Re: Fighters

G'day guys,

>Wasn't a similar arguement made in our own history about the 
>usefulness of Aircraft in naval warfare.
>As I recal most Naval experts couldn't see the point in aircraft.

The argument was made about aircraft in warfare full stop. At the start
of
WWI the powers pretty much made a tacit agreement that planes would be
observers only and unarmed (the guys in charge couldn't see how arming
them
would be effective/useful). Unfortunately no one told the pilots so you
had
guys taking up hunting rifles, bricks, grapples (to pull the other guys
propellor off), pistols, axes, darts etc and eventually they invented
the
interrupters/synchronisers/wedges, the command gave in and bonifide
fighters were born. 

As for not seeing fighters or a very small ship as beeing effective
against
a honking great big one, anyone who's read "Hoka Hoka Hoka" can see
where
that train of thought can lead you... ;)

Cheers

Beth

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Elizabeth Fulton
c/o CSIRO Division of Marine Research
GPO Box 1538
HOBART 
TASMANIA 7001
AUSTRALIA
Phone (03) 6232 5018 International +61 3 6232 5018
Fax (03) 6232 5199 International +61 3 6232 5199

email: beth.fulton@marine.csiro.au