US Navy Carrier Aircraft vs IJN Yamato Class Battleships Book Review

By David L. Veres

Review

Many historians mark 7 April 1945 as the death of the “Battleship Era”.

That’s when US Navy carrier-borne aircraft sunk Imperial Japan’s massive, mighty Yamato – sole survivor of the largest and most powerful battleship class ever constructed.

Now author Mark Stille tells the tale in US Navy Carrier Aircraft vs IJN Yamato Class Battleships: Pacific Theater 1944–45 – 69th installment in Osprey’s fascinating “Duel” series.

Stille’s study pits two American warplane types – Curtiss’ SB2C Helldiver and Grumman’s TBF/TBM Avenger – against the Imperial Japanese Navy’s Yamato and sister ship Musashi. And he recounts each ship’s demise in two epic encounters: Musashi’s at the Battle of Leyte Gulf and Yamato’s during April 1945’s invasion of Okinawa.

Contents follow Osprey’s proven prescription. After a concise chronology, coverage commences with technical details: design, development and specifications. The study then segues to the strategic situation and combatants – before recapping combat actions. Statistics, analysis and aftermath sections wrap things up.

B&W photos, extended captions, maps, biographies, sidebars, selected bibliography and index augment the account. And Jim Laurier’s superb color plates beautifully illustrate participating aircraft and warships. But don't expect annotations: there are none.

Recommended!

My sincere thanks to Osprey Publishing for this review sample!