Books by Angus Konstam

Book SynopsisIn November 1859, the French warship La Gloire was launched. She was the world''s first seagoing ironclad - a warship built from wood, but whose hull was clad in a protective layer of iron plate. Britain, not to be outdone, launched her own ironclad the following year - HMS Warrior - which, when she entered service, became the most powerful warship in the world. Just like the Dreadnought half a century later, this ship changed the nature of naval warfare forever, and sparked a frantic arms race. The elegant but powerful Warrior embodied the technological advances of the early Victorian era, and the spirit of this new age of steam, iron and firepower. Fully illustrated with detailed cutaway artwork, this book covers the British ironclad from its inception and emergence in 1860, to 1875, a watershed year, which saw the building of a new generation of recognisably modern turreted battleships.Table of ContentsIntroduction /Design & Development /Tactical Requirements /Armour /Ordnance /Propulsion /Life on Board /Ironclads in Action /Specifications /Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThis study explores, in detail, the gripping tale of a handful of British X-Craft submarines which stole into one of the best-protected anchorages of World War II and crippled the great German battleship Tirpitz.In September 1943, under the cover of darkness, six British midget submarines crept into the heart of enemy territory, penetrating a heavily guarded Norwegian fjord in an attempt to eliminate the threat of the powerful German battleship, the Tirpitz. Numerous previous attempts to attack the ship from both air and sea had failed, and this mission was carefully strategized and undertaken by skilled operatives who had undergone extensive training in an isolated sea loch. Though five of the six X-Craft submarines were either lost or captured, two crews had just enough time to lay their explosive charges, which detonated after they were forced to the surface, putting the Tirpitz out of action for a crucial six-month period. Masterminded from a

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Book SynopsisWhen war broke out in 1939, only three true battlecruisers remained in the Royal Navy including HMS ''Hood'', the world''s largest and fastest capital ship for much of her life, which would be destroyed in action against the German battleship ''Bismarck''. Out of the remaining two battlecruisers (''Repulse'' and ''Renown'') one was sunk by Japanese aircraft off Singapore, whilst the other served with distinction until the end of the war. This book traces the pre-war development of these spectacular warships, then describes their wartime exploits, using this to demonstrate their operational and mechanical performance. It examines what life was like on these wartime battlecruisers when they sailed into action.

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Book SynopsisWith the outbreak of World War II, Britain''s Royal Navy was at the forefront of her defence with her fleet of battleships as her main striking force. However, ten battleships of this fleet were already over 20 years old, venerable veterans of the first world conflict. As such, in the 1930s two new classes were commissioned - modern battleships which were designed to replace the ageing battle fleet although only one would see active service. Together with the older battleships, which were increasingly modified in the decade preceding the war and during the conflict itself, these vessels held their own against their German and Italian counterparts. This title offers a comprehensive review of the seven battleships of the Nelson and King George V classes from their initial commissioning to their peacetime modifications and wartime service. Detailed descriptions of the main armament of each ship will offer further analysis of individual battleship''s effectiveness, discussing ho

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Book SynopsisThe Royal Navy''s battleships at the turn of the 20th century were the most powerful battlefleet in the world, and embodied one of the key periods in warship development - the development of the dreadnought battleship.The term ''pre-dreadnought'' was applied in retrospect, to describe the capital ships built during the decade and a half before the launch of HMS Dreadnought in 1906. At that moment these once great warships were rendered obsolete. However, until then, they were simply called ''battleships' and were unquestionably the most powerful warships of their day. These mighty warships represented the cutting edge of naval technology. The ugly ducklings of the ironclad era had been transformed into beautiful swans, albeit deadly ones.In Britain, this period was dominated by Sir William White, the Navy''s Chief Constructor. Under his guidance the mastless battleships of the 1880s gave way to an altogether more elegant type of capital ship. The period of trial and errorTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT The era of experimentation White’s first battleships Second Class battleships The Spencer classes White’s last battleships The end of an era GUNS, STEAM AND STEEL Armament Propulsion Armour BATTLESHIPS IN ACTION FURTHER READING INDEX

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Book SynopsisFrom renowned author and naval historian Angus Konstam, this is a gripping account of one of the Royal Navy''s bloodiest and most dramatic mutinies.Mutiny on the Spanish Main tells the dramatic story of HMS Hermione, a British frigate which, in 1797, was the site of the bloodiest mutiny in British naval history, which saw the death of her captain and many of her officers. Though her crew handed her over to the Spanish, Hermione was subsequently recaptured in a daring raid on a Caribbean port two years later. Drawing on letters, reports, ship''s logs, and memoirs of the period, as well as previously unpublished Spanish sources, Angus Konstam intertwines extensive research with a fast-paced but balanced account of the mutiny and its consequences.Illustrated with maps and diagrams tracing the events as they unfolded, and supported by informative inserts on the technical and tactical nuances of seamanship and naval warfare in the periodTrade ReviewA vivid account of a forgotten chapter of British naval history. * Dan Snow, Historian, TV Presenter and Broadcaster *Angus Konstam is a master of meticulous maritime research and has brilliantly reignited this stirring tale of mutiny, savage murder, treason and subsequent Royal Navy daring and gallant retaliation and retribution. It is a cracking good read. * Admiral Sir Jock Slater, Royal Navy (rtd.), former First Sea Lord *Angus Konstam has delivered a masterful work. Fast moving, fascinating intrigue, incredible action, and heroic retribution by the Royal Navy. Meticulous research includes a surprising impact on US history. Patrick O’Brian would love this book. I couldn’t put it down! * Admiral Jay L. Johnson U.S. Navy (rtd.), former Chief of Naval Operations *Mutiny on the Spanish Main has everything such a history should have: a story which no novelist would dare put before his readers, an exploration of the depths to which unconfined humans can sink… [and] a graphic style which places the reader in the action – and there is action aplenty. What more could any reader want? * Peter Padfield, Author of Nelson’s War *Konstam’s detective work in archives across the world reveals the astonishing story of what really happened, the characters of the men involved and the convoluted mixture of geopolitics and personality which led to one of the bloodiest chapters in British naval history. * Siân Rees, Author of The Floating Brothel *Angus Konstam starts in the homely surroundings of a pub in Greenwich with two lamented and larger-than-life characters, and takes us to the Caribbean in one of the navy’s worst-run ships, in a period of great unrest. He provided a moving and terrifying picture of mutiny and its aftermath in one of the Royal Navy’s darkest hours, combined with a thorough understanding of the customs and techniques of the navy of the day. * Brian Lavery, Curator Emeritus, National Museum, Greenwich and author of Nelson's Navy *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Maps Preface 1: The Hermione 2: Crisis in the Caribbean 3: The Seeds of Mutiny 4: The Fortunate Son 5: The Caribbean Honeymoon 6: The Floating Powderkeg 7: Murder in the Night 8: The Evil that Men Do 9: The Spanish Main 10: The Manhunt 11: An International Incident 12: The Surprise 13: The Cutting Out 14: Retribution Notes Bibliography HMS Hermione – Ship’s Specifications Index

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisThis book charts the dramatic course of the European battle for maritime supremacy, from the first marriage of guns and ships in the midfifteenthcentury to the grandiose national flagships two hundred years later that led to a new breed of battleship, the shipoftheline.

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