The aircraft carrier has become one of the most effective weapon platforms and the cornerstone of the modern navy, but it's a relative newcomer among naval vessels. The history of these great ships is delineated through the illustrations by great military artists.

Though the aircraft carrier has become the cornerstone of the modern fleet, it is a relative newcomer to the world of navy vessels. It wasn’t until World War II that the carrier’s outstanding effectiveness forever altered the future of naval warfare.

With breathtaking paintings by the most respected aviation and military artists, this crucial period lives again. Begin with the earliest demonstrations of planes flying from and landing on a vessel at sea and the carrier’s evolution in the period between the wars.

The British, Japanese, and US fleets all obtained true carriers, with their numbers growing by leaps and bounds by the onset of World War II—especially in America, which had the largest of all. Illustrated with stirring aviation art, here is a unique look at one of the most effective weapons platforms in the world.