The Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm grew from a small force into a powerful strategic weapon during World War II. This history describes its activities in the Home, Mediterranean, Eastern, and British Pacific Fleets, together with forces created for specific operations, and lists aircraft and units embarked during the various phases. It also covers carrier operations in the Pacific between 1941 and 1945, noting that both the US Navy and Imperial Japanese Navy benefited from observing the Royal Navy's early carrier operations in the European Theatre. Reference to the effort supplied by Fleet Air Arm units ashore has been kept to a minimum because of space restrictions. The book combines material from two earlier studies by the author, and adds information he was compiling for a third volume at the time of his death. B&w historical photos are included every page. Brown was a Fleet Air Arm carrier pilot and head of the Naval Historical Branch after his retirement. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)