Britain's Greatest Warship

Britain's Greatest Warship PDF Author: RICHARD. JOHNSTONE-BRYDEN
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780750993050
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 262

Get Book Here

Book Description
Britain's Greatest Warship recounts the story of Ark Royal and her 'people', from the laying down of her keel in 1943 and her first commission in 1955, through to her decommissioning in 1979 and her scrapping in 1980. Ark Royal played a crucial role in the development of Royal Naval fixed-wing aviation and pioneered the concept of carrier-borne VSTOL aircraft. She saw extensive service during the 1960s and '70s, a time that witnessed many significant changes not only in Navy life, but also in the way seapower was used as a means of projecting national influence worldwide.Painting a vivid picture of life on board a class of Royal Navy warship that has now gone forever, the author brings the story of the 'Ark' alive using interviews and first-hand accounts. These range from former officers and crew, including admirals, captains and ship's company, to aircrew of the embarked Fleet Air Arm squadrons and the shipyard workers who built the 'Ark'.Fully illustrated with a rich selection of rare photographs, this book is sure to appeal to all with an interest in the Royal Navy and its warships.

Britain's Greatest Warship

Britain's Greatest Warship PDF Author: RICHARD. JOHNSTONE-BRYDEN
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780750993050
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 262

Get Book Here

Book Description
Britain's Greatest Warship recounts the story of Ark Royal and her 'people', from the laying down of her keel in 1943 and her first commission in 1955, through to her decommissioning in 1979 and her scrapping in 1980. Ark Royal played a crucial role in the development of Royal Naval fixed-wing aviation and pioneered the concept of carrier-borne VSTOL aircraft. She saw extensive service during the 1960s and '70s, a time that witnessed many significant changes not only in Navy life, but also in the way seapower was used as a means of projecting national influence worldwide.Painting a vivid picture of life on board a class of Royal Navy warship that has now gone forever, the author brings the story of the 'Ark' alive using interviews and first-hand accounts. These range from former officers and crew, including admirals, captains and ship's company, to aircrew of the embarked Fleet Air Arm squadrons and the shipyard workers who built the 'Ark'.Fully illustrated with a rich selection of rare photographs, this book is sure to appeal to all with an interest in the Royal Navy and its warships.

Poseidon's Curse

Poseidon's Curse PDF Author: Christopher P. Magra
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107112141
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 351

Get Book Here

Book Description
An investigation of the Atlantic origins of the American Revolution, focusing on the British navy's impressment of American ships and mariners.

British Warships in the Age of Sail 1817-1863

British Warships in the Age of Sail 1817-1863 PDF Author: Rif Winfield
Publisher: Seaforth Publishing
ISBN: 1848321694
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 434

Get Book Here

Book Description
The publication of this book sees the completion of a monumental work listing the technical details and career histories of every significant British warship between 1603 and 1863. Following three earlier volumes, this one carries forward the story from the post-Napoleonic War reorganisation of the Royal Navy's rating system to the end of sail as the principal mode of propulsion. ??Although apparently well documented, this is a period of great complexity in the procurement and naval architecture of ships. The introduction of steam radically altered the design of vessels under construction and was later retro-fitted to others, while many 'names' lived a ghostly existence on the Navy List: ships ordered but not started, and in some cases having their intended draughts altered more than once before being cancelled entirely.??This book meticulously sorts out and clarifies these confusions _ a major contribution in itself _ but for the first time it also provides outline service histories for an era that is largely neglected. Like its companion volumes, the book is organised by Rate, classification and class, with significant technical and building data, followed by a concise summary of the careers of each ship in every class. ??With its unique depth of information, this is a work of the utmost importance to every naval historian and general reader interested in the navy of the sailing era and the formative years of the steam navy that supplanted it.

British Destroyers

British Destroyers PDF Author: Norman Friedman
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 1473812801
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 895

Get Book Here

Book Description
A history of the early days of Royal Navy destroyers, and how they evolved to meet new military threats. In the late nineteenth century the advent of the modern torpedo woke the Royal Navy to a potent threat to its domination, not seriously challenged since Trafalgar. For the first time a relatively cheap weapon had the potential to sink the largest, and costliest, exponents of sea power. Not surprisingly, Britain’s traditional rivals invested heavily in the new technology that promised to overthrow the naval status quo. The Royal Navy was also quick to adopt the new weapon, but the British concentrated on developing counters to the essentially offensive tactics associated with torpedo-carrying small craft. From these efforts came torpedo catchers, torpedo-gunboats and eventually the torpedo-boat destroyer, a type so successful that it eclipsed and then usurped the torpedo-boat itself. With its title shortened to destroyer, the type evolved rapidly and was soon in service in many navies, but in none was the evolution as rapid or as radical as in the Royal Navy. This book is the first detailed study of their early days, combining technical history with an appreciation of the changing role of destroyers and the tactics of their deployment. Like all of Norman Friedman’s books, it reveals the rationale and not just the process of important technological developments.

