Military Model Scene

Title: US Navy Protected Cruisers 1883-1918
Author: Brian Lane Herder
Publisher: Osprey
ISBN: 978-1-4728-5703-3

New Vanguard 320 from Osprey, a 48-page soft-cover book, with artwork by Paul Wright.
These ships came after the end of the American Civil War, and were the start of a move to the 'modern' US Navy. Based on a British design for a new Chilean cruiser, as explained in the introduction, the US built their first 4 all steel ships in the 1880s. Known as the ABCD ships, the first 3 of which were 'Protected Cruisers', Atlanta, Boston and Chicago. The Dolphin was the D, though this was a lighter armed despatch vessel. These worked out well and they were followed by 5 more. Add 2 more, the Columbia Class of Columbia and Minneapolis and one more unique design, the Olympia, bringing the total to 11 in all. Their best performance was at the victory in the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898, during the Spanish-American war. The book details each of the 11 vessels, and include archive photos along with some excellent colour profile artworks of each of them as well. With steam engines plus masts for a full set of sails, these are interesting designs and a stepping stone between the days of wooden or ironclad warships and the navies of WW1.
The content of the book is really on the edge of my usual areas of interest but a fascinating link to earlier times. What makes it even better in my personal view is that the Olympia, while having the honour of transporting the American soldier in Europe selected for their Unknown Soldier back to the USA after the end of WW1, it survives to this day as a museum ship in Philadelphia. The chance to visit and see this historic ship, now well over 100 years old, can bring the whole story to life in a way that is hard to beat. If this book grabs your interest as it did mine, it may also inspire you to visit this beautiful museum exhibit as well.
Thanks to Osprey for the review copy.

Robin