Aircraft Carriers An illustrated history of aircraft carriers of the world, from zeppelin and seaplane carriers to vertical/short take-off and landing jet decks and nuclear carriers. Featuring over 170 aircraft carriers with 500 identification photographs

by Ireland, Bernard

• ISBN13: 9780754815990
• ISBN10: 0754815994
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-01-10
• Publisher: Lorenz Books

Summary

A comprehensive country by country visual directory of all the major aircraft carriers, with an informative and expert text describing the construction, appearance, function and history.

Table of Contents

Introduction	6	(4)
THE HISTORY OF AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
First flights from ships	10	(2)
Zeppelins	12	(2)
Seaplanes versus landplanes	14	(2)
The Dardanelles Campaign	16	(2)
Fighters aboard ships	18	(2)
Air-dropped torpedoes	20	(2)
The Konigsberg operation	22	(2)
Naval aviation at Jutland	24	(2)
The first naval air strikes	26	(2)
British shipborne aircraft of World War I	28	(2)
Rigid airships after World War I	30	(2)
The Sempill mission and Japanese naval aviation	32	(2)
The Washington Treaties (1921--22)	34	(2)
Carrier operational philosophies	36	(2)
``Billy'' Mitchell and the US Navy bombing trials	38	(2)
Catapults and arresters	40	(2)
Aircraft aboard submarines	42	(2)
Inter-war development in carrier aircraft	44	(2)
Armoured versus ``open'' construction	46	(2)
Taranto	48	(2)
The Bismarck operation	50	(2)
The Battle of Matapan	52	(2)
Pearl Harbor	54	(2)
The Doolittle Raid and the Battle of the Coral Sea	56	(2)
The Battle of Midway	58	(2)
Escort carriers	60	(2)
Carrier aircraft development during World War II	62	(2)
The Battle of Santa Cruz	64	(2)
Battle of the Philippine Sea	66	(2)
Leyte Gulf	68	(2)
Post-war aircraft carrier developments	70	(2)
Carriers in the Korean War	72	(2)
Carriers for sale	74	(2)
Suez	76	(2)
The impact of helicopters	78	(2)
Carrier jet aircraft developments	80	(2)
Naval air power in Vietnam	82	(2)
Carrier battle groups and tactics	84	(2)
The introduction of V/STOL	86	(2)
Argument -- large or small carriers?	88	(2)
Assault carriers	90	(2)
Carriers in the Falklands War	92	(4)
DIRECTORY OF AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
United States
North Carolina (CA-12) and Huntington (CA-5)	96	(1)
Langley (CV-1)	97	(1)
Lexington (CV-2) class	98	(2)
Ranger (CV-4)	100	(2)
Yorktown class (CV-5, CV-6, CV-8)	102	(2)
Wasp (CV-7)	104	(2)
Hybrid carrier studies	106	(1)
Long Island (AVG-1), Wolverine (IX-64) and Sable (IX-81)	107	(1)
Bogue-class escort carriers	108	(2)
Sangamon-class escort carriers	110	(2)
Casablanca-class escort carriers	112	(2)
Commencement Bay-class escort carriers	114	(2)
Essex class	116	(2)
Independence class	118	(2)
Midway class	120	(2)
United States (CVA-58)	122	(1)
Forrestal class	123	(1)
Improved Forrestal class	124	(2)
Essex class modernized	126	(2)
