Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 3:15:17-3:15:45

The recalled North Sea losses of the RNAS

A recalled statistic compares First World War aircraft losses to the sea with losses to enemy action.

Aviation AccidentsLive Q&ANorth SeaRoyal Naval Air ServiceWorld War I
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Question

Were more aircraft lost to the North Sea than to enemy action?

Short answer

Alex recalls that comparison for the RNAS in the First World War, without supplying the underlying totals.

Notes

The follow-up asks about the scale of aircraft losses to the North Sea. Alex remembers reading and checking a statistic that the RNAS lost more aircraft there than to enemy action during the First World War. He does not name the book or reproduce the figures, and retains uncertainty in the recollection.