Komet
The B6N Tenzan
The Ju-188/388
The M3/M5/M9 Half-track
The Ferdinand Tank
The P-43 Lancer
The British Battleship HMS Vanguard
The Do-335 Pfeil A
The back cover of the book has two color side view illustrations on it.
The 1st side view shows the Jean Bart with a light tan sides and superstructure, with a black waterline. It is as it appeared in 1942.
The second side view shows it with dark grey sides and medium grey superstructure, with black water line.
It is as it appeared in 1950.
This is a neat book on this French Battleship.
I want to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the N. American distributor of Kagero books and all Kagero titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
The French battleship “Jean Bart”, together with the twin “Richelieu”, was among the largest and most modern ships of this class that served in the Marine Nationale. Their construction was based on the experience gained during the construction of Dunkerque battleships, smaller and less armed units, but quite modern for their times.
A characteristic feature of the aforementioned ships, including the Jean Bart, was the unusual layout of the main artillery, concentrated in two four-barreled turrets, located in the fore part, while medium caliber artillery was located in the stern part.
This, in combination with the massive body of the command tower and the chimney, hidden form the rest of the superstructures, created an amazingly presented silhouette of a beautiful and very dangerous ship.
Jean Bart was built at the Ateliers et Chantiers de Saint-Nazaire (Penhoet) shipyard in Saint-Nazaire. The keel was laid on December 12, 1936. The ship was launched on March 6, 1940.
The deteriorating international situation of that period caused that the Jean Bart, designed a Richelieu type (in total the French planned to build four units of this type), was not completed before the occupation of France by the German army. At the time of France’s surrender, the ship was finished in about 80%, which meant it could not be put into service and directed to military operations.
In order to save a valuable vessel, the unfinished Jean Bart was sent to Casablanca, which was to prevent it from being taken over by the Germans. However, the uncertain position of the Vichy government meant that the French ships remaining in the colonial ports of North Africa, including the Jean Bart, were perceived by the British as a threat and closely monitored .
After two years of a relatively quiet stay, Jean Bart became the target of the Allied ships during Operation “Torch” (Allied landing in Morocco and French Algeria). On November 8, 1942, during an artillery duel with American ships supporting the landing operation, Jean Bart was hit several times by 406 mm shells from the USS Massachusetts battleship and several aerial bombs. The ship was badly damaged and required sizable repair.
As in the case of its twin Richelieu, the Jean Bart was considered to be sent to ne of the shipyards in the United States, but ultimately those plans were cancelled and she remained in Casablanca until the end of the war. After the war, her fate was also uncertain.
Various scenarios were considered , ranging from continuing the finishing works according to the original design, conversion into an aircraft carrier, and ending with scrapping. Ultimately, the decision was made to complete the ship as a battleship with significant changes to the original design .
After being brought back to France, the ship was repaired and modernized . On January 16, 1949, Jean Bart officially entered service. This event was significant because she became the last battleship-class ship commissioned into service.
The post-war service of the battleship was not marked by spectacular events. Two years, after entering the service, its anti-aircraft armament was modified to give it final configuration. In 1956, the battleship took part in operations in the area of the Suez Canal. In July 1957, the last firing of the main caliber guns was carried out, and on August 1 of the same year, the ship was transferred to the reserves. Jean Bart was officially decommissioned in 1968 and scrapped two years later.
THE BOOK:
Kagero is based in Lublin, Poland.
Their books are printed in both English and Polish.. This book is in both languages
Most of their books come in self-sealing clear cello envelopes. This book is no exception to that.
The book is soft-bound of 24 pages in 8” x 11 ½” page format
The cover art shows a color illustration of an above-view of the Jean Bart, with its brown deck and light grey superstructure and turrets, that have jet-black bases on the gun barrels.
There is a side view all in light grey.
There are 2 sheets of diagrams of the Jean Bart inserted into the book. Both sheets are 24 ½” x 18” format, printed on both sides and folded 4 times to make them fit loosely into the book.
The first sheet is all to 1/200th scale. The face side has color profiles of the Jean Bart’s port and starboard sides and its top.
The sides and superstructure are medium grey, with a black waterline. The deck is brown wood. The turret tops are medium-grey.
The reverse side of the sheet repeats these views again, but as line drawings and not in color.
The second sheet is to 1/400th scale. It gives the same views on each side as line drawings.
The last page of the book shows 15 black and white cover arts of other Kagero books:
The Japanese Battleship Kongo 1944
The Aircraft Carrier HMS Invincible
The Sturmpanzer IV Brummbar
The Me-210/Me-410
The Ta-154
The Tornado
The French Aircraft Carrier Clemenceau
The Me-162 Komet
The B6N Tenzan
The Ju-188/388
The M3/M5/M9 Half-track
The Ferdinand Tank
The P-43 Lancer
The British Battleship HMS Vanguard
The Do-335 Pfeil A
The back cover of the book has two color side view illustrations on it.
The 1st side view shows the Jean Bart with a light tan sides and superstructure, with a black waterline. It is as it appeared in 1942.
The second side view shows it with dark grey sides and medium grey superstructure, with black water line.
It is as it appeared in 1950.
This is a neat book on this French Battleship.
I want to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the N. American distributor of Kagero books and all Kagero titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.