For the generation brought up on Airfix or Revell plastic kits, it may not be surprising that the appeal of the hobby has survived into the era of video games – rather more startling is the way the market has changed. Most significantly, modelmaking has gone upmarket, with a host of small niche manufacturers turning out incredibly fine (but by traditional kit standards incredibly expensive) models in limited quantities. Driven by a rising demand for greater accuracy and ever more detail, these specialists have turned to new materials and techniques like resin-moulding and photo-etched brass that bring ‘museum standards’ within the grasp of even the moderately skilled. In an attempt to compete at the upper end of the spectrum some of the better plastic manufacturers have produced very large kits, which also invite the kind of ‘super-detailing’ made possible by the after-sales accessories created for the resin modellers. As a result few people are now content to build a model ‘straight from the box’, most preferring to modify it to represent something subtly different from the manufacturer’s intentions. In the case of ships this may mean incorporating the effects of a major refit, or altering the vessel to depict a sister: either way, it places great emphasis on specific and accurate visual information, which is not that easy to come by. This requirement was the motivation behind the new Chatham ‘ShipCraft’ series of 64-page monographs, which use detailed line drawings, photographs and colour artwork to provide the necessary level of reference. Each title describes minute changes to a particular class of ships, but also offers a critique of available kits and accessories – and just to demonstrate what can be achieved, there is a truly inspirational gallery of colour photos of the very best models. Amid all the market changes, one factor remains constant: in the marine field the most popular subjects by far are still warships from the two world wars. For the better-known vessels there can be up to a dozen different kits available, so the choice of ShipCraft titles simply follows the manufacturers’ lead. The first two are German Pocket Battleships and British King George V Class Battleships, to be followed later in the year with American Yorktown Class Aircraft Carriers and Type VII U-Boats. Back to Greenhill Military Book News No. 128 Table of Contents Back to Greenhill Military Book News List of Issues Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 2004 by Greenhill Books This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com