ABSTRACT
This chapter shows how Britain's naval aviation developed rapidly into one of the most progressive air services in the world. It demonstrates, however, the extent to which it was diverted, both by its failure to develop sufficiently long-range lighter-than-air aerial platforms and its use of the existing dynamic British heavier-than-air aviation community, into a direction that would make it a force primarily concerned with air rather than sea power. The history of the Royal Flying Corps' (RFC), Naval Wing, which by the outbreak of war had morphed into the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) is usually viewed in the context of a precursor to today's Fleet Air Arm. Airships were superior to aeroplanes for certain purposes and more particularly for comparatively prolonged operations across the sea'. The Aerial Navigation Sub Committee had taken the view that it was not clear that under existing conditions the aeroplane would be of much value in naval operations.
