Battleships: The World’s Greatest Battleships from the 16th Century to the Gulf War

Battleships features 52 of the greatest warships to have sailed in the last 500 years.

Beginning with King Henry VIII’s flagship, Henry Grace à Dieu, this book covers all the main periods of battleship development, including the great sailing ships, such as Sovereign of the Seas, SantissimaTrinidad, and Victory. The advent of steam-driven warships provides the core of the book, beginning with the introduction of Gloire in 1859, and continuing through all the major pre-Dreadnoughts, such as the Inflexible, Maine, and Tsessarevitch. There is detailed coverage of the great battleships of the two world wars, including Derfflinger, Yamato, and Iowa, while the book closes with the last new battleship to be commissioned, Vanguard, in 1946. Each entry includes a brief description of the battleship’s development and history, a color profile artwork, key features, and specifications. Packed with illustrations and photographs, Battleships is a colorful guide for the military historian and naval warfare enthusiast.

David Ross specializes in maritime, engineering, and railway history, and he has written and contributed to numerous books on these subjects. His books include Abandoned Industrial Places: Rail Journeys: Bridges, Coast, Lighthouses, Ships: A Visual Encyclopedia; The Essential Naval Identification Guide: Submarines 1914-Present; and Great Warships.