Within 10 years of man's first flight, the armies and navies of the world had seen the potential of the flying machine. Maurice Cocker looks at the ships of the Royal Navy which have carried and used aircraft since the first aircraft-carrier was built in 1912, from small lighters through battleships with runways on their turrets, submarines, converted ocean liners, and ferries to the mighty aircraft-carriers of today. Some, such as the Ark Royal, are famous, others much less so. This is as complete a record of all the aircraft-carrying ships of Britain's Royal Navy.

Within 10 years of man's first flight, the armies and navies of the world had seen the potential of the flying machine. Maurice Cocker looks at the ships of the Royal Navy which have carried and used aircraft since the first aircraft-carrier was built in 1912, from small lighters through battleships with runways on their turrets, submarines, converted ocean liners, and ferries to the mighty aircraft-carriers of today. Some, such as the Ark Royal, are famous, others much less so. This is as complete a record of all the aircraft-carrying ships of Britain's Royal Navy.