Catastrophe at Spithead

Catastrophe at Spithead PDF Author: Hilary L. Rubinstein
Publisher: Seaforth Publishing
ISBN: 1526765004
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 335

Get Book Here

Book Description
This fascinating historical inquiry sheds new light on the mysterious sinking of an 18th century warship and its lingering effect on British naval culture. On August 29th, 1782, the mighty flagship HMS Royal George suddenly capsized while anchored in the calm, familiar waters of Spithead on the English Channel. In one of the most sensational and perplexing incidents in naval history, Rear Admiral Richard Kempenfelt, an outstanding veteran officer, drowned along with more than 800 crew and many civilian visitors. Catastrophe at Spithead is the first comprehensive account of the sinking, drawn from a variety of archival sources, including reports by survivors and eyewitnesses. Hilary L. Rubinstein examines the mysterious cause and tragic cost of the disaster, as well as its lingering aftereffects, including its treatment in literature. As well as describing the sinking, Rubenstein uncovers new information on the life and career of Rear Admiral Kempenfelt, ranging from his familial relation to the great Admiral Rodney to accounts of his whereabouts when the ship sank. These call into question the scenario in William Cowper's famous poem, “On the Sinking of the Royal George,” which depicts Kempenfelt writing in his cabin when she foundered.

The Age of the Ship of the Line

The Age of the Ship of the Line PDF Author: Jonathan R. Dull
Publisher: U of Nebraska Press
ISBN: 080322267X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 268

Get Book Here

Book Description
For nearly two hundred years huge wooden warships called ships of the line dominated war at sea and were thus instrumental in the European struggle for power and the spread of imperialism. Foremost among the great naval powers were Great Britain and France, whose advanced economies could support large numbers of these expensive ships. This book, the first joint history of these great navies, offers a uniquely impartial and comprehensive picture of the two forces their shipbuilding programs, naval campaigns, and battles, and their wartime strategies and diplomacy. Jonathan R. Dull is the author of two award-winning histories of the French navy. Bringing to bear years of study of war and diplomacy, his book conveys the fine details and the high drama of the age of grand and decisive naval conflict. Dull delves into the seven wars that Great Britain and France, often in alliance with lesser naval powers such as Spain and the Netherlands, fought between 1688 and 1815. Viewing war as most statesmen of the time saw it as a contest of endurance he also treats the tragic side of the Franco-British wars, which shattered the greater security and prosperity the two powers enjoyed during their brief period as allies.

The Naval War of 1812; Or, the History of the United States Navy During the Last War with Great Britain, to Which Is Appended an Account of the Battle of New Orleans; Volume 1

The Naval War of 1812; Or, the History of the United States Navy During the Last War with Great Britain, to Which Is Appended an Account of the Battle of New Orleans; Volume 1 PDF Author: Theodore Roosevelt
Publisher: Franklin Classics
ISBN: 9780342577903
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 398

Get Book Here

Book Description
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

The Battleship Book

The Battleship Book PDF Author: Robert M. Farley
Publisher: Wildside Press LLC
ISBN: 1479405574
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 357

Get Book Here

Book Description
From the moment when the launching of HMS Dreadnought made every capital ship in the world obsolete overnight, we have been fascinated with these powerful surface combatants. Here Robert M. Farley looks at the history and folklore that makes these ships enduring symbols of national power—and sometimes national futility. From Arizona to Yamato, here are more than sixty lavishly illustrated accounts of battleships from the most well-known to the most unusual, including at least one ship from every nation that ever owned a modern battleship. Separate essays and sidebars look at events and lore that greatly affected battleships.

The Royal Navy in European Waters During the American Revolutionary War

The Royal Navy in European Waters During the American Revolutionary War PDF Author: David Syrett
Publisher: Univ of South Carolina Press
ISBN: 9781570032387
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 236

Get Book Here

Book Description
During the American Revolutionary War, Great Britain's Royal Navy faced foes that included, in addition to American forces, the navies of France, Spain and the Netherlands. In this operational history of a period that proved to be a turning point for one of the world's great naval powers, David Syrett presents a saga of battles, blockades, great fleet cruises and, above all, failures and lost opportunities. He explains that the British government severely underestimated the Americans' maritime strength and how that error led to devastating consequences. The seemingly invincible navy failed to muster even one decisive victory during the extensive naval conflict.

The Buckley-class Destroyer Escorts

The Buckley-class Destroyer Escorts PDF Author: Bruce Hampton Franklin
Publisher: US Naval Institute Press
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 240

Get Book Here

Book Description
The text describes the development of the class, armament, major conversion programs, differences between the American and British ships, and the operational history of Buckleys in the U.S. and Royal Navies. Throughout the book, recollections and contemporary observations from the men who served aboard these ships are used to provide a personal touch to the history of these "Little Wolves."