Berliner Zinnfiguren/Books & Media/Osprey/Osprey - Fleet products

Konstam, Angus/Groult, Edouard A. (Illustr.): German High Seas Fleet 1914-18. The Kaiser's challenge to the Royal Navy 18,95 €

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 07:34:00 +0200

An illustrated account of how Germany's High Seas Fleet was built, operated and fought, as it challenged the world's most powerful navy in World War I.
Seven years before the outbreak of World War I, the Imperial German Navy rebranded its Home Fleet as the Hochseeflotte, or High Seas Fleet. It was a force designed to take on the Royal Navy, then the world's most powerful, and for the next four years the North Sea would be their battleground.
Drawing on extensive research, Angus Konstam offers the reader a concise, fully illustrated account of how the entire High Seas Fleet was designed and built, how it operated, and how it fought. The fleet was a modern, balanced force of dreadnought battleships, battlecruisers, cruisers and torpedo boats, using Zeppelins and U-boats for reconnaissance. The ultimate test between them came in May 1916, when they clashed at Jutland.

Packed with original artwork, maps, 3D diagrams and archive photos, it explains how and why the fleet was built, its role, and how and why it fought as it did. From fighting doctrine and crew training to intelligence, logistics, and gunnery, this book is an essential guide to the Kaiser's audacious bid for naval glory.

Stille, Mark/Laurier, Jim (Illustr.): Japanese Combined Fleet 1941-42. The IJN at its zenith, Pearl Harbor to Midway 18,95 €

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 07:34:00 +0200

This is a spectacularly illustrated, concise and comprehensive account of the Imperial Japanese Navy's striking force at the height of its power.
The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) entered the Pacific War as one of the most formidable navies in the world, and its combat power was concentrated into one force, the Combined Fleet. In the months that followed Pearl Harbor it enjoyed an unrivaled string of victories, shattering American, British, Australian, and Dutch naval forces. This period of expansion and constant victories ended at the Battle of Midway, after which the Combined Fleet was forced onto the defensive.

In this book, Mark Stille draws on his decades of IJN research to explain what made the Combined Fleet the fighting force that it was. Packed with original artwork, explanatory 3D diagrams and maps, it examines the fleet's doctrine, innovative tactics and powerful warships. It also details the qualities and importance of IJN leadership, logistics, naval infrastructure, and Japan's shipbuilding capability, and gives an account and analysis of the IJN's combat performance during these crucial months - not just in the famous carrier battles, but also exploring lesser-known elements such as IJN amphibious forces and land-based aviation.

Marolda, Edward J./Tooby, Adam (Illustr.): US Seventh Fleet Vietnam 1964-73. American naval power in Southeast Asia 18,95 €

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 06:55:09 +0200

An illustrated examination of how the US Navy's most powerful fleet fought the Vietnam War, covering all of its elements from aircraft carriers and heavy cruisers to minesweepers and oilers.
The US Navy's 7th Fleet was at the forefront of America's campaign in Vietnam for a decade, from the Gulf of Tonkin Incident that began it all to the final evacuation of South Vietnam. Its mission was highly strategic, and while its primary role was to provide carrier-based air power over North Vietnam - from Rolling Thunder through Linebacker - the fleet's operations were complex, sensitive, and varied, and required all the capabilities of the fleet.
This book is the first overall examination of how US Navy's most powerful fleet fought and operated in Vietnam. Distilled from thousands of declassified secret documents by renowned US Navy specialist Dr Edward J. Marolda, it offers a unique new portrait of how the Seventh Fleet fought the Vietnam War, from the offensive strike power of naval aviation to the vital role of fleet logistics. As well as the carrier operations, he examines the surface combatant fleet's gunfire support role, and its raids against the North Vietnamese coast. Dr Marolda also looks at amphibious warfare, fleet air defense, search-and-rescue, and mining and interdiction operations.

Illustrated throughout with archive photos, 3D diagrams and artwork, and informed by never-before-translated official documents, publications, and personal accounts from North Vietnamese, Soviet, and Chinese sources, this is the real story behind the US Navy's Vietnam War.

