{"product_id":"aircraft-carriers-the-worlds-greatest-carriers-of-the-last-100-years-9781838861582","title":"Aircraft Carriers: The World's Greatest Carriers of the Last 100 Years","description":"\u003cp\u003eOn 9 May 1912 the first airplane take-off from a ship was made from the deck of the HMS \u003cem\u003eHibernia\u003c\/em\u003e. In July 1918, seven Sopwith Camels launched from the converted battlecruiser HMS \u003cem\u003eFurious\u003c\/em\u003e damaged the German airbase at T nder and destroyed two zeppelins. The age of the carrier was born. In the interwar years the \u003cem\u003eLexington\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eAkagi\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eCourageous\u003c\/em\u003e - class carriers were developed, but it was only during World War II that the aircraft carrier finally came into its own. Fleet carriers carrying 30-40 aircraft allowed the Japanese and US navies to project air power across the vast Pacific Ocean, with the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor presaging a new kind of warfare. With the sinking of hundreds of ships during World War II, including the German battleship \u003cem\u003eBismarck\u003c\/em\u003e in 1941, by the end of the war carriers ruled the waves and the era of the battleship had passed. \u003cem\u003eAircraft Carriers\u003c\/em\u003e features 52 of the most significant flat tops and amphibious assault ships built since the 1920s until the present day, from the USS \u003cem\u003eYorktown\u003c\/em\u003e, which survived direct hits during the battle of Midway (1942), through the Falklands War veteran HMS \u003cem\u003eInvincible\u003c\/em\u003e, to the mighty \u003cem\u003eNimitz\u003c\/em\u003e class, the core of the US Navy's carrier battle groups today. Also included are significant amphibious assault ships, such as the USS \u003cem\u003eTarawa\u003c\/em\u003e and French \u003cem\u003eMistral\u003c\/em\u003e. Each entry includes a brief description of the ship's development and history, a colour profile view or cutaway, key features and specifications. Packed with more than 200 artworks and photographs, \u003cem\u003eAircraft Carriers\u003c\/em\u003e is a colourful guide for the naval warfare enthusiast.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDavid Ross specializes in maritime, engineering, and railway history, and he has written and contributed to numerous books on these subjects. His most recent books are \u003ci\u003eAbandoned Industrial Places\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eRail Journeys\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eBridges\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eCoast\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eLighthouses\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eShips Visual Encyclopedia\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Essential Naval Identification Guide: Submarines 1914-Present\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eGreat Warships\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThe World's Greatest Battleships\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Amber Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51967126077714,"sku":"9781838861582","price":21.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_da066e84-b5c3-420e-bf22-536379130491.jpg?v=1768926625","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/aircraft-carriers-the-worlds-greatest-carriers-of-the-last-100-years-9781838861582","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}