British Warship Recognition : the Perkins Identification Albums

The Perkins Identification Albums represent a monumental archival effort by Richard Perkins, a dedicated maritime historian who spent decades meticulously documenting British naval vessels. Originally compiled as a series of notebooks throughout the mid-twentieth century, these albums were intended to provide a comprehensive visual and technical reference for warship recognition, capturing the subtle modifications and refits that occurred across the fleet during an era of rapid technological transition.

This 2018 publication by the Naval Institute Press serves as an expertly curated collection of Perkins' exhaustive original drawings and observations. The work is widely regarded by naval architects, historians, and model makers as an essential resource for its unprecedented level of granular detail. It captures the transition of the Royal Navy from the post-war period, earning acclaim for its commitment to preserving primary historical data that might otherwise have been lost to time.