The Whale Has Wings Vol 1 - Rebirth Read Online Free Page A

fact that the preferred engine type for naval planes was the radial engine, whereas the RAF seemed to be looking to a new generation of high performance inline engines produced by Rolls-Royce, although this hadn't been definitely decided yet. It was decided to form a committee to look into the future needs of the FAA in terms of equipment and planes, which would liaise with its equivalent in the RAF. While the relationship between the FAA and the RAF was rather strained at a high level, the lower ranking members actually doing most of the work got along much better, as long as everything could be kept off the record. Something the British officers were quite skilled at, fortunately.
     

Chapter 3

1934
    By the beginning of 1934 the Royal Navy had made considerable progress of the planning for the new-look FAA.
    The first and most important business was the laying down of the Ark Royal. The new, purpose built carrier had been waited for so long that in some quarters it was almost mythical. Longer term actions were mainly to do with the support and infrastructure of the FAA, which were seen as quite inadequate in view of the expansion in both size and capability expected in the next few years.
    What was needed to be done was fairly obvious, although there was, as expected, some dragging of feet among the battleship Admirals. However the new independence and coming equipment gained for the FAA had given those closely concerned with it a sense of optimism that managed to at least find ways aro und the more restrictive practices being proposed.
    The most necessary requirement was for more pilots and observers, and in particular senior pilots. In the past, a small number of naval pilots had been supplemented by RAF pilots, but this was not going to last for long. Accordingly arrangements were made to allow a considerable expansion of the RN pilot training program. Since the increased importance of naval aviation that was coming made it clear more prominence would need to be given to more senior air-aware staff, it was also felt that a better career path for pilots would be necessary. Unfortunately many of the officers who would have made admirable senior officers of this type were now serving in the RAF, having left the RN in 1918; however while it would take time, the process could at least be started. A number of the more flexible senior officers had expressed interest in learning much more about naval aviation and the detailed possibilities it offered, and arrangements were made to develop and include an air staff officer role into the staff of the senior admirals.
    There was also a considerable exchange of information at lower levels with the USN. While the senior officers in the USN often had issues with the RN, it had been found that aviators liked to talk shop, and getting a few drinks into a US pilot on a hospitality visit was a very good way of comparing tactics and training. As a result some things that the RAF had apparently found 'too difficult', such as over-water navigation and large fast strikes were put back onto the training syllabus.
    While the new aircraft were looked forward to with considerable anticipation, they wouldn't be ready for some years, so the main aims of the FAA were deemed to be training to increase the pool of skilled pilots (and supporting engineering staff and crews), and examining and testing concepts and tactics that would be possible once the new planes arrived. They would also look at the defensive problem posed by aircraft with the capabilities of those being designed - after all, once the RN deployed planes like those, foreign powers were certain to try and match or exceed them, and it was unclear that the current defensive measure for the fleet could cope with them.
    On the construction side, the current effort was finishing the design of the Ark Royal so as not to delay her start. It was still hoped to persuade the treasury that the continuing building of carriers by the Americans and