Arguably of all the branches of the German armed forces in World War Two, only the Kriegsmarine had the ability to bring Britain to defeat once the immediate threat of invasion after Dunkirk had receded. With the threat posed by its U-Boats and great capital ships, such as the Bismarck and Tirpitz, the Kriegsmarine, through its attacks on the convoys bringing vital supplies across the Atlantic, came close to starving Britain into submission. This addition to a popular series will provide the collector with detailed and objective advice on Kriegsmarine memorabilia with the usual guide to values and how to spot forgeries. For all active collectors of Third Reich militaria and those interested in the Kriegsmarine during the period from 1939 to 1945, this will be essential reading.

Responding to a growing international market in Nazi medal dealing and collecting, this new book gives practical advice on recognition, authenticity, values and best practice, together with a selection of photographs.

Christopher Ailsby examines the wide range of equipment, uniforms, medals and awards specifically associated with the Luftwaffe during World War 2. Alongside the detailed descriptions of the militaria being discussed are photographs and an indication of their rarity value.

This, the first of two volumes on Germany's World War II U-boats, traces their development from the early U-boats of the Kaiser's Navy, the prohibition on Germany having U-boats following the Armistice in 1918 and the subsequent Treaty of Versailles, the secret development of U-boats using a 'cover-firm' in Holland, culminating in the formation of the 1st U-boat Flotilla in 1935 with the modern Type II. The operational history section includes examples from the Classes Type VIIA, Type VIIB, VIID, VIIE and VIIF before concentrating on the mainstay of the U-boat arm, the Type VIIC. Comparisons are also made with the standard allied submarines, their strengths, weaknesses and U-boat tactics.

This book is jam-packed with practical knowledge on German cloth military headgear. Useful information to help novice collectors learn how to avoid costly mistakes - cap construction basics and materials, descriptions of each cap model and comparisons with altered originals, modified post-war caps, and reproductions - all neatly divided into individual sections for easy reference. Also included is a series of convenient quick check lists that identify common modification danger points for each cap type. For the advanced collector, the book offers historical background about the German cap making industry with the first-ever comprehensive listing of German cap makers, maker mark illustrations, and many individual histories, including never published information on the history and sad fate of the famous cap maker Robert Lubstein/EREL. Over 220 color and black and white contemporary and period photographs bring The Pocket Guide to Third Reich Military Headgear to life.

The Collector's Guide to 3rd reich Tableware addresses this much overlooked collectible area in detail. It extensively diocuments the items with over 600 photos/graphics, some 470 pages and over 50,000 words of text, primarily to illuminate the relevance of the collectibles to the history makers and oragnizations that generated them. Mr. Yannes' previous books on 3rd Reich Spoons and later, Cutlery, culminate in this seminal work. A must for both collectors and history buffs interested in the 3rd Reich.

A complete illustrated study of the German Kriegsmarine throughout World War II. Hamstrung at first by the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, during the 1930s, the German Navy underwent a programme of rearmament in defiance of the restrictions, building modern warships under limitations which forced technological innovation. Submarines were strictly prohibited by the treaty, and yet, following years of covert development, they became one of the Kriegsmarine's most deadly weapons. Blooded in the Spanish Civil War, the surface ships of the Kriegsmarine went on to play a crucial role in the opening salvoes of World War II during the invasions of Poland and Norway, although serious losses here set back plans for the invasion of Britain, and by the end of the war, only a handful of surface vessels remained to be divided up among the Allies. From the beginning of the war, but especially after the fall of France, the dreaded and extraordinarily successful U-boats stalked the Atlantic, threatening vital British shipping convoys and choking off the lifeline of munitions and supply from the US. Once Italy and Japan entered the war, German naval operations expanded to the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean. This highly illustrated volume is a comprehensive study of the German Navy throughout the war, from pocket battleships to torpedo boats.

“A simply magnificent book describing the Italian Navy of the Second World War, profiling all classes of vessels, from battleships . . . [to] submarines.” —Pegasus Archive This book is a complete guide to the Regia Marina, the navy with which Italy fought the Second World War. Starting with the historical background, it describes how the navy developed, how it was organized, the facilities that supported it, and the operations it conducted both before and after the armistice in 1943. It also details all its ships, with full technical particulars, plans and photos. Furthermore, there are chapters on special topics like camouflage; uniforms, decorations and insignia; and a “who’s who” of important naval personalities; and the reference value of the book is enhanced by a comprehensive bibliography and guide to sources. The illustration is a noteworthy feature of the book as the author’s collection of naval photographs is one of the best in Italy. He is also a fine draughtsman, and his ship plans and color illustrations are both detailed and accurate, adding a particular appeal for modelmakers. Of all the main combatant navies of this era, the Italian is probably the most poorly represented in English publications, so this comprehensive handbook will be especially welcomed by the naval community. “An overview of the wartime Italian Navy, including its bases and organization, ships and aircraft . . . an enjoyable book.” —Warships International Fleet Review “A major achievement and a milestone in the renaissance of Italian Naval history . . . [the] book is a gem and is thoroughly recommended.” —The Navy Vol 75

This book describes and shows – in over 1000 color images – the history, uniforms, headgear, insignia, and equipment of the German Kriegsmarine between 1935 and 1945. In this work, the authors focus primarily on all the unnamed seamen who served on the minelayers, Schnellboote, minehunters, cruisers, U-Boats, and other ships. For this reason, they discovered previously unknown war-era records from private archives. The uniforms and equipment shown are originals from the period, and likewise come from private collections. This book is a must for readers who are interested in the history of the Kriegsmarine, and is a definitive reference for collectors of Third Reich-era memorabilia.