The Shipcraft' series provides in-death information about building and modifying model kits of famous warship types. Lavishly illustrated, each book takes the modeler through a brief history of the subject class, and then moves to an extensive photographic survey of either a high-quality model or a surviving example of the ship. Hints on building the model, and on modifying and improving the basic kit, are followed by a section on paint schemes and camouflage, featuring numerous colour profiles and highly detailed line drawings. The strengths and weaknesses of available kits of the ships are reviewed, and the book concludes with a section on research references – books, monographs, large-scale plans and relevant websites. Built in larger numbers than any fleet carrier before or since, the Essex class can claim to be the US Navy's most significant weapon in the defeat of Japan. Carrying up to 100 aircraft and capable of absorbing enormous punishment (Not one was sunk), they spearheaded the Fast Carrier Task Forces for most of the Pacific War. AUTHOR: Steve Backer is the editor of the respected SteelNavy web site for ship modelers and the author of three previous titles, Japanese Heavy Cruisers, British Battlecruisers, and Bismarck and Tirpitz in this Shipcraft series. SELLING POINTS: Everything the ship modeler needs to know about building a famous warship Numerous detailed plans and colour illustrations Focuses on very popular modeling subjects that are represented by a wide selection of kits 130 colour & b/w illustrations