Description
Jane’s Fighting Ships 1942 (Issued June 1943)
Published by Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd., London
This is the wartime UK edition of Jane’s Fighting Ships, issued in June 1943 but covering naval forces as of 1942. It’s a substantial reference work, measuring 13″ x 8.5″ (landscape format) and weighing 2.63 kg.
The book runs to 582 pages, including 62 pages of advertisements at the front — many of which vividly reflect the wartime era and are of interest in their own right. The contents provide detailed technical specifications, silhouettes, and information on every significant warship in service across the world’s navies at the time. This volume captures the state of naval power during the height of the Second World War, making it an invaluable resource for naval historians and collectors.
Condition:
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The first page (an advertisement) is partially torn (see gallery image), but the remainder of the book is intact and securely bound.
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Clean pages throughout, with no previous owner’s markings or annotations.
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Dark navy blue cloth boards with gilt spine lettering; some markings to the cloth, bumping to the corners, and expected shelf wear for its age.
advert pages inside – adverts inside – 1942 Jane’s Fighting Ships — Wartime UK Edition
Historical note
Jane’s Fighting Ships was founded by Fred T. Jane (1865–1916), a naval artist and analyst who first issued the work in 1898 under the title All the World’s Fighting Ships. Jane’s goal was to provide a neutral, technical annual covering ship classes worldwide—displacement, armament, machinery, silhouette profiles, and service notes—so that readers could reliably identify and compare warships across navies. Over time it became the standard reference for naval historians and maritime collectors, and wartime editions like this 1942 (issued June 1943) volume offer a contemporaneous snapshot of fleets in the midst of rapid change, including emergency builds, refits, and losses. For a nautical collection, this means you’re not just acquiring a book—you’re getting a primary-source benchmark of global naval strength at a pivotal point in WWII.
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