A counterfactual about Italian naval aviation in the 1920s and 1930s considers what might have followed if the Regia Marina controlled its own aviation organization. With aircraft responsibilities separated from the air force, IMAM would have been a natural firm to develop carrier aircraft. That judgment rests on the company's emphasis on speed and ruggedness and its record of meeting specialist naval requirements. Interservice control could therefore shape industrial development: without an independent naval air arm and carrier program, Italy never created the sustained demand that might have pushed IMAM down that path. The company still became essential to the Regia Marina by supplying much of its floatplane force.
Notable Point · 5:49-7:43
Why IMAM suited a hypothetical Regia Marina fleet air arm
In this counterfactual, IMAM's fast, rugged designs and close naval relationship make it the likely Italian carrier-aircraft specialist.