The British Aircraft Carrier: The Cold War and Beyond

This richly detailed and heavily illustrated study traces the evolution of British aircraft carriers from World War II to the present, highlighting the Royal Navy’s critical innovations—including the angled deck and steam catapult—that made modern jet carrier aviation possible. Drawing on declassified British and U.S. documents, it reveals how British ingenuity preserved carrier capability through austerity, influenced global naval design, and helped sustain shipborne air power into the 21s...