British Aircraft Carriers: Design, Development and Service Histories Hardcover – Illustrated, January 15, 2014

This is a striking book, providing superb coverage of a century of development. Hobbs knows his stuff (he flew with Fleet Air Arm before becoming a naval historian) and has gathered an impressive illustration package to support an authoritative text. The topic is an important one far beyond the Royal Navy, for the British pioneered many aspects of carrier construction and operation: the angled deck, steam catapults, armored decks, indeed the first ship in the world designed from the keel up to be an aircraft carrier (HMS Hermes which, ironically, became the only British carrier lost to air attack).An added attraction is the inclusion of several fold-out ship profiles reproduced from Admiralty files. While not cheap, I'd argue this is the best of the fairly narrow shelf of books devoted to the topic (most of them out of print). The author pulls no punches--he clearly is NOT an admirer of British politicians who have often interfered (as he sees it) with the orderly development of carriers over the years. Changing government priorities often ran rampant with projects already planned and underway. Few British carriers lasted as long as their American compatriots.The book is clearly laid out, with chapters arranged chronologically by carrier class, providing clear profile diagrams, a summation of descriptive data, and brief surveys of their operational careers. Several appendices and a solid bibliography are helpful as well. So are several very useful discussions comparing British carriers with those of other nations at the same time. So there is far more here than "merely" British carriers.I strongly recommend this volume--solid content, clear illustrations, and handsomely produced. You won't be sorry.

Being a veteran reader of the New Vanguard series, I was initially quite skeptical of buying a relatively pricey book on the British aircraft carriers while other books such as the "Nimitz-Class" were so good.I am very glad to say that I was not dissapointed. Yes the price is a bit much, but it is obvious that the author has spent many years gathering information and figuring out how to organize it in a way that is understandable to the reader.The information covered is very detailed and the relatively rare pictures are also appreciated. The author even goes so far as to mention the designs that were never brought to life, insight into the F-35 program, and the future of the British Aircraft Carriers. Mr. Hobbs is also not afraid to talk about the limitations of each of the aircraft carriers, which is very welcome (many authors tend to merely focus on the strengths and never weaknesses).Overall, I highly recommend this book.

I'm very impressed with the quality of the content of another book by this prolific author. Amazed, to be honest.

Being an amateur historian, I have always wondered about the British carrier force during WW II. Lets face it, there is not a lot available in the US on the subject. I positively love reading this book. It is filled with not just the stats of the various British carriers but also the history of each of them. It also covers the light carriers provided to the British by America. This book fills a massive information gap that used to be in my library.

This is an excellent study of the subject, written by a man who is clearly the authority on the subject. He's written a number of other books on British carriers over the years, but this really pulls it all together. May be a bit technical in places for some, and the photos are not all new by any means, but if you want just one book on British carriers, this is the one.

History

A Great all round single source on the subject of British Aircraft carriers.My only complaint (and it is a minor one at that) is the some what rambling very over generalized comparision of WWII built British Aircraft Carriers to the Nuclear Enterprise/Nimitz classes.Including that however and this book still deserves 5 stars

A wonderfully researched and written book but the type font size, for me, is so small, and I don't wear glasses, made it unreadable without a magnifying glass! The preview people see on Amazon's website is the GB Kindle version in a very readable font size. But the Kindle version is only available to those in the GB Commonwealth if purchased through GB Amazon (which is through Seaforth Press). But neither can sell Kindle here to individuals because of U.S. sales agreement. Naval Institute Press says that the authors won't sign agreements to allow Kindle versions to be sold here. NIP told me months ago they are trying to get the rights to sell Kindle versions. Guess they're still trying.

Everything you need to know in one volume. Written by an inside expert not afraid to air his personal professional opinions. Just get it. You won't regret it. Hours and hours of fascinating reading and looking and understanding and thinking. Makes the present MOD and its procurement policy look like a bunch of geezeers who couldn't organise a *iss up in a brewery. What ever happened to RN carrier design and procurement? I tell you what: taken out of the navy's control and passed to civil servents in the MOD in Whitehall. No catapults. No arrestor wires. To put that stuff back in would have costed an estimated £1.5bn. What! for a couple of steam catapults and a few arresot wires?! The French have sought to build the same design carrier under licence for just the same price - for the whole ship including cats and traps. God, it makes the £13m it cost to strip out a 6-inch gun turret and build a hangar and deck for a couple of helicopters on HMS Tiger in 1965 look cheap. I'm losing the will to live now around UK Navy ship design, development and delivery. You know why? Because there is no competition. BAe systems have it all wrapped up. Just as in the 1930s their predecessors, Vickers, had the whole army tank design and manufacture wrapped up. The result? Totally rubbish tanks. So we will now have totally rubbiush ships.

A good book about the development of British aircraft carriers from the beginning till the newly Queen Elizabeth-class. Fully illustrated!

This is one of the best publications on British warships produced. High quality photographs, ships histories and plans and drawings. The book even includes text about aircraft carriers which were not proceeded with, along with comparisons with foreign carriers.. All in all one for the collector.Davie Easton

This book contains some extraordinary material.It's more than an average coffee table book , it's just an encyclopedia for naval aviation buffs!Previously unseen material , and complete histories just make for a fascinating read.

very good book its a pleasure to read