Standing proud in the ranks of those aircraft and motorcars with truly distinctive appearances, some ships just plain "look right."

Deutsche Kriegsmarine (DKM) naval architects of the 1930s must have been artists in previous incarnations, because the Admiral Hipper class heavy cruisers show "that look." Macho, traditional, Teotonic, contiguous, sleek, very 1930s...art noveau heavy cruisers?

Osprey Publishing's New Vanguard series addresses the Admiral Hipper class' five ships in Volume 81, German Heavy Cruisers 1939-45. No question the subject matter is welcome to warship enthusiasts, especially in a dedicated, inexpensive book in a known format. Just like at Burger King, you know exactly what you will get for your money. No disappointments; dig in and enjoy!

The Osprey format is ideally suited to small-number ship classes...and there were five Admiral Hippers, only three of which were completed and served in the wartime DKM (Admiral Hipper, Blucher and Prinz Eugen). Author Gordon Williamson addresses each ship separately, providing short histories on each (including the two never completed, Seydlitz and Lutzow).

Hotshot illustrator Ian Palmer provides the traditional Osprey format eight pages of colour. In German Heavy Cruisers 1939-45 these comprise a mix of camouflage profiles, in-action scenes and center detail and cutaway. 'Same usual gripe with Osprey ship books; the continuity of line is disrupted by and some of the internals are trapped in the binding.

For modelers who read the book and want to build an Admiral Hipper class, you have it made! As with many Deutsche WW II subjects, there are more kits than historical prototypes. There's a 1/720, 1/700, 1/600, 1/400 in plastic and 1/250 card model, for sure. Others are probably hiding, lesser known but out there. And yup, there are a bunch of photoetch detail sets out there, too. You can build a beauty of an Admiral Hipper class model. Do notice tho, there are differences in bow shape and light antiaircraft fit, command bridge, boat cranes...among other fiddly details, so pay attention.

Recommended for the middling-serious naval historian and modeler, especially as the price is fair, information good, format familiar...and Koop & Schmolke's Meisterwerk on the class and Steve Wiper's DKM Prinz Eugen volumes are largely bookus unobtanium.

Review copy $14.95 US, courtesy of the reviewer's chequebook, purchased at Prosek's Greenhouse and Military Hobby Shop, Winfield, IL, USA.

For Scott Van Aken's Modeling Madness review of James Hood's novel,
 Adventure--Into The Neverland, go to:  http://users3.ev1.net/~bjmonkeyandcj/James_Hood.htm

March 2005

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