mlees
Posts: 2263
Joined: 9/20/2003 From: San Diego Status: offline
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quote:
Yes, but I thought part of that was already simulated in the *four* turns it takes to produce the aircraft. No, the training I had in mind is more on an overall doctrinal level, not just the nuts and bolts of flying. In fact, it takes just as long to train a pilot in WiF at the beginning of the war as it does near the end, despite combat experienced instructors becoming available, gear up in production, instituting the draft, and so on. (I apologise for any miscommunication on my part.) Note, it took the USN/RN/IJN many years to figure out how to operate aircraft from ships, how to move/store/service them onboard ship, how the carrier(s) is going to operate with the rest of the fleet (seperate strike force, or scouting force?), and so on. Once a doctrine that works is decided on, the bugs worked out, then that info gets promulgated to the follow on generation of sailors and pilots on a broader and faster scale. Even though the luftwaffe had extensive experience with air to ground support, it was much weaker, doctrinally, in the antishipping role. (The cooperation between the Luftwaffe recon and uboats was adequate, but of the strike arm and fighter arm, for air cover of uboats in transit, was spotty at best.) Despite the success in WW1 and WW2 of the uboat arm, the Luftwaffe and the Army still dominated the planning at the GHQ level, and the carrier force, if any, would have to put up with being used as an adjunct of the continental land campaigns until the service gained prestige. For example, the Royal Navy's planes were actually part of the Royal Air Force until the late 30's, much to the disadvantage of the carrier and seaplane force. (Not due to lack of prestige in the RN in this case, but because of beaucratic cost saving ideas.) The RAF bomber and fighter force received most of the funding and R&D effort, leaving the RN aircraft to be mostly obsolete at the very start of the war (Swordfish, Gladiator), and with a small pilot pool and training program. The fact that the RN was able to achieve as much as it did with it's starting carrier air fleet is a testimate of the RN's leadership and the overall elan of the service.
< Message edited by mlees -- 3/16/2007 7:13:58 PM >
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