Leo Marriott's illustrated book is recommended for its extensive photographs and approachable presentation. Its postwar chapters follow the reserve fleet and the SCB-27A modernizations required for heavier, faster jet aircraft. The Korean War section shows carrier aviation in close air support, where the Skyraider's heavy ordnance load suited a different role from the Panther jet. A Sea Fury's rare piston-engine victory over a MiG provides another memorable detail from the conflict.
Chapter · 42:24-48:04
Essex-class carriers from wartime fleet to jet era
A photograph-rich Essex-class history becomes a route into postwar carrier conversion and the Korean War's carrier operations.