Fleet Air Arm Carrier war: The History of British Naval Aviation

Almost as soon as viable aircraft had been developed, trials of aircraft operating from ships started, with the Royal Navy conducting initial trials in 1912. Fleet Air Arm Carrier War takes a fascinating look at the development of Naval Aviation by the Fleet Air Arm, from these initial trials to the present day, including the CVF (Carrier Vessel Future) and the F-35 VTOL Fighter developments.

The main focus of the book is the use of Naval Aviation during the major conflicts of the last century, particularly WW2, Korea and the Falklands war. This is only natural, as it was during these periods that British Naval power made the greatest contribution to the conflicts in which it was involved. The section dealing with Korean war was of particular interest, as I have not previously seen it dealt with in such detail.

I would have liked a little more detail about carrier and aircraft developments during the transition from prop to jet aircraft in the 1950s and '60s, an era of particular interest to me. The post Falklands period could also have been covered more extensively.

A substantial Appendix section offers basic data for all the aircraft types used by the Fleet Air Arm, as well as all the Carrier types used, making it a useful reference source, although it would have been nice to see service dates included in the listings.

For those with an interest in the actions and missions undertaken by the FAA, then this book provides much that is of interest. Those that are more interested in the development of Fleet carriers and aircraft may be better served by other titles.