Once shipborne aircraft have demonstrated an independent naval strike mission, Beatty has a stronger case for keeping fleet aviation under naval discipline while shore-support units pass to the new Royal Air Force. An April 1918 compromise could let personnel choose between the services after the war. Continuous naval control would preserve a distinct Fleet Air Arm through the interwar period. Its need for compact carrier aircraft would also sustain demand for powerful single engines, with possible effects on carrier aviation and British fighter-engine development by 1939.
Chapter · 19:40-22:36
The Fleet Air Arm remains under naval control
A proven carrier-strike role lets Beatty and Jellicoe keep fleet aircraft naval, with long-term effects on organization and engine development.