Maritime Supremacy & Naval Aviation

2 January 2001, 07:45 AM

Forumites,

I've recently developed a case of severe "fascinationitis" in the role of naval supremacy and the establishment of the democratic process after starting to read "Maritime Supremacy and the Opening of the Western Mind". I have several questions:
1. I'm familiar with naval operations in WW1 but hadn't yet focused on naval aviation in this regard. There do not seem to be many resources focusing on this aspect. Any reccommendations?
2. Wouldn't the German Kriegsmarine have encountered more success if only they had mastered Naval aerial reconnaissance? In fact I was under the impression that they had very interesting uses of zeppelin recon at sea. Were the British better at this?
3. Does anybody else suffer from these terrible yet wonderful spasms of sudden specialized interest in unusual aspects of WW1 aviation study? Is there a cure?

Very Best Regards,
Mark Daymont

Barrett · 3 January 2001, 01:25 PM

Consult "Naval Aviation in the 1st World War" by RD Layman (Naval Institute Press, Annapolis).
There are studies of the Czarist naval air service but I don't know any titles. Also some of our European contributors have cited German texts dealing with the German Naval Air Service and the Flanders Marine Corps.
Oh...and yes, there is a cure to specializeditis. It generally occurs at about age 74 in males!

3 January 2001, 01:35 PM

Thanks, Barret. As a matter of fact I was just preparing to join the Naval Institute so I will check that one out. And it's interesting you should mention the Russian naval air service, I just bought some back issues of Over The Front at a hobby store last night, someone evidently didn't want them, and there are some articles about the floatplanes in these issues.

Regards,
Mark Daymont

Graeme · 4 January 2001, 11:27 AM

Thanks Barrett! Another 27 years before the cure kicks in....aarrrggghhhh!!

Barrett · 4 January 2001, 01:11 PM

Chaps:

Enjoy the "pre termination" period as much as you can--it shortens with each hour! (Though I like to paraphrase the photographer's bumper sticker by insisting, "The gods do not detract from man's allotted time the hours spent on The Forum.")
Ref. Russian naval aviation--the Czarist navy was among the world leaders in sea-based air and the country produced several significant innovators including Sikorski, de Seversky, and Kartvelli (the latter two major players in what became Republic Aircraft.)