The third volume in D K Brown's bestselling series on warship design and development looks at the Royal Navy's response to the restrictions placed on it by the Washington Naval Treaties in the inter-war years, and analyses the fleet that was constructed to fight the Second World War. He focusses on the principal pre-war developments such as the first purpose-built aircraft carriers and the growing perception of the threat of air attack to warships. All the wartime construction programs are covered, such as the massive expansion in escort ships to counter the U-boat menace, and the development of the amphibious warfare fleet for the D-Day landings in 1944. Full analysis is also provided of the experience of wartime damage, as well as the once top secret pre- and post-war damage trials. Illustrated throughout with a superb collection of contemporary photographs and numerous line drawings, this now classic work is required reading for naval historians and enthusiasts.

"Yet another tour de force. Highly recommended." - Warship World
"This is a truly magnificent effort, both in content and presentation." - Warship

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
  • Foreword and Acknowledgements
  • Sir Stanley V Goodall, RCNC
  • Introduction
  • One Battleships
  • Two Fleet Carriers
  • Three Smaller and Cheaper Carriers
  • Four Cruisers
  • Five Destroyers
  • Six Submarines
  • Seven Escorts
  • Eight Miscellaneous Vessels
  • Nine Modernisations, Updates and Scrapping
  • Ten Wartime Damage
  • Eleven Production and Repair
  • Twelve What is a Good Design?
  • Appendices
    • 1. The Goodall Diaries
    • 2. Instructions for the Director of Naval Construction
    • 3. DNC Office Procedures
    • 4. The Washington Treaty 1922 – Main Provisions
    • 5. The London Treaty 1930
    • 6. The London Treaty 1936
    • 7. Underwater Explosions
    • 8. Anti-Destroyer Guns
    • 9. Docks
    • 10. Shore Bombardment
    • 11. Admiral Sir Reginald G H Henderson
    • 12. The Strength of Ships
    • 13. Damage to RN Armoured Hangar Carriers
    • 14. Wartime Cruiser Building
    • 15. D Quality Steel
    • 16. Anti-Aircraft Warfare between the Wars
    • 17. USN Destroyer Machinery
    • 18. Submarine Stability etc
    • 19. Seakeeping
    • 20. The Fleet Train
  • Review of Principal Sources
  • Glossary and Abbreviations
  • Index