For the first time ever, and following its successful hardback publication, The American Arsenal is now to be published in its large format as a trade paperback. This makes available the confidential World War II Ordnance Standard Catalog, complete with over 900 photographs and drawings. Ian Hogg writes about The American Arsenal: “The US Army Ordnance Department in World War II set about the production of a master catalogue which would cover in detail every piece of equipment. It was graded 'Confidential'. The content was supplied in loose-leaf form in a series of ring binders, and kept up to date by frequent amendments and issues of new pages. Blocks of pages were allocated to specific groups of equipment; some groups were filled, others were not, which accounts for gaps in the pagination, and the system stuttered somewhat when equipment for which small provision had been made - such as rockets - began to appear in bulk and had to be fitted in where it could. It was an ambitious programme, and it took time to get going; and before it could be completed, second thoughts were being had. The Ordnance Standard Catalog is the ultimate compendium of equipment used by the US Army in 1944/45. In no other single source can so much detail on weapons, vehicles, ammunition and ancillary combat equipment be found, together with an authoritative statement of the development and introduction process. Moreover, it is authenticated by reference back to Ordnance Committee Minutes and similar authorities, so that every figure, date, specification or description can be accepted as being correct. And because it was meant to introduce staff officers to unknown elements of the Army, only here will you find such thing as coast defence mines, anti-aircraft directors and shrapnel shells for the 75mm Gun M1897.” Back to Greenhill Military Book News No. 108 Table of Contents Back to Greenhill Military Book News List of Issues Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 2001 by Greenhill Books This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com