From the author of Under the Black Flag; the biography of a British warship and a portrait of a world at war during the Napoleonic era.The story of the seventy-four gun warship Bellerophon will be familiar to anyone who's read Patrick O'Brian or C.S. Forester. The Billy Ruffian runs from its subject's birth (in a small shipyard in 1782) to her death (in a breaker's yard more than fifty years later; after serving as a prison ship). In the intervening years the Billy Ruffian played a conspicuous part in three of the most famous of all sea battles: the battle of the Glorious First of June (1794); the opening action against revolutionary France; the battle of the Nile (1798); which halted Napoleon's eastern expansion from Cairo; and the battle of Trafalgar (1805); which established British naval supremacy for 100 years. But her crowning glory came six weeks after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815; when Napoleon; trapped in La Rochelle; surrendered to the captain of the ship that had dogged his steps for more than twenty years. Using diaries; ship's logs; personal letters; and other contemporary documents; David Cordingly has created a fascinating and eminently readable account of life both on ship and off during this most romantic of eras.
#457257 in Books 2011-12-05Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.50 x .63 x 11.00l; 1.92 #File Name: 1580071902240 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Building the P-51 MustangBy J. HeiskellAs of my writing this; I am still only about half finished reading this after receiving it; but can already tell that this is going to be a totally positive review. I am amazed at the amount of the detailed information from the inception of the first ideas of this aircraft; right up through the entire history of its production life with all the variables of design. It is a great honor to be able to put names and faces behind all the hard work that made the P-51 a possibility; and everyone is included in the managerial level; and had it been possible; I believe the author would have included the names of each and every North American Aviation employee that contributed to the making of the Mustang (there is even a picture of the 10;000th Mustang made that was signed by all of the production line workers; then sent overseas!!). An unbelievably detailed view at my most loved fighter plane.6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. The MOST about the Mustang from P-51 LVRBy James F. O'NEILI am not THE collector of Mustang books. I have a unique license plate: P-51 LVR. I do "love" the "cadillac" of the WWII fighters. I also have a collection of books about the Mustang. As the author writes that many good books exist (and some poor ones too); this is a MUST for any Mustang lover/aficionado/fan-atic. Every Mustang-lover has to have this book in the collection. More information than you will ever need about design and production. If you are looking for pictures; they are here. If you are looking for fighter group history and air battles; you must go elsewhere to collect information (like the Osprey series). But since 2010; the publication date of this work; much has been written and researched about the plane. Before 2010; only a few books existed that covered details now presented by Michael O'Leary. Do not pass up this opportunity to buy this book!1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Almost complete history of warbird whose legend threatens to obscure its historyBy Wick HumbleLoads of photos; documentary artifacts; and some inside stories too. One of O'Learys -- who in his earlier efforts tended toward the sensational 'pop' perspective on aircraft history -- best efforts. Only wish there were more details on Mustang gestation; the world pretty much knows about the success of the D-model onward. As ist is; the book is adequate on the Allison-powered generations; a plus. Could have been longer?
