WesWorld

Friday morning I'm looking forwards to a week off work (first since October excluding two days at Christmas). Not going anywhere but just relaxing at home and doing some odd jobs. By Friday night I've a stinking cold and I'm very annoyed. I ask myself why do I always get ill when I have a hoilday?

Anyway, yesterday determined to make something of my free weekend I went to Ipswich, which in my opinion has the best Waterstones (bookshop) in my part of the UK, my home town has two Waterstones just yards apart but both are poor in the choice on offer. Browsing the military history section I ask myself another question, why are the naval books on the bottom shelf so you have to bend over to see them and the aircraft books on the top shelf so you crick your neck? I bend down and grab a large hardback, 'British Destroyers and Frigates'. I think its just a coffee table type thing no match for my Whitley's WW2 Destroyers and then I notice the author, Norman Friedman! Yes I'm now the proud owner of his latest work. The price sticker (£45) nearly put me off but now I've somthing to read during the week off. I'm to Chapter 4 already and its a great read.

My method of buying books from Waterstones is ehtically dubious.

1. See book in store I want
2. Go on Waterstones website.
3. Purchase book for less than store price, typically 30-40% lower
4. Have book delivered to store for free
5. Pick up book a couple of days later


What is covered in this book? All British Destroyers and Frigates including post-war stuff? Does it have anything on either Tribal preliminary designs or Type 82 designs?

You know I think I've seen this book in my local hobbie/book shop. looks like I'll have to pick it up!

RA, It covers everything.

There is a whole chapter on the Tribals, that is on the design of it and the whole design evolution. The whole book concentrates more on the design process than the finished article but pictures of these preliminary designs are not included, which I think is a shame, but there are some interesting post-war export designs included. Post war designs are much better illustrated with more skecth designs included.

Chapter Three deals with the J, L, M, 0 and P classes and the various stages each went through.

Chapter Four deals with the Black Swans, most sloop classes, the Hunts and even describes some of the trawler designs but not in great detail. Includes the US built Captain class too.

Chapter Five charts the other Emergency Destroyers up to the Battles. The Battles and Weapons and the aborted G class get Chapter Six to themsleves.

Chapter Seven deals with the wartime escorts from the Flowers to the Loch and Castle types.

Chapter Eight begins the postwar stuff, including the Cruiser-Destroyer featured in Warship 2006, Super Daring and the Picket conversions.

Chapter Nine features the design history of the County Class and the aborted Australian version.

Chapter Ten details the Type 41, 61, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 62 and the modernisation programme and a the proposed second, third and fourth rate A/S frigates.

The second Tribal Class is in Chapter 11 along with the Leander Classes and some modernised Daring designs.

Chapter 13 is the whole Type 82 saga.

Chapter 14 features the post Type 82 designs, Type 42, 21, joint RN-RAN design, Ikara Frigate, Leander Modernisations, Type 22 and the unarmed Towed Array Corvette. The unbuilt Type 24, 43 and 44 finish off the chapter and the Type 45 has two pages at the back of the book. There are some 28 pages of ships and technical data in the back.

RA, your method is dubious but less injuring! I like to browse before I buy. If I hadn't of flicked through the book I doubt I would have forked out money over the net with just the blurb on the back to guide me.