Cernuschi, Enrico/Groult, Edouard A. (Illustr.): Italian Battle Fleet 1940-43. "La Squadra", the pride of the Regia Marina 18,95 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:30:10 +0200

In the 1920s, the Italian Navy faced great challenges. Mussolini's ambitious Italy turned away from its alliance with Britain and France, and the Regia Marina faced the prospect of confronting both the French Navy and the Mediterranean Fleet of the Royal Navy. In the years leading up to World War II, the Regia Marina built and deployed a powerful battleship-led fleet - known in Italy as "La Squadra" - intended to make the Mediterranean an Italian sea once more.
In this book, Italian naval historian Enrico Cernuschi offers a fresh assessment of the wartime Italian battle fleet, based on his lifetime of primary-source research from both Italian and Allied sources. It offers a comprehensive portrait of this proud armada, how it was devised and built, and how it operated and fought. It covers a multitude of factors often overlooked, such as Italy's naval codebreakers, the fleet's logistics, and the qualities and limitations of Italian industry that supported it. The book also provides a concise account and analysis of the battle fleet's activities through the war, from major clashes such as the Battle of Calabria to lesser-known expeditions. The author's research into Italian wartime primary sources overturns some myths still commonplace in Anglo-American accounts.

Illustrated with superb new artwork, maps and 3D diagrams, and featuring rare photos, this book is a fascinating account of Italy's great fleet of World War II.

Konstam, Angus/Groult, Edouard A. (Illustr.): Royal Navy Grand Fleet 1914-18. Britain's last supreme naval fleet 18,95 €

Fri, 01 May 2026 07:40:13 +0200

At the beginning of the First World War, the forces of the Royal Navy were amalgamated into a single unit, the Grand Fleet, and stationed in Scapa Flow, Orkney. The Grand Fleet, with over 30 battleships and battlecruisers, as well as a large number of cruisers and destroyers, was the largest concentration of modern naval power the world had ever seen. In 1917, the fleet was further strengthened by a powerful American squadron. In this book, naval expert Angus Konstam uses extensive source research to examine the ships, technology, organisation, command and intelligence of the Grand Fleet and the way in which it fought. Although the German ships were better designed, Admiral Jellicoe's armada was unstoppable as a combined fleet. It took part in several engagements with the German enemy during the course of the war, but it was not until the Battle of Jutland in 1916 that Jellicoe finally had the chance to destroy the enemy. Although the German High Seas Fleet skilfully avoided the trap set for it, the Grand Fleet's economic blockade began to take effect, contributing to Germany's surrender in November 1918. Packed with battle diagrams, spectacular images and archive photographs, this book is an indispensable guide to the last period when the Royal Navy was indisputably the most powerful fleet in the world.

Paterson, Lawrence/Laurier, Jim (Illustr.): Kriegsmarine Atlantic Command 1939-42. Naval Group West's surface menace 18,95 €

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 07:05:14 +0200

Having spent the 1930s in an ambitious but confused attempt to build a new battle fleet, Germany entered the Second World War completely unprepared. Under Marinegruppenkommando West, its heavy ships and fighters were to challenge Allied supremacy in the Atlantic. In this book, naval specialist Lawrence Paterson examines how Naval Group Command West took up this challenge. He reassesses the qualities of the fleet and finds that confusion over its original role meant that ships like the 'Bismarck' were less than ideal for raiding. Operating as far as the Indian Ocean also required a sophisticated tanker and supply network as well as excellent German signals intelligence. He also explains the complex command structure of the Kriegsmarine in the 1930s and at the beginning of the war, how responsibility for the ships changed between the Naval Group West, the Naval Staff and the commanders of each type, and how the conquest of France changed command. He also explains how the Luftwaffe let down the surface fleet, both in reconnaissance at sea and in its defence in port. With superb visual material, 3D diagrams, maps and archive photos, this book explores and assesses the German merchant war, from the voyage of the "Graf Spee" to the ill-fated ventures of the "Bismarck" and the final risky retreat from Brest, the "Channel Breakthrough".