Enterprise (CVAN-65)	128	(2)
John F. Kennedy (CVA-67)	130	(2)
Nimitz class	132	(2)
Improved Nimitz (CVN-71) class	134	(2)
Iwo Jima class (LPH)	136	(1)
Wasp class (LHD)	137	(1)
United Kingdom
Balloon ships and early seaplane carriers	138	(2)
Ark Royal (I)	140	(2)
Ben-my-Chree, Vindex and Manxman	142	(1)
Nairana, Pegasus, Brocklesby	143	(1)
Campania (I)	144	(2)
Furious (I) and (II)	146	(2)
Vindictive	148	(2)
Argus (I)	150	(2)
Hermes (II)	152	(2)
Eagle (I)	154	(2)
Courageous, Glorious and Furious (III)	156	(2)
Ark Royal (II)	158	(2)
Illustrious class	160	(2)
Illustrious-class derivatives	162	(2)
Unicorn	164	(1)
CAM ships	165	(1)
MAC ships	166	(1)
Audacity	167	(1)
British-built escort carriers	168	(2)
Archer class	170	(1)
Attacker class	170	(1)
Ameer class	171	(1)
Colossus class	172	(1)
Majestic class	173	(1)
Ark Royal (III) and Eagle (II)	174	(2)
Malta class	176	(1)
Perseus and Pioneer	177	(1)
Centaur class	178	(2)
Victorious modernized	180	(1)
Centaur class as Commando Carriers	181	(1)
CVA-01	182	(1)
Argus (II)	183	(1)
Invincible class	184	(2)
Ocean	186	(1)
Queen Elizabeth class	187	(1)
Japan
Early seaplane carriers	188	(1)
Hosho	189	(1)
Akagi	190	(2)
Kaga	192	(2)
Ise and Hyuga	194	(1)
Ryujo	195	(1)
Soryu and Hiryu	196	(1)
Zuiho class	197	(1)
Ryuho	198	(1)
Hiyo and Junyo	199	(1)
Shokaku class	200	(2)
Taiho	202	(1)
Chitose class	203	(1)
Mizuho and Nisshin	204	(1)
Shinano	205	(1)
Unryu class	206	(1)
Ibuki	207	(1)
Taiyo class	208	(1)
Shinyo and Kaiyo	209	(1)
Yamashiro Maru and Shimane Maru	210	(1)
Akitsu Maru class and Kumano Maru	211	(1)
Akitsushima	212	(1)
France
Foudre	213	(1)
Bearn	214	(1)
Joffre class	215	(1)
Commandant Teste	215	(1)
Dixmude	216	(1)
La Fayette class	216	(1)
Arromanches	217	(1)
Jeanne d'Arc	218	(1)
Clemenceau class	219	(1)
Charles de Gaulle	220	(1)
Romania
Balloon and seaplane carriers	221	(1)
USSR
Moskva class	222	(2)
Kiev class	224	(2)
Admiral Kuznetsov	226	(2)
Australia
Albatross	228	(1)
Vengeance	228	(1)
Sydney	229	(1)
Melbourne	230	(1)
Canada
Warrior	231	(1)
Magnificent	232	(1)
Bonaventure	232	(1)
Italy
Giuseppe Miraglia	233	(1)
Bolzano, proposed	233	(1)
Aquila and Sparviero	234	(1)
Andrea Doria (I) class	235	(1)
Vittorio Veneto	235	(1)
Giuseppe Garibaldi	236	(1)
Andrea Doria (II)	236	(1)
Germany
Seaplane carriers, mercantile	237	(1)
Seaplane carriers, warship	238	(1)
Auxiliary carriers (World War I), proposed	238	(1)
Graf Zeppelin	239	(1)
Auxiliary carriers (World War II), proposed	240	(1)
Argentina
Independencia	241	(1)
Veinticinco de Mayo	241	(1)
India
Vikrant	242	(1)
Viraat	242	(1)
Ex-Admiral Gorshkov	243	(1)
Netherlands
Karel Doorman (I)	244	(1)
Karel Doorman (II)	244	(1)
Brazil
Minas Gerais	245	(1)
Spain
Dedalo (I)	246	(1)
Dedalo (II)	246	(1)
Principe de Asturias	247	(1)
Sweden
Balloon ship	248	(1)
Gotland	248	(1)
Thailand
Chakri Naruebet	249	(1)
Glossary	250	(2)
Index	252	(4)
Acknowledgements	256	(1)
Key to flags	256