US Flush-Deck Destroyers 1916-45: Caldwell, Wickes, and Clemson classes

by Mark Lardas, J B Illustrations (Illustrator), Johnny Shumate (Illustrator)

Overview

Four pipes and flush decks – these ships were a distinctively American destroyer design. Devised immediately prior to and during the United States' involvement in World War I they dominated the US Navy's destroyer forces all the way through to World War II.

They were deployed on North Atlantic and Norwegian Sea convoys, and virtually everywhere in the Pacific, from Alaska to Australia. Fifty were given to Great Britain in its hour of need in 1940, and many would serve in other navies, fighting under the Soviet, Canadian, Norwegian, and even the Imperial Japanese flags. They also served in a variety of roles becoming seaplane tenders, high-speed transports, minesweepers and minelayers. One was even used as a self-propelled mine during Operation Chariot, destroying the dry dock at St. Nazaire.

Fully illustrated throughout with commissioned artwork and contemporary photographs, this volume reveals the operational history of these US Navy ships that fought with distinction in both World Wars.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472819994
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	08/28/2018
Series:	New Vanguard , #259
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	48
File size:	31 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Mark Lardas holds a degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, but spent his early career at the Johnson Space Center doing Space Shuttle structural analysis, and space navigation. An amateur historian and a long-time ship modeller, Mark Lardas is currently working in League City, Texas. He has written extensively about modelling as well as naval, maritime, and military history.
Mark Lardas has always been fascinated by things related to the sea and sky. From building models of ships and aircraft as a teen, he then studied Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, but his interest in aviation led him to take a job on the then-new Space Shuttle program, where he worked for the next 30 years as a navigation engineer. Currently he develops commercial aircraft systems as a quality assurance manager. He has written numerous books on military, naval or maritime history.
Johnny Shumate works as a freelance illustrator living in Nashville, Tennessee. He began his career in 1987 after graduating from Austin Peay State University. Most of his work is rendered in Adobe Photoshop using a Cintiq monitor. His greatest influences are Angus McBride, Don Troiani, and Édouard Detaille.

Table of Contents

Introduction 4

Design and Development 5

Destroyer Development to 1916

Caldwell Class

Wickes Class

Clemson Class

Operational History 19

World War I: 1916-19

Between the Wars: 1919-39

World War II: 1939-45

After the war

Variants 34

Mine warfare

Aviation service

Fast transports

Bibliography 47

Index 48

Editorial Reviews

"...delivers a lot of information in a quick and easy read, with engaging photographs and color illustrations. This book is an excellent primer for those interested in learning about this large class of destroyers that morphed into other roles, and aided England in her Darkest Hour." - IPMS / USA

"Make this succinct study your introduction to that fascinating, 33-year history. Recommended!" - Cybermodeler Online

From the Publisher