Carriers at War, 1939-1945

by Adrian Stewart

Overview

The author begins this fascinating book by tracing aircraft carrier development between the Wars. Eschewed by the Germans and Italians and with Britain squandering her early lead, the Americans and Japanese became front-runners.The Royal Navy learnt the hard way in the early stages of WW2 with the loss of HMS Courageous and Glorious but, following successes at Taranto and Matapan, the value of carriers was no longer in doubt. The sinking of Bismarck and the cataclysmic Pearl Harbor attack signaled the end of the Battleship era. Stung by such spectacular losses the US Navy threw its weight behind the carrier concept and the naval war in the Pacific (Guadalcanal, East Solomon Islands, Santa Cruz, Midmay and Leyte Gulf) revolved round carrier-borne aircraft.Meanwhile the carrier became pivotal in protecting vital convoys in the Atlantic, Arctic and Mediterranean. The author backs his arguments with copious examples of naval and air action.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781783469321
Publisher:	Pen & Sword Books Limited
Publication date:	01/24/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Adrian Stewart was educated at Rugby School before taking First Class Honours at Caius College, Cambridge. His previously published works with Pen and Sword Books include: Eighth Army’s Greatest Victories, Early Battles of Eighth Army, They Flew Hurricanes, The Campaigns of Alexander of Tunis 1940–1945, February 1942 – Britain’s Darkest Days, Carriers at War, Six of Monty’s Men and Ten Squadrons of Hurricanes (2015) have all been published by Pen and Sword Books. He lives near Rugby.

Table of Contents

Maps vi

Chapter 1 The Coming of the Carrier 1

Chapter 2 The Carrier proves its Worth 15

Chapter 3 End of an Era 33

Chapter 4 The Fights of the Phantoms 54

Chapter 5 To the Aid of Malta 80

Chapter 6 The Fiercest Campaign 100

Chapter 7 Convoy Cover 122

Chapter 8 Support and Protect 142

Chapter 9 The Biggest Battle 163

Chapter 10 Maximum Range 190

Bibliography 216

Index 220