This is an indispensable book for anyone wanting to know more about the before, during and after the Battle of the River Plate, the naval tactics that were employed, the games of diplomacy, the honour of the captains and crews, and the ground- breaking technology involved. The book takes a balanced view of pre-war and post-war events that shaped those years and of Argentina’s willingness to take the crew of the Graf Spee in and offer them refuge, which proved to be beneficial to both communities. For those with an interest in social history, the book tells the fascinating story of the changes that the arrival of 200 young German sailors in the foothills of the Sierras de Córdoba meant for what in 1940 had been a small village, Villa General Belgrano, where their traditions still endure. The technical details of the Graf Spee are set out in an Appendix at the back of the book where readers with an interest in such things will be able to find a comprehensive description of her own fascinating story and details of her armaments and capabilities in both words and numbers. The illustrations have been carefully selected in an attempt to reflect what that era was really like and the context in which she was built. Contents include: The Kriegsmarine; Life on board; The outbreak of war; Battle stations; Buenos Aires to Capilla Vieja; Illustrious name, Illustrious ship and both the early and final years.

The text part of this book describes technical specifications of the ship and her operational history in detail. This is accompanied by more than 100 color illustrations showing Admiral Graf Spee's appearance during the Battle of River Plate. Elements that are shown in detail include armament, rangefinders, radar, searchlights, catapult with aircraft, etc. In addition, superstructure's different camouflage schemes from the 1939 raid are shown. Blueprints in 1:350, 1:200, 1:100 and 1:50 scales (general views and details) are included on a separate sheet. This publication is an invaluable help to any modeler working on this ship's replica. REVIEWS Tackling Trumpeter's 1:350 kit? Fact-checking 1:700 offerings? Make this handy handbook your Graf Spee guide. Cybermodeler

Spee's ships survived for as long as they did is a reflection of the primitive state of communications and methods of detection available in 1914. Their demise was as much by chance and coincidence at it was by good planning and concerted action by the British. The book includes material on several German and British ship and squadron commanders and provides a detailed overview of the opening months of the war in the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans. The fact that.

This tale of the Battle of the River Plate follows the machinations of the German war machine as Kapitan zur See Hans Langsdorff commands the pocket battleship Graf Spee on a mission to cripple British shipping. Through clever subterfuge and daring, the Graf Spee takes ship after ship, ultimately forcing the British Navy to send twenty ships in search of the elusive German vessel. Pope presents a true, enthralling account of the men, ships, and tactics that culminated in this naval action which so brilliantly began Britain's war at sea.

Days before the outbreak of World War II a handful of German commerce raiders put out to sea to prey on Allied merchantmen. Amongst them was the Panzerschiff ('armoured ship') Graf Spee, a formidable warship that boasted the firepower of a battleship but the size, speed and range of a cruiser. When World War II commenced, under the command of Captain Langsdorff the Graf Spee began a hunting spree across the South Atlantic and the Indian Ocean that eventual took her to the River Plate in search of her next victim – an Allied convoy. Instead she found three Royal Navy cruisers under the command of Commodore Harwood, eager to put an end to the 'pocket battleship' that had been terrorizing Allied merchant ships. Featuring full colour artwork, archive photographs and meticulous research, this comprehensive volume explores the thrilling story behind the Battle of the River Plate, an engagement that unquestionably demonstrated the effectiveness of British seapower and diplomacy on an international stage.