Why did Britain lose its leading position in the development of naval aviation between the First and Second World Wars?

Why did Britain lose its leading position in the development of naval aviation between the First and Second World Wars?

24 Dec 24
Posted by: OC Michael Heneghan
7 minutes, 18 seconds read
Message from the Editor

The author’s Eric Grove Prize-winning article tackles the perpetually controversial question of British naval aviation development amidst intense interservice rivalry between the world wars. A 10 minute read.

In April 1918, the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was merged with the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) to form the Royal Air Force (RAF).[1] The RNAS had been leading Britain’s development of both naval aviation and military aviation, however, scholars such as Eric Grove suggest that Britain’s lead in naval aviation was lost during the interwar period. This article explores the potential causes of stagnation and why Britain’s naval aviation developed less between 1918 and 1939 than was the case in the American or Japanese navies. This article explores how Britain lost its leading position due to the q…

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