British Naval Aviation: The First 100 Years

by Benbow,Tim; Benbow,Tim

• ISBN13: 9781409406129
• ISBN10: 1409406121
• eBook ISBN(s): 9781317171751
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-06-28
• Publisher: Routledge
• More Book Details

Summary

In 1909 the British Admiralty placed an order for a rigid airship. Although the resulting craft - the Mayfly - was not a success, the decision itself was a momentous one and a turning point in naval history. Over the next century the role of naval aviation would rapidly expand, radically altering the nature of maritime power and naval strategy. Yet despite being the pioneer of the use of air power at sea and one of the two leading players since then, the subject of the Royal Navy's involvement with air power has remained a relatively neglected subject of academic analysis. As such this volume will be welcomed for providing both an overview of the current scholarly state of play within the subject, and for addressing specific issues relating to naval aviation in historical and contemporary debates. For - as the essays in this volume make clear - although the technology of naval aviation has leaped ever forward since the days if the Mayfly - many of the fundamental questions relating to the political, military and financial costs have remained the same over the course of the last century. Taking a broadly chronological approach the collection provides a scholarly examination of key themes from across the history of British naval aviation, drawing on much new historical research. The subjects tackled include long-standing controversies (such as the interwar control of naval aviation), important but little studied turning points (such as the 1950s 'radical reviews' or the 1966 cancellation of the planned aircraft carrier CVA-01) and issues that have hitherto received relatively little attention (notably the Fleet Air Arm in the Mediterranean and Pacific theatres of the Second World War, and the contribution of naval aviation in 'limited war' during the Cold War period). It also has two chapters bridging the cancellation of CVA-01 and contemporary debates about the new carriers that are under construction. Taken as a whole the volume offers fascinating insights into one of the most important aspects of Britain's defence policy and military history. By simultaneous addressing historical and current political debates, it is sure to find a ready audience and stimulate further discussion.