World War II American High Speed Transports (APD) Colhoun Class (Wickes Hulls): A Study in Blueprints

[prmitch]

 

World War II American High Speed Transports (APD) Colhoun Class (Wickes Hulls): A Study in Blueprints

by Duane D. Borchers

Annapolis, MD: Maryland Silver Co., 2001

11” x 17”, softcover (Acco-Press type covers), viii + 133 pages

tables, plans, index. $60.00

 

I came across this book while researching a model of the WW II high-speed transport USS McKean (APD 5), a converted WW I era flush deck Wickes class destroyer. The book is one of a series of similar reference books in Maryland Silver Company’s A Study in Blueprints series covering primarily 20th century US Navy ships. 

 

This volume contains the following information:

• table of contents
  
• tables of ship characteristics for selected ships of the class (dimensions, displacement, capacities, manning, armament, etc.) 
  
• ship’s history for each ship in the class, drawn primarily from the Dictionary of American Fighting Ships (DANFS)
  
• ships plans, taken primarily from booklets of general plans for selected ships of the class, augmented with a large scale body plan
  
• index 
  

The book is printed on 11” x 17” copier paper. Tables and text are reproduced well, but drawing quality varies, no doubt based on the quality of the originals. See samples below:

 

 

I found the book to be a very useful reference source and can recommend books of the series to others in need of similar information.

[prmitch]

Please note that this book's publisher, Maryland Silver Company, is no longer in business due to the death of its owner. It is now available from Taubman's Plan Service (http://www.taubmansonline.com/) for $110.

[Roger Pellett]

Unfortunately for model builders, Booklets of General Plans do not include hull lines drawings; essential for scratch building.  There is an Anatomy of the Ship book for HMS Camperdown; one of the 50 Four Stack Destroyers furnished to Great Britain under Lend-Lease that does include hull lines.  This could supplement Borchers’ Book.

 

Roger