Japanese fighters could reach distant targets by following multi-seat strike aircraft, while British Fulmars and Swordfish carried their own navigation and reconnaissance capability. The American Dauntless scout-bomber shows another way to allocate scouting and navigation across a carrier air group. Each system divided those tasks among fighters, bombers, and observers according to its operating doctrine. Aircraft specifications therefore make sense only beside the formation and mission they were designed to support.
Notable Point · 3:21:51-3:24:45
Judge carrier aircraft within their operating doctrine
Aircraft specifications only make sense alongside the navigation, scouting, strike, and recovery system in which a navy intended to use them.