The Royal Navy treated carrier aircraft as an extension of its light-force approach, capable of striking beyond visual range after dark. That mission made navigation and identification inseparable from flying skill. Observers and telegraphist air gunners could support beacons, chart work, and reporting, allowing a reconnaissance aircraft to give the fleet a usable enemy position rather than only a sighting. Multi-seat aircraft accepted weight and performance costs in exchange for the specialist workload needed to find, classify, and return from distant targets.
Chapter · 40:16-45:24
Why naval aviation needed observers at night
Long-range night strikes required aircraft that could navigate, identify ships, report positions, and recover to a moving carrier.