Konstam, Angus/Laurier, Jim (Illustr.): Royal Navy Home Fleet 1939-41. The last line of defence at Scapa Flow 18,95 €

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 07:34:00 +0200

Throughout its history, the Royal Navy's most powerful fleet has been the one guarding home waters. In this book, naval historian Angus Konstam explores the fighting power, the roles, and the battles of the Home Fleet, in the crucial first years of World War II when it was Britain's most powerful fighting force, anchored in the northern bastion of Scapa Flow.
He explains the complex responsibilities of the fleet, charged simultaneously with preventing the powerful German Navy from breaking out into the Atlantic; preparing to challenge any cross-Channel invasion force; and attacking German naval operations in the North Sea. Home Fleet actions included the loss of HMS Hood, the sinking of the Bismarck and countering the invasion of Norway, Germany's biggest amphibious operation of the war.

Packed with striking artwork and 3D diagrams and maps, this book offers a detailed portrait of the Home Fleet during these most crucial years of the war, from the capabilities of the warships to logistics and intelligence-gathering, to how the fleet was organized and commanded, and how and why it fought as it did.

Cernuschi, Enrico/Groult, Edouard A. (Illustr.): Italian Adriatic Fleet 1915–18 18,95 €

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 06:55:05 +0200

The Adriatic Sea, the narrowest sea front of the First World War, was the scene of almost daily battles and thus perhaps the most active theatre of naval warfare, yet it is little known in the English-speaking world. Although the two war fleets never encountered each other, the Adriatic was fiercely contested by cruisers, destroyers, torpedo boats and submarines from Italy and Austria-Hungary. It was a war of lightning attacks, port raids, blockades and evasive manoeuvres, convoy warfare, coastal bombardment and amphibious operations. Drawing on decades of research, naval historian Enrico Cernuschi presents the first complete history of the Italian naval war in the Adriatic and the fleets and flotillas involved. This theatre of war saw the successful deployment of new technologies and tactics, including the first battleship sunk by a torpedo and the extensive use of aircraft and flying boats. With rare and unpublished photos, outstanding original illustrations, 3D maps and diagrams, this book offers an insight into the warships, command structures and secret services of the Regia Marina, as well as its relations with other Allied navies, and a comprehensive account of the naval battles in the Adriatic, most of which have never before been described in English.

Williamson, Corbin/Wright, Paul: US Seventh Fleet, Korea 1950-53. The first Cold War naval campaign 18,95 €

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 07:34:00 +0200

The naval campaign in Korea, which took place just five years after aircraft carrier-led US Navy forces invaded Tokyo Bay, was a very different war that set the trend for naval warfare for the rest of the century. In this book, Dr Corbin Williamson, a specialist in the US Navy of the period, explains how a fleet built for uncompromising total war quickly adapted to successful multinational intervention in the Cold War. The 7th Fleet's missions included blockading enemy harbours, escorting convoys, air support, interdiction, artillery fire support and amphibious invasions and evacuations. With few exceptions, the 7th Fleet was the undisputed ruler of the waters around Korea, allowing it to focus its efforts on supporting the ground war. The Korean War was also part of a period of intense technological change that saw the first use of jet aircraft and naval helicopters. Packed with battle plans, photographs and carefully researched battle scenes, this book examines the ships and technology, command and organisation, logistics, intelligence and combat performance of the fleet. It is a comprehensive portrait of how the 7th Fleet demonstrated the flexibility and importance of naval power in an unexpected theatre of war.

Herder, Brian Lane / Groult, Edouard A.: D-Day Fleet 1944, American Sector - The US Navy's Western Task Force 18,95 €

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 07:34:00 +0200

The D-Day landings and their aftermath were among the most complex and important naval operations in history. With the target beaches divided into two areas of responsibility one US-commanded, one British this armada launched a month-long operation to first support the landings, then to protect, supply, and support the troops ashore, as they fought to expand their toehold in occupied Europe.

In this book, illustrated throughout with 3D diagrams, photos, maps and dramatic artwork, naval historian Brian Lane Herder explains how the US Navy-led Western Task Force was built, and outlines its operations off Normandy during June 1944. It covers this multinational fleet's organization, assembly, and training, as well as the intelligence and logistics picture, and explores its actions that were so crucial to success on D-Day, from its superb and continuous minesweeping efforts to the aggressive gunfire support off Omaha and Utah beaches.

