Now, a new 132 page bookazine, Battleships of WWII, brings their story to life with 85 battleships from seven nations. Here is your guide to why they were built, how they were armoured and fitted out with equipment and weapons, and what action they saw in WWII, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. With colour photos and blueprints, statistic tables and key production details, it’s the ultimate guide to the greatest ships of World War II. Discover the full story of the ill-fated HMS Hood, how French ships were attacked in port by the Allies, the commerce raiders of the German fleet, the biggest battleship ever built with the IJN Yamato and the almost endless stream of ships built during the war by America. As well as the battleships of Britain, France, the USA, Soviet Union, Germany, Japan and Italy, there are the key naval battles marked key points in the war. From the raid on Taranto that inspired the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the hunt for the Bismarck to the skin of the teeth American victory at Midway, the colossal Battle of Leyte Gulf and the life and death struggle in the Battle of the Atlantic. There’s also a look at the associated fields of naval museums around the world, battleship video games and models, how to start collecting naval militaria and there’s even a competition to win tickets to visit HMS Belfast in London.