Aircraft Carriers of the World, 1914 to the Present: An Illustrated Encyclopaedia by Roger Chesneau

Aircraft Carriers of the World, 1914 to the Present: An Illustrated Encyclopaedia by Roger Chesneau lands on the shelves of my shop.

London: Arms & Armour Press, 1995, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Jacket illustration: HMS Illustrious and USS Saratoga operating together in the Indian Ocean, April 1944; a painting by Geoff Hunt. Illustrated by way of: Black & White Photographs; Tables; Plans;

From the cover: Aircraft Carriers of the World is the first comprehensive reference work to detail in one volume with data, line drawings and photographs the 360-plus carriers designed or projected by the worlds navies.

Although only five (and until recently only four) nations have ever completed the building of aircraft carriers, such vessels have seen service in twelve of the worlds navies. Depending upon precisely how one defines the term aircraft carrier, some 329 ships of this type have been operated throughout the world, more than half by the US Navy; in addition, scores of carriers have been projected. All of these vessels are catalogued in Aircraft Carriers of the World, arranged chronologically according to country. Each basic design is discussed, and appearance notes and career summaries are presented for each individual carrier. In addition, each main entry is accompanied by a table giving design specifi-cations, by a pair of constant-scale general arrangement line drawings, and by a selection of photographs carefully chosen to give as far as possible a comprehensive picture of each class and the variations within it.

The catalogue section of the book is preceded by a detailed narrative tracing the origins and evolution of the aircraft carrier as a viable fighting unit, with particular emphasis on the conflicting design requirements of, on the one hand, the ship, and, on the other, her aircraft a problem that has proved to be one of the most taxing ever to face naval constructors. Flight deck operations and carrier tactics are also discussed, and an insight into the political argument that has continually accompanied carrier development is offered.

Containing over 400 photographs and line drawings, Aircraft Carriers of the World provides the reader with all the essential information he may wish to seek concerning what has become the largest and most complex fighting machine devised by man.

Very Good in Very Good Dust Wrapper. Gently faded at the spine of the dust wrapper otherwise a very well presented copy.

Blue boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. 288 pages. Index. Bibliography. 10″ x 10″.

Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!

Gods of the Dawn: The Message of the Pyramids and the True Stargate Mystery by Peter Lemesurier

Gods of the Dawn: The Message of the Pyramids and the True Stargate Mystery by Peter Lemesurier lands on the shelves of my shop.

London: Thorsons, 1998, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Illustrated by way of: Black & White Photographs; Colour Photographs; Black & White Drawings; Diagrams;

From the cover: By combining the cutting edge theories of well-known Egypt experts with his own years of intensive research, Peter Lemesurier has put together an explosive new work that at last presents a unified theory of the pyramids.

In language that is simple, dramatic and to the point he explains the extraordinary mathematics, geography and astronomy behind them and their internal passages and chambers. He uses clearly set out diagrams to demonstrate that the pyramids are a cosmic address representing Earth, Mars, Venus and the moon and that the spine-tingling message they enshrine probably came from outside the solar system.

There have been other books about the pyramids, and this is not the first time that they have been associated with extraterrestrial beings. It is, however, the first time that an outer space connection with the pyramids has been suggested by a writer who is widely respected as a serious commentator on the subject.

Very Good in Very Good Dust Wrapper. A little rubbing to the edges of the dust wrapper. Pages very gently age-tanned.

Purple boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. [X] 241 pages. Index. Bibliography. 9½” x 6¼”.

Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!

Robo sapiens: Evolution of a New Species by Peter Menzel & Faith D’aluisio

Robo sapiens: Evolution of a New Species by Peter Menzel & Faith D’aluisio lands on the shelves of my shop.

USA, Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 2000, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Jacket illustration: A face robot from the Hara-Kobayashi laboratory of the Science University of Tokyo. Illustrated by way of: Colour Photographs;

From the cover: Around the world, scientists and engineers are participating in a high-stakes race to build the first intelligent robot. Many robots already exist automobile factories are full of them. But the new generation of robots will be something else: smart machines that act ever more like living creatures.

What will happen then? With our prosthetic limbs, titanium hips, and artificial eyes, we are already beginning to resemble our machines. And when we implant chips in our bodies to connect ourselves directly to computers, the likeness will become only more pronounced. Science fiction will have become science fact.

Meanwhile and equally important our machines are beginning to resemble us. Robotic spiders, crabs, geckos, and dogs are already spilling from the laboratories. The next steps are to re-create Homo sapiens itself and then go beyond. Robots can already walk, talk, and dance; they can react to human facial expressions and obey verbal commands. When scientists go on to create fully autonomous robots with greater intelligence than human beings, will they be our partners or our rivals? Will it be simply a robotic revolution or a true extension of evolution? Could machines and humankind meld into a single species Robo sapiens ?

In Robo sapiens, award-winning journalists Peter Menzel and Faith DAluisio present the next generation of intelligent robots and their makers. Accompanying brilliant photographs of more than a hundred robots are extensive interviews with robotics pioneers, anecdotal field notes with behind-the-scenes information, and easy-to-understand technical data about the machines. Robo sapiens is a field guide to our mechanical future.

Very Good+ in Very Good+ Dust Wrapper.

Black boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. 240 pages. Index. 11″ x 8¾”.

Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!

Scram!: The Gripping First-hand Account of the Helicopter War in the Falklands by Harry Benson

Scram!: The Gripping First-hand Account of the Helicopter War in the Falklands by Harry Benson lands on the shelves of my shop.

Preface, 2012, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Illustrated by way of: Black & White Photographs; Colour Photographs; Maps;

From the cover: SCRAM! SCRAM! was all I heard through my corns as I caught sight of two Argentine A-4 Skyhawks blasting through bomb alley toward the anchored British flotilla. In front of me every ship opened up with everything they had as missiles and tracer fire streaked through the sky to meet the incoming aircraft. All we could do as helicopter pilots caught out in the open was head for the hills. Literally.

Soon after the Argentine army invaded the Falklands in the early hours of 2 April 1982, it was the Royal Navy commando helicopter pilots, nicknamed junglies, who flew most of the land-based missions in the Falklands in their Sea King and Wessex helicopters. Facing both mortar fire and head-on attacks by Argentine jets, they inserted SAS patrols at night, rescued survivors of Exocet attacks, mounted daring missile raids, as well as supporting the British troops and evacuating casualties, often in appalling weather conditions.

Harry Benson was a 21-year-old junglie Wessex pilot, fresh out of training, when war started. He has interviewed over forty of his former colleagues for this book, creating a fast-paced, meticulously researched and compelling account written by someone who was there, in the cockpit of a Wessex helicopter.

Good+ in Very Good Dust Wrapper. Dust wrapper very slightly rubbed at the edges. Leans a little. Hinge showing at the title page. Text complete, clean and tight otherwise.

Black boards with Silver titling to the Spine. [XXVI] 390 pages. Index. 9½” x 6¼”.

Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!