A unique portrait of the American naval sector in the D-Day landings, this book also examines the Western Task Force's operations off Normandy after the beachheads were established, including the destruction of the American Mulberry harbor in a storm, up to the conquest of the port of Cherbourg in late June 1944.

Konstam, Angus/Wright, Paul (Illustr.): Royal Navy Force H 1940–42 18,95 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:40:04 +0200

In June 1940, the fall of France and its powerful fleet fundamentally altered the balance of naval power in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. To counter this, the Admiralty formed Force H, a unique task force based in Gibraltar, which was placed under the command of some of Britain's most powerful battleships. Command was taken by James Somerville, one of Britain's finest admirals, who reported directly to the Admiralty. Force H was to be the Royal Navy's fire brigade in this theatre of war. In this book, naval historian Angus Konstam presents a detailed study of the purpose, capabilities and organisation of Force H and how it fought for supremacy on the seas around the strategically important Strait of Gibraltar. Until Italy's surrender in 1943, Force H had important tasks to fulfil, from destroying the French fleet at Mers-el-Kebir to hunting the Bismarck in the Atlantic, escorting convoys to Malta and supporting the Allied amphibious landings from Madagascar to Sicily.

Paterson, Lawrence/Groult, Edouard A. (Illustr.): Kriegsmarine North Sea Command 1939-42 Germany's coastal naval campaign 18,95 €

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 06:55:05 +0200

The British war economy relied not only on the Atlantic convoys, but also on its superiority in coastal waters. Convoys left Scotland and northern England six days out of seven, loaded mainly with the coal the south needed - London alone required 40,000 tonnes a week. The interruption of these supply lines and the obstruction of military and naval movements was the responsibility of the German North Sea Command. Here, naval expert Lawrence Paterson offers the first study of Germany's bitter war in the North Sea from a strategic and operational perspective. Although the North Sea is famous for its dashing speedboats, a wide variety of ships saw action there, from battleships (short-handed) and cruisers to converted fishing boats. Destroyers, torpedo boats and minelayers laid extensive minefields close to the coast to counter the Royal Navy. He also examines the defence of the command with its many Kriegsmarine land troops, artillery emplacements, anti-aircraft batteries and small units of marines. German coastal forces attacked British forces at Dunkirk, and with the fall of France the war spread all along the coast. With diagrams, archive photographs (some unpublished) and original artwork, the story of the Kriegsmarine's fight to sever Britain's military and trade links is told.

Stille, Mark / Laurier, Jim: Japanese Combined Fleet 1942-43 - Guadalcanal to the Solomons Campaign 18,95 €

Sun, 17 May 2026 08:10:05 +0200

Contrary to myth, the Imperial Japanese Navy was not a shattered force after its defeat at Midway. In this book, Pacific War expert Mark Stille examines the IJN's Combined Fleet during the Guadalcanal and Solomons campaigns, when it was reorganized and was forced to fight a grinding battle of attrition against the US Navy.

The early surface battles in the Guadalcanal campaign played into the strength of the Combined Fleet, which had long trained for night combat. The IJN's rebuilt carrier force also performed well and managed to score its most clearcut victory against the USN's carriers of the entire war, at the battle of Santa Cruz, but the overall Guadalcanal campaign ended in disaster. The result was that the IJN was unwilling to engage in a major struggle for the Central and Northern Solomons, instead using only its destroyer force and land-based air power to fight a delaying action. However, this was costly and weakened the Combined Fleet for the rest of the war.

Using the most recent sources and illustrated with superb artwork, 3D diagrams and maps, the book is the first attempt to focus on how the Combined Fleet fought these campaigns, and, most importantly, how their results affected the rest of the war.

