The Royal Navy financed the Fleet Air Arm while the Air Ministry administered its pilots through the RAF and controlled the procurement interface with manufacturers. Naval payments initially passed through the Air Ministry, which deducted administration costs before paying the aircraft companies. The change to direct naval payment is tentatively dated to around 1931, although the consistency of the arrangements remains unclear. Disputes arose when the Air Ministry accused the Navy of bypassing payment rules and the Navy questioned paying another department to deal with a firm such as Vickers that it already used.
Notable Point · 50:48-51:50
Who paid for the interwar Fleet Air Arm?
The Navy financed the Fleet Air Arm even while the Air Ministry administered pilots, contracts, and the route to aircraft manufacturers.