Early Naval Air Power: British and German Approaches

238 Pages·2018·1.869 MB·English

by  Dennis Haslop

Early Naval Air Power
T his book examines the British and German approach to naval air power,
describing the creation and development of the two naval air service organizations
and doctrine.
T his work provides new insights as to how two naval air services were
influenced by internal and political interventions, and how each was integrated
into the organizational structures of the Royal Navy and the Kaiserlichemarine
(KM). Both the Admiralty and the KM made substantial alterations to their
organizations and doctrine in the process. Principal air doctrines employed are
examined chronologically and the application of operational doctrine is described.
While they adopted similar air doctrines, there were differences in operational
doctrine, which they addressed according to their different requirements. This
book is a comparative study about the development of organization and air
power doctrine in the RNAS (Royal Naval Air Service) and the IGNAS (Imperial
German Naval Air Service). It investigates public and political interventions and
early concepts of air power, placing into context the factors which contributed to
how naval theorists came to think about the best means of controlling its working
medium, air space. Ultimately, it examines the similarities, and differences, between
the RNAS and IGNAS understanding of naval air power, within the broader
strategic and theoretical framework of their parent organizations.
This book will be of great interest to students of air power, naval power, military
history, strategic studies and IR in general.
Dennis Haslop holds a PhD in Defence Studies from King’s College, London and
a PhD in Maritime History from the University of Exeter. He is also the author of
Britain, Germany and the Battle of the Atlantic (2013).
Corbett Centre for Maritime Policy Studies Series
Series Editors: Greg Kennedy, Tim Benbow
and Jon Robb-Web, Defence Studies Department,
Joint Services Command and Staff College, UK
The Corbett Centre for Maritime Policy Studies Series is the publishing platform
of the Corbett Centre. Drawing on the expertise and wider networks of the Defence
Studies Department of King's College London, and based at the Joint Services
Command and Staff College in the UK Defence Academy, the Corbett Centre is
already a leading centre for academic expertise and education in maritime and
naval studies. It enjoys close links with several other institutions, both academic
and governmental, that have an interest in maritime matters, including the Devel-
opments, Concepts and Doctrine Centre (DCDC), the Naval Staff of the Ministry of
Defence and the Naval Historical Branch. The centre and its publishing output aim
to promote the understanding and analysis of maritime history and policy and to
provide a forum for the interaction of academics, policy-makers and practitioners.
Books published under the aegis of the Corbett Centre series reflect these aims
and provide an opportunity to stimulate research and debate into a broad range of
maritime-related themes. The core subject matter for the series is maritime strategy
and policy, conceived broadly to include theory, history and practice, military and
civil, historical and contemporary, British and international aspects. As a result,
this series offers a unique opportunity to examine key issues such as maritime
security, the future of naval power, and the commercial uses of the sea, from an
exceptionally broad chronological, geographical and thematic range. Truly inter-
disciplinary in its approach, the series welcomes books from across the humanities,
social sciences and professional worlds, providing an unrivalled opportunity for
authors and readers to enhance the national and international visibility of maritime
affairs, and provide a forum for policy debate and analysis.
Also in this series :
The Dynamics of Coalition Naval Warfare
The Special Relationship at Sea
Steven Paget
Early Naval Air Power
British and German Approaches
Dennis Haslop
Early Naval Air Power
British and German Approaches
Dennis Haslop
First published 2018