Konstam, Angus/Tooby, Adam (Illustr.): ABDA Striking Force 1942 18,95 €

Tue, 12 May 2026 07:00:12 +0200

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the almost simultaneous invasions of the Philippines and Malaya were soon followed by the invasion of oil-rich Dutch East Indies. In mid-January, the American-British-Dutch-Australian (ABDA) Command was established to unite the available forces, with the naval component being the most integrated. It was the first joint Allied fleet of the Second World War. In this book, naval historian Angus Konstam examines this almost forgotten formation, which was tasked with defending the Malayan Barrier and preventing Japanese access to the Indian Ocean and Australian waters. Its brief success at the Battle of Belikpapan in January 1942 was followed by a relentless, gruelling erosion of ABDACOM forces during a series of naval battles fought in the straits and islands of the southern Java Sea. Outnumbered and without sufficient air support, this was a hopeless task, ending in the destruction of the fleet in the battles in the Java Sea and the Sunda Strait. With numerous illustrations and photographs, this book documents the rise and fall of the ABDACOM fleet a unique mix of cruisers and destroyers from four Allied navies and its achievements in confronting the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Konstam, Angus: Royal Navy Coastal Forces 1939-42 18,95 €

Tue, 12 May 2026 07:00:12 +0200

Zu Kriegsbeginn verfügte die Royal Navy nur über eine Handvoll kleiner, schneller, experimenteller Motortorpedoboote (MTBs). Es gab weder eine Kommandostruktur noch Einsatzpläne. Doch mit dem Fall Frankreichs 1940 konnte die erfahrene Flotte der Kriegsmarine mit ihren schnellen, leichten Küstenbooten direkt gegenüber im Ärmelkanal eingesetzt werden. Ein Gegenschlag war nötig. In diesem Buch zeichnet der Marinehistoriker Angus Konstam die rasante Entwicklung der Küstenstreitkräfte in britischen Gewässern nach. Bis Ende 1942 war die Streitmacht auf fast 10.000 Offiziere und Mannschaften und rund 300 Schiffe, darunter Zerstörer und schnelle Motorkanonenboote, angewachsen. Anfänglich bestand ihre Hauptaufgabe in der Verteidigung britischer Küstenkonvois, doch im Laufe des Jahres 1941 gingen sie zunehmend in die Offensive über die Nordsee und den Ärmelkanal. Der Höhepunkt war der Angriff der MTBs auf Scharnhorst und Gneisenau im Februar 1942 während des "Kanal-Vorstoßes" - ein selbstmörderisches Manöver, das jedoch die Öffentlichkeit faszinierte. Im darauffolgenden Monat verlief die Teilnahme der Küstenstreitkräfte am Angriff auf Saint-Nazaire deutlich erfolgreicher, aber nicht weniger riskant. Reich illustriert, erzählt diese Studie die dramatische Geschichte der Entstehung der Küstenstreitkräfte und beschreibt deren Expansion und Kampfeinsätze in den ersten Kriegsjahren.

Paterson, Lawrence/Groult, Edouard A. (Illustr.): Kriegsmarine Norway Command 1940–45 18,95 €

Tue, 12 May 2026 07:00:12 +0200

The invasion of Norway was intended to secure Germany's northern flank and provide access to the Atlantic and important Scandinavian resources. It was the Kriegsmarine's largest, most demanding and most costly amphibious operation, and victory only brought new demands on the beleaguered surface fleet. Here, naval historian Lawrence Paterson examines the presence and operations of the Kriegsmarine in occupied Norway, where the fleet struggled to secure its new waters and launch offensive operations, first against the British and later against the Soviets. This theatre of war is best known as the last refuge of the German battleships and for operations against the Arctic convoys, but the operations covered the entire spectrum of naval warfare. The protection of convoys, the security of the coasts and the blockade were of crucial importance throughout the war and relied heavily on the German outpost boats. Illustrated with rare and unpublished photographs, original artwork, diagrams and maps, this book illuminates the entire history of the Kriegsmarine in Norway. From warships and combat operations to their strategic tasks, complex and confusing command structure, reconnaissance, logistics, security and facilities, it is the first comprehensive history of the German fleet in the far north.

