Aircraft Carriers

If you're looking for a one-stop reference for carrier aviation, Chris Bishop & Chris Chant have compiled an interesting title for you. Their new book 'Aircraft Carriers' is subtitled "The world's greatest naval vessels and their aircraft" and it provides a great overview of each carrier class, its specifications, its aircraft compliment, and a brief history of each type.

Not only does this cover 'conventional' aircraft carriers, it also tackles assault ships (helicopter carriers).

Coverage of this title includes:

• Introduction
• World War II US aircraft carriers
• World War II British aircraft carriers
• World War II Japanese aircraft carriers
• Cold War aircraft carriers
• Modern aircraft carriers
• Carrier aviation
• World War II carrier aircraft
• Post-war carrier aircraft
• Cold War carrier aircraft
• Modern carrier aircraft
• Modern naval helicopters
• Assault ships
• Assault helicopters

Each subject covered is well-illustrated with color and black & white photography as well as some nice color profiles. While it is difficult to find unpublished photos of historical subjects, the authors have taken care to illustrate this title with material that hasn't been seen frequently in other references, and in the case of the modern ships and aircraft, the photos are definitely new and fresh with some nice shots of the F/A-18E/F and the USS Harry S. Truman.

If you're looking for that one book that covers well the breadth of aircraft carriers and naval aviation, this is what you've been looking for. Recommended!

My sincere thanks to Motorbooks International for this review sample!