Nautical Research Journal
T ere are four pages of color schemes of views of these ships in profi le on each page, all in color and all are well drawn. Color chips are printed below each color profi le and may not represent exact colors, but are simply a close enough reference for the modeler to select his or her colors from one of the many lines of model paints.
T e next section, appearance, in seven pages, explains the various camoufl age schemes and how and why they were employed, and the alterations in structure and armament as the ships’ lives progressed.
Aſt er this there are fi ve pages of profi le and plan views of the various ships that are drawn in a professional manner and appear crisp in black ink.
T e serious model-building enthusiast will probably need to seek further references for more of a general history of
these two unusual battleships and for additional information about why they were designed as they were.
T e last page contains a bibliography of selected references the author used, and these all appear to be secondary sources rather than original and primary research. One could wish for more in-depth research but that is not the main forte of this series of books. Modelling websites and acknowledgements appear here also.
If you are a British naval modeler you will fi nd this book of interest and it is perhaps a good place to start researching your next model.
Recommended.
— Robert N. Steinbrunn Phelps, Wisconsin
Knife’s Edge: South Pacifi c Carrier Battles from the Eastern Solomons to Santa Cruz
By Robert C. Stern
Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 2023 6-1/4” x 9-1/4”, hardcover, xxxvi + 336 pages
Photographs, maps, diagrams, notes, bibliography, index. $41.95
ISBN: 978168247583
As a brief history lesson, the naval battles at Coral Sea (May 5, 1942) and Midway (June 4, 1942) were precursors to the Guadalcanal campaign (August 1942 to February 1943).
In the book Knife’s Edge, author Robert C. Stern provides an authoritative look at two major naval battles in this period: Eastern Solomons (August 24-25, 1942) and Santa Cruz (October 25-27, 1942). T e author based his narrative on detailed research of offi cial communications and records of the participants such as aſt er-action reports, communications, and descriptions of
the equipment
in use. T is information comes from research source material from both sides: the American Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy.
I liked that the author begins the narrative by explaining terminology, time designations (local versus Zulu), and listing the various types of planes and ships used. T e explanation of abbreviations and designations used for the various ships and planes helps the reader follow along with the identifi cations used throughout the book.
He further provides brief biographies of the dramatis personae on both sides of the confl ict who were involved during this part of the history of World War II.
Robert Stern sets the stage with events that led to the battles and the situation around Guadalcanal. He outlines the people and their role in the buildup of forces. T e author covers the background on what was done and provides rationale as to why the events occurred.
T en he covers the individual battles with minute-by- minute telling of the actions during the battles. He covers issues around supply lines as well as the search for the carriers on both sides. Mr. Stern relates the actions from one side of the confl ict and then relates to the same period for the opposing forces. He weaves a coherent and detailed
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