The Anatomy of the Ship series of books are comprehensive treatments of the design and construction of individual ships. They have been published by Conway Maritime Press (now Conway Publishing) since the 1980s, and republished in the US by the Naval Institute Press.
Each volume begins with a general history of the vessel, as preface to a set of detailed scale drawings showing every part of the interior and exterior, from keel to masthead. Black-and-white photographs and engravings, including of ship models for older types, round out the description. Since 1998, each volume has carried a large-scale plan on the reverse of the fold-off dust jacket.
According to its producers, the series ‘aims to provide the finest documentation of individual ships and ship types ever published. What makes the series unique is a complete set of superbly executed line drawings, both the conventional type of plan as well as explanatory views, with fully descriptive keys. These are supported by technical details and a record of the ship’s service.’[1]
The ships chosen are a mix of famous vessels, such as and Yamato, and less-famous ships that are well-documented representatives of their class (Lawhill).
The series is divided into two distinct – yet broadly encompassing – categories, identified by colour coding. Firstly, those presented in a yellow-and-silver themed dust jacket relate to ‘non-motor-propelled’ ships. This group tracks the development of ship design from The Ships of Christopher Columbus, through to the end of the age of sail (those designed or constructed approximately up until the 1860s), such as the HMS Beagle: Survey Ship Extraordinaire, 1820–70, by Karl Heinz Marquardt.
Ships thereafter, powered by steam and screw propulsion, are represented in silver-and-blue themed dust jackets. These include submarines, the Japanese World War II vessel, The Battleship Yamato, by Janusz Skulski, and The Aircraft Carrier Victorious, by Ross Watton.
| Title | Author | Year | ISBN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tudor Warship Mary Rose | Douglas McElvogue | 2020 | ||
| The Flower Class Corvette | John McKay and John Harland | 1993 | ||
| The Naval Cutter, 1777 | Peter Goodwin | 2003 (Revised ed. 2004) | ||
| The Submarine | John Lambert, David Hill | 1986 | ||
| The Cruiser | Franco Gay, Gay Valerio | 1987 | ||
| Survey Ship Extraordinary, 1820–1870 | Karl Heinz Marquardt | 1997 | ||
| The Cruiser | Ross Watton | 1985 (Reprinted 2003) | ||
| The 74-Gun Ship | Brian Lavery | 1985 (Reprinted 2003) | ||
| The Schooner Bertha L. Downs | Basil Greenhill, Sam Manning | 1995 | ||
| The 20-Gun Ship Blandford | Peter Goodwin | 1988 | ||
| The Armed Transport Bounty | John McKay | 1989 (Reprinted 2001) | ||
| The Destroyer | Al Ross | 1990 (Reprinted 2004) | ||
| The Royal Yacht Caroline, 1749 | Sergio Bellabarba, Giorgio Osculati | 1989 | ||
| The Ships of Christopher Columbus (Niña,,) | Xavier Pastor | 1992 | ||
| The Frigate | David White | 1987 | ||
| The Battleship | John Roberts | 1992 (Reprinted 2001) | ||
| Captain Cook's | Karl Heinz Marquardt | 1995 (Revised ed. 2003) | ||
| The Destroyer Escort | Al Ross | 1985 | ||
| The 32-Gun Frigate | Portia Takakjian | 2005 | ||
| The Fairmile D Motor Torpedo Boat | John Lambert | 1985 (Revised ed. 2005) | ||
| The Battleship | Janusz Skulski | 1998 | ||
| The Escort Carrier | Al Ross | 1993 | ||
| The Bomb Vessel Granado, 1742 | Peter Goodwin | 1989 | ||
| The Battlecruiser | John Roberts | 1982 (Reprinted 1989, 2001) | ||
| The Aircraft Carrier | John Roberts | 1982 | ||
| The Four Masted Barque Lawhill | Kenneth Edwards, Roderick Anderson, Richard Cookson | 1996 | ||
| The 24-Gun Frigate, 1779 | John McKay & Ron Coleman | 2003 (Revised ed.) | ||
| The Liner | Ross Watton | 1989 | ||
| The Destroyer | Al Ross | 1988 | ||
| The Susan Constant, 1605 | Brian Lavery | 1989 | ||
| The Heavy Cruiser | Janusz Skulski | 1994 (Reprinted 2004) | ||
| The Type VII U-boat | David Westwood | 1984 (Reprinted 1986) | ||
| The Type XXI U-boat | Fritz Kohl, Eberhard Rossler | 2002 | ||
| The Aircraft Carrier | Ross Watton | 1991 (Reprinted 2004) | ||
| The 100-Gun Ship | John McKay | 1987 (Reprinted 1995) | ||
| The Battleship | Ross Watton | 1986 (Reprinted 2004) | ||
| The Battleship | Janusz Skulski | 1988 | ||
| The 44-Gun Frigate | Karl Heinz Marquardt | 2005 | ||
| The Battleship | Jack Brower | 2005 | ||
| The Athenian Trireme | Doug McElvogue | 2017 |