Packed with hundreds of color photographs of the finest examples of miniature ship models in existence, this book traces the history of modern models back to their use as identification aids by the military in World War I, which turned into an industry after the war. It is the first serious history of the industry's development, the commercial rise and fall of companies, and the advancing technology that produced ever more detailed and accurate replicas. The author looks at the products of each manufacturer, rating their quality and suggesting why some are more collectible than others.