Ampersand's USS California (BB44)

This is the first of Ampersand's new series of extended visual history book and not only does it have considerably more pages, but it is a hardback book, making it more durable. Other similar books are being planned on subjects were 120 pages is simply not enough to tell the whole story.

For their first offering, Ampersand has picked the USS California, a ship that was started during WWI, finished just after the war and saw action during WWII as part of Oldendorf's fleet of moving artillery. It was the US Navy's first 'electric' battleship where many of the systems were electrical in nature, including the propulsion system. More correctly termed a turbo-electric system, the steam generators turned electric motors which in turn powered the ship.

Getting the ship launched was something of a rocky road. Initially to be given the number BB 39, that was taken over by the USS Arizona so the California had to wait a while longer. It was the first US battleship built on the west coast at the yards at Mare Island, hence the decision to name it after the state in which it was built. Like all US WWI era battleships, it was armed with 14 inch naval rifles. In this case, there were 12 of them, three in each of four turrets. Also like US battleships of that era, it had the latticework masts.

The USS California spent most of its time on the west coast, thought it did make a foray into the east side from time to time. However, during the attack on Pearl Harbor, the USS California was in the middle of things. Hit by torpedoes, the ship's crew was quick enough to keep the ship from capsizing, though it settled into the mud. 30 months later, she was back in action, looking little like what she did before Pearly Harbor, so extensive were the upper deck modifications. She had the bad luck to be struck by an out of control USS Tennessee, which put her into dry dock once, more, though this time for a much shorter period.

She was able to participate in the last battleship to battlship engagement in the waters around the Philippine island and also participated the the last island invasions of the war. Returning home in 1946 she sailed around the Cape of Good Hope to Philadelphia and was laid up. Since her modifications made the ship too wide to fit through the Panama Canal, it was impossible to return her to where she was built for a memorial and in 1959, sold as scrap.

In line with other titles of the visual history series, this one is primarily a photo book and thanks to the work of Navy photographers, there is a most complete record of her design, construction and repair from her various incidents. This includes a look at how the ship changed during her life and a look at the aircraft she carried for spotting purposes. The landscape format fits ship books particularly well and the folks at Ampersand realize how important it is not to have photos cross 'the ditch' in the middle of a book. The combination of quality period photos, some great artwork for her camouflage, and a nicely done write-up makes this a book that any ship modeler or enthusiast will want in their library.

February 2016

Review copy courtesy Ampersand Publishing. Get yours today at this link.

If you would like your product reviewed fairly and fairly quickly, please contact the editor or see other details in the Note to Contributors.