Paterson, Lawrence/Groult, Edouard A. (Illustr.): Kriegsmarine Southern Command 1941-45 18,95 €

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 06:55:05 +0200

When Germany and Italy invaded Yugoslavia and Greece in early 1941, the Kriegsmarine established a new operational command whose task was to establish German control over the eastern Mediterranean and coordinate actions with the Italian, Romanian and Bulgarian navies. With the invasion of the USSR in the summer of that year, the Black Sea also became a battlefield, and the Naval Group South was formed. For the first time, naval historian Lawrence Paterson outlines the dizzying variety of Kriegsmarine combat units that fought under Naval Group South S-boats and U-boats, flotillas of escort vessels, landing ships, artillery ships, patrol boats, submarine hunters and minesweepersand how they operated, including their organisation, complex logistics, and vital intelligence and communications services. The fighting was often fast and fierce, ranging from open battles with the Soviet Black Sea Fleet and operations in support of Operation Barbarossa to combat against Tito's partisan naval units off the Croatian coast. Illustrated with rare photographs, artwork of dramatic actions, 3D diagrams and maps, this book examines the little-known naval warfare waged by Germany's smaller ships at the outer edge of German naval power in Europe.

Hewitt, Nick/Wright, Paul (Illustr.): D-Day Fleet 1944, British Sector 18,95 €

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 06:55:08 +0200

Although D-Day is perhaps the most widely described event in military history, little has been published about the details of the naval power on which Overlord relied. In this book, historian Nick Hewitt examines the fleet that secured the British assault area from the eve of D-Day to the end of the assault phase of operations on 30 June 1944. Although led and dominated by the Royal Navy, it was multinational, comprising forces from Canada, Norway and the Free French Army. The invasion had many moving parts and proved that there is more to a successful attack than just landing soldiers on a beach. This book explains the mine clearance that made the landings possible and the various naval operations that brought British and Canadian troops to the beaches. It also examines how the fleet defended the British attack area from counterattacks by enemy destroyers, coastal forces, mines and special forces, and how it maintained the build-up of resources for the growing Allied forces. Illustrated with archive photos, original artwork, 3D diagrams and maps, and based on previously untapped primary sources, this book offers a new perspective on the naval power behind D-Day.

Baker, Casey/Groult, Edouard A. (Illustr.): Royal Navy Mediterranean Fleet 1793-1805 18,95 €

Tue, 12 May 2026 07:00:12 +0200

When war broke out with revolutionary France in 1893, the Royal Navy's Mediterranean Fleet became embroiled in a long and complex war. Operating at some distance from London, the fleet took on the traditional tasks of trade protection, blockade and high seas warfare, but also engaged in diplomatic and counter-revolutionary activities throughout the region. It was the scene of some of the most iconic moments in British naval history, where Horatio Nelson became a legend. However, the reality of the Mediterranean war has long been overshadowed by its famous battles and great personalities. In this book, naval historian Casey Baker draws on his years of archival research to paint a comprehensive picture of the Mediterranean Fleet's warfare its strategic roles, its organisation and decision-making, its combat power and weaknesses, its diplomatic and political tasks, its logistics and manpower, and the battles it fought from the Levant to Cape Trafalgar. With original illustrations, maps and 3D diagrams of little-researched actions, from amphibious operations to maritime commerce raiding, he assesses how the Royal Navy's most active fleet fought and operated in this crucial theatre during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

Stille, Mark/Laurier, Jim (Illustr.): US Navy Pacific Fleet 1941-42 18,95 €

Tue, 12 May 2026 07:00:12 +0200

Despite the devastating damage at Pearl Harbor, the Pacific Fleet remained capable of striking back. In this book, U.S. naval expert Mark Stille explains and assesses the fleet's response to the apparent catastrophe and how its actions led to the decisive victory at Midway. He explains how, although unable to launch a large-scale offensive in the Central Pacific as planned before the war, the Pacific Fleet carried out several aircraft carrier attacks, while the U.S. submarine fleet, albeit plagued by technical problems, also went on the offensive. Crucially, the Pacific Fleet secured the sea lanes between the U.S. and Australia and subsequently halted the Japanese advance in the South Pacific, leading to the first carrier battle of the war in the Coral Sea. Stille examines the pre-war intelligence and logistics capabilities that were among the Navy's most important resources as it sought ways to counter Japan's superiority. Illustrated with drawings, maps, and 3D diagrams, this book analyzes the operations and capabilities of the Pacific Fleet during this critical period, as well as the strengths and weaknesses it still had to overcome. Remarkably, within six months of Pearl Harbor, the "weakened" Pacific Fleet had definitively turned the tide against the Imperial Japanese Navy.