Dimensions
170 x 250 x 10mm
A revised and updated second edition of a title previously
published in 1981 expanded with new information to bring it
up to date. In 1870 the Admiralty commended to Parliament
the weapon known as the `Hydrostatic Torpedo'; a weapon of
surprise and stealth, the torpedo required a small, speedy
craft to launch it, and thus came to be built HMS Lightning,
the first torpedo boat for the Royal Navy. The potential for
the weapon was soon realised and the Admiralty was forced to
find a new design to accommodate it. In 1873 a new design
known as the `torpedo boat destroyer' was born. The TBD
became indispensable to the navies of the world and in two
world wars its importance both as an offensive and defensive
weapon for fleet and convoy escort duties showed that no
task at sea was too much for the destroyer. Maurice Cocker
charts the history of the destroyer, providing much new
information and a comprehensive record of the history and
appearance of each class.
