Warship Pictorial 50 - USS Enterprise CV-6
Volume 1

by Steve Wiper

 Reviewed by Martin J Quinn
May 2022

Classic Warship Publishing has released a new book, the 50th in it's Warship Pictorial line.   This one is the first of two volumes covering what may be the most famous warship in American history, the legendary USS Enterprise CV-6.
 
This book has 72 pages, featuring over 85 images, including 15 or so in color.   This volume focuses on Enterprise from her construction through December 5, 1941, when she was returning to Pearl Harbor, after delivering the Wildcats of Marine squadron VMF-211 to Wake Island. 

There are lots of interesting photos of Enterprise in this volume.  One of the highlights of the book are some of photos spread over two pages. My favorite of these is the color shot of the Big E in late 1941, spread over pages 36 & 37.  It shows Enterprise wearing Ms1 camouflage, with what appears to be a portion of the forward end of the flight deck, port side, partially stained blue during camouflage experiments.  A crop of this photo also graces the cover.  There is also a great photo of Enterprise, along with her sister Yorktown, at the Norfolk Navy Yard in 1938, in all their pre-war beauty.

The inside of the back cover has some really nicely done - albeit small - color profiles of aircraft carried by Enterprise between 1938 and early 1941, wearing the colorful pre-war US Navy markings.

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Conclusions:
 
I've always been a fan of these books, and this one is no exception.   I especially like that most of the photos take up a full page and the inclusion of the two page beauty shots, some of which are really eye catching.  I also like the addition of the aircraft profiles.  However, I do miss the days when these volumes would include a plan and profile view of the ship.  Such a view of Enterprise in her Ms1 camouflage would have been most welcome.  

If you are an armchair naval historian, or just a fan of the fabled Big E, you'll want to add this book to your collection.  Highly Recommended!

This is Warship Pictorial 50 - USS Enterprise CV-6 Vol. 1. Published by Classic Warships Publishing, ISBN 978-0-9969199-7-5.  Price is $18.00 US retail and it is available directly from Classic Warships or from one of the vendors listed on the Classic Warships website.  

Thanks to Classic Warships for the review sample.  

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