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2018 Dennis Haslop
The right of Dennis Haslop to be identified as author of this work has been
asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in
any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publishers.
Trademark notice : Product or corporate names may be trademarks or
registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation
without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for this book has been requested
ISBN: 978-1-138-57855-5 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-351-26420-4 (ebk)
Typeset in Times New Roman
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
Contents
List of figures vi
List of table vii
Abbreviations viii
Acknowledgements xii
Introduction 1
1 The dawn of the era of flight and the formation of
the RFC/RNAS, from its inception until the end of 1915 18
2 The dawn of the era of flight and the formation of
the Imperial German Naval Air Service, from its
inception until the end of 1915 57
3 RNAS development and the challenges from within and
without, leading to the formation of the RAF, 1916–1918 95
4 IGNAS development and the challenges from within,
1916–1918 135
5 Conclusion 173
Bibliography 189
Index 221
Figures
1.1 RFC Organization April 1912 26
1.2 Board of Admiralty 1912–1916 29
1.3 HMS Engadine 40
2.1 Censorship in Berlin 68
2.2 The Imperial German Naval Air Service Organization
Flowchart 1912–1916 72
2.3 SMS Santa Elena 82
3.1 Air Services of the Admiralty, 1916–1918 105
3.2 Spider Web Patrol Pattern 112
3.3 Spider Web in the Western Approaches 114
3.4 Admiralty/Air Ministry Liaison 115
3.5 HMS Furious 120
4.1 Change from B dL to BdFlieg 144
4.2 Change from B dFlieg to Marineflugchef 145
Table
1.1 116th Meeting of the CID 25
Abbreviations
British
ACA Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
ACNS Assistant Chief of Naval Staff
ASD Anti-Submarine Division
A/S Anti-Submarine
ASW Anti-Submarine Warfare
BEF British Expeditionary Force
CDC Colonial Defence Committee
CID Committee of Imperial Defence
C-in-C Commander-in-Chief
CNS Chief of Naval Staff, First Sea Lord
COS Chief of Staff
DAS Director of Air Services
DCNS Deputy Chief of Naval Staff
D/F Direction Finder
DMA Directorate of Military Aeronautics
DGMA Director General of Military Aeronautics
DNC Director of Naval Construction
DOD Director of Operations Division
FL First Lord of the Admiralty
FSL First Sea Lord
FSR Field Service Regulations
GOC General Officer Commanding (Air Force)
GFBO Grand Fleet Battle Orders
Guerre de Course War on Commerce
HTA Heavier-than-air
HMS HM Ship
HQ Headquarters
ICA Inspecting Captain of Aircraft
IGAAS Imperial German Army Air Service
IGNAS Imperial German Naval Air Service
JWAC Joint War Air Committee
Abbreviations ix
LTA Lighter-than-air
NARA National Archives and Records Administration,
Washington
NCO Non-Commissioned Officers
NHB Naval Historical Branch
NID Naval Intelligence Department
NPL National Physical Laboratory
NW/RNAS Naval Wing/Royal Naval Air Service
OPCOM Operational Command
OPCON Operational Control
OR Operational Research
RAF Royal Air Force
RFC Royal Flying Corps
RN Royal Navy
RNAS Royal Naval Air Service
SNO Senior Naval Officer
TNA The National Archives, formerly PRO
U-boat Submarine
USN United States Navy
VLR Very Long Range
WA Western Approaches
WT Wireless Telegraphy
German
Admiralität Admiralty
Admiralstab Naval Staff
A.K.O.- Allerhöchste Kabinettsordre Decree
BA-MA-Bundesarchiv-Militärarchiv National Military Archive, Freiburg
BdA-Befehlshaber der Commander Surface Scouting Forces
Aufklärungsschiffe
BdFlieg-Befehlshaber der C-in-C Naval Aeroplane Divisions
Marinefliegerabteilungen
BdL-Befehlshaber der C-in-C Naval Aviation
Marineluftfahrtabteilungen
BSB-Bayerische Staatsbibliothek Bavarian State Library, Munich
BSN-Befehlshaber der Sicherung C-in-C Protection Forces North Sea
Nordsee
Einsatzgrundsätze Operational doctrine
FdL-Führer der Luftschiffe Commander of Naval Airships
FdF.HSK-Führer der Fliegerbei den Flight Leader High Sea Armed Forces
Hochseestreitkräften
FdU-Führer der U-boote U-boat Leader
Feldflugchef Chief of army field flight-operations