Description

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Fully illustrated, this book pits US Navy submarines against the aircraft carriers of the Imperial Japanese Navy at the height of World War II.

Before World War II the world's navies envisioned the submarine as a tool to hunt and kill cruisers and capital ships (aircraft carriers and battleships). Instead, they became best known for their abilities as commerce raiders. Yet hunting capital ships remained an important auxiliary role for the US submarine force in World War II. Featuring specially commissioned artwork and mapping alongside carefully chosen archive illustrations, this absorbing study focuses on five revealing battles between US submarines and Japanese aircraft carriers during 1942–44.

At first, a combination of factors – bad torpedoes, poor US tactics, and plain bad luck – foiled every US submarine attack on a Japanese capital ship in 1942 and 1943. But over the space of six months in 1944 – from June through November of that year – US submarines sank three of Japan's largest aircraft carriers as well as a battleship. Thereafter, Japanese capital ships clung to port or sheltered waters beyond the reach of submarines.

In this book, Mark Lardas explains how the technologies and procedures employed by both sides helped to determine the victor in five revealing clashes, from the battle of Midway in June 1942 to the sinking of Shinano, the largest warship sunk by a submarine, in November 1944.

About the Author

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Mark Lardas has always been fascinated by things related to the sea and sky. From building models of ships and aircraft as a teen, he then studied Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, but his interest in aviation led him to take a job on the then-new Space Shuttle program, where he worked for the next 30 years as a navigation engineer. Currently he develops commercial aircraft systems as a quality assurance manager. He has written numerous books on military, naval or maritime history.

Edouard Groult grew up inspired by watching historical documentaries with his father and developed a fascination for historical and fantasy art. Following art studies in both Paris and Belgium he worked as a concept artist in the videogame industry and in recent years has also undertaken historical commissions while working as a freelancer for historical magazines. He lives and works near London.