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[Colin Bishop]

I've just finished reading this new book by Chris Terrill and found it fascinating.

https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/313/313758/how-to-build-an-aircraft-carrier/9780241400104.html

It's not a dry technical volume as the title might suggest but brilliantly describes the human side of completing HMS Queen Elizabeth and follows her through initial sea trials, commissioning and then some nail biting stuff when they tested the F35 Lightning fighter off the East coast of the USA with a visit to New York for a brief break. It finishes with QE's return to Portsmouth, mission accomplished.

It really does give some understanding of what it takes to operate such a huge warship in all departments. Lots of interesting nuggets of information such as QE only needing 30 people to operate her automated internal weapons distribution system compared with a US Nimitz class where 300 are necessary to do the job manually. An interesting insight into some of the capabilities of the F35 too such as the pilot being able to 'look through' the bottom of the airframe when airborne using sensors connected to his helmet.

The book emphasises the human element of the ship following crew members at all levels from the Captain down to the gash sorters!

Price is £25 but most outlets seem to be offering discounts of around £10

Colin

[Rob47]

Its bad, title is not what the book is about, so many glaring errors and to find out that it was proof read by LT Cmdr who was on the ship with the author, she has allowed some sloppy writing in, her acceptaqce of "Pipe the Still" was breathtaking.


Sadly money not well spent


Bob

[Colin Bishop]

I think you have rather missed the point of the book. It was never intended to be a technical exposition but to capture the human side of bringing the ship into service. Some aspects had obviously been subject to security restrictions and some journalistic licence was used. That doesn't necessarily make it a bad book.

Unlike other warships, the QE has never been opened to the general public to my knowledge, the RN seem to want to keep her under wraps.

Colin