What was late-1940s carrier doctrine for attacking ships with first-generation jets?
Short answerJets would attack with rockets and bombs, followed when necessary by turboprop torpedo aircraft against targets that survived.
NotesJets would begin with rockets and bombs while slower turboprop aircraft retained the torpedo role. The attack sequence depends on the target: those first weapons may suffice against an unarmored destroyer, while a larger ship may still require torpedoes. Aircraft also face increasingly intense dual-purpose anti-aircraft fire from postwar escorts such as the Daring class. The passage captures a transitional doctrine in which jet speed had arrived before every anti-ship mission could move to jets.