British Escort Carriers 1941–45

Angus Konstam, Paul Wright

$24.99

Paperback

In stock
Ready to ship

QTY:

English

Osprey
01 October 2019

History; 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000; Military history; Second World War; Warfare & defence

Series: New Vanguard

In 1941, as the Battle of the Atlantic raged and ship losses mounted, the British Admiralty desperately tried to find ways to defeat the U-Boat threat to Britain’s maritime lifeline. Facing a shortage of traditional aircraft carriers and shore-based aircraft, the Royal Navy, as a stopgap measure, converted merchant ships into small ‘escort carriers’. These were later joined by a growing number of American-built escort carriers, sent as part of the Lend-Lease agreement.

The typical Escort Carrier was small, slow and vulnerable, but it could carry about 18 aircraft, which gave the convoys a real chance to detect and sink dangerous U-Boats. Collectively, their contribution to an Allied victory was immense, particularly in the long and gruelling campaigns fought in the Atlantic and Arctic. Illustrated throughout with detailed full-colour artwork and contemporary photographs, this fascinating study explores in detail how these adaptable ships had such an enormous impact on the outcome of World War II’s European Theatre.

By: Angus Konstam
Illustrated by: Paul Wright
Imprint: Osprey
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Volume: 274
Dimensions: Height: 248mm, Width: 182mm, Spine: 4mm
Weight: 189g
ISBN: 9781472836250
ISBN 10: 1472836251
Series: New Vanguard
Pages: 48
Publication Date: 01 October 2019
Audience: General/trade , Professional and scholarly , ELT Advanced , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Introduction /Design & Development /Operational History /Escort Carrier Roles /Camouflage /Life on Board /Escorts in Action /Specifications

Angus Konstam hails from the Orkney Islands, and is the author of over 100 history books, 60 of which are published by Osprey. This acclaimed author has written widely on naval history, from Sovereigns of the Seas and Piracy: The Complete History to his most recent bestseller, Jutland 1916: Twelve Hours to Win the War. A former naval officer and museum professional, he worked as the Curator in the Royal Armouries, Tower of London and the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, Florida. He now works as a full-time author and historian, and lives in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Reviews for British Escort Carriers 1941–45

""Konstam has done his research and the colour illustrations provided by Wright add a significant improvement to standard black-and-white ship line drawings. Ship model makers will find the combination quite appealing and inspirational. For such a small book, the index is remarkably utilitarian and improves upon Poolman's book which did not come with one."" --The Northern Mariner