Henderson argued that peacetime confidence in high-angle fire-control systems exceeded the evidence available from realistic firing trials. No demanding postwar test had yet demonstrated that the claimed defensive performance would appear in battle. He still regarded anti-aircraft guns as useful, but believed doctrine had outrun measurement. As a senior naval aviation advocate, he used data and operational testing to challenge assumptions about protecting the fleet from air attack.
Notable Point · 43:28-46:43
Reginald Henderson's warning about fleet air defense
A preview of British naval aviation doctrine highlights Henderson's skepticism about untested anti-aircraft claims.