NAVAL WAR COLLEGE NEWPORT PAPERS 37 NAVAL WAR COLLEGE WAR NAVAL Innovation in Carrier Aviation NEWPORT PAPERS NEWPORT S NNA ESE AVV TT AA A A LL T T WW S S AA D D R R E E C C T T I I O O L N L N L L U U E E E E G G H H E E T T II VIVRIRIBIUBU OORR AA SS CCTT M MAARRI I V VII 37 T homas C. Hone Norman Friedman Mark D. Mandeles Color profile: Disabled Composite Default screen U.S. GOVERNMENT Cover OFFICIAL EDITION NOTICE This perspective aerial view of Newport, Rhode Island, drawn and published by Galt & Hoy of New York, circa 1878, is found in the American Memory Online Map Collections: 1500–2003, of the Library of Congress Geography and Map Division, Washington, D.C. The map may be viewed at http://hdl.loc.gov/ loc.gmd/g3774n.pm008790. Use of ISBN Prefix This is the Official U.S. Government edition of this publication and is herein identified to certify its authenticity. ISBN 978-1-884733-85-7 is for this U.S. Government Printing Office Official Edition only. 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Mandeles N ES AV T A A L T W S A D R E NAVAL WAR COLLEGE PRESS C T I O N L L U E E G H E Newport, Rhode Island T R I VI IBU OR A S CT MARI VI NP_37.ps C:\_WIP\_Newport Paper\_NP37\_VP\NP_37.vp Wednesday, August 03, 2011 2:53:41 PM Color profile: Disabled Composite Default screen Tom Hone: “To Bailey Siletchnik, whom I could only beat at Scrabble by cheating.” Norman Friedman: “To my wife Rhea, without whom nothing would be possible.” Mark Mandeles: “To Laura.” Naval War College The Newport Papers are extended research projects that the Newport, Rhode Island Director, the Dean of Naval Warfare Studies, and the Center for Naval Warfare Studies President of the Naval War College consider of particular Newport Paper Thirty-Seven interest to policy makers, scholars, and analysts. August 2011 The views expressed in the Newport Papers are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the President, Naval War College Naval War College or the Department of the Navy. Rear Adm. John N. Christenson, USN Correspondence concerning the Newport Papers may be Provost addressed to the Director of the Naval War College Press. Amb. Mary Ann Peters To request additional copies, back copies, or subscriptions Dean of Naval Warfare Studies to the series, please either write the President (Code 32S), Robert C. Rubel Naval War College, 686 Cushing Road, Newport, RI 02841-1207, or contact the Press staff at the telephone, fax, Naval War College Press or e-mail addresses given. Director: Dr. Carnes Lord Reproduction and printing are subject to the Copyright Act Managing Editor: Pelham G. Boyer of 1976 and applicable treaties of the United States. This document may be freely reproduced for academic or other Telephone: 401.841.2236 noncommercial use; however, it is requested that Fax: 401.841.1071 reproductions credit the author and Newport Papers series DSN exchange: 841 and that the Press editorial office be informed. 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Twitter: http://twitter.com/NavalWarCollege ISSN 1544-6824 Printed in the United States of America ISBN 978-1-884733-85-7 NP_37.ps C:\_WIP\_Newport Paper\_NP37\_VP\NP_37.vp Wednesday, August 03, 2011 2:53:41 PM Color profile: Disabled Composite Default screen Contents List of Figures and Tables v List of Acronyms and Abbreviations vii Acknowledgments xi Foreword, by Carnes Lord xiii Introduction 1 CHAPTER ONE BuAer before World War II 11 CHAPTER TWO BuAer in World War II 23 CHAPTER THREE The Potential of the Big Bomber 35 CHAPTER FOUR Royal Navy Wartime Experience and Analysis 45 CHAPTER FIVE Adopting Jet Engines 53 CHAPTER SIX British and American Prospects after the War 69 CHAPTER SEVEN The Flexdeck 89 CHAPTER EIGHT Catapults: Choosing an Option under Pressure 99 CHAPTER NINE Analysis 123 Conclusion 157 APPENDIX A The Physics of Jet Propulsion 173 NP_37.ps C:\_WIP\_Newport Paper\_NP37\_VP\NP_37.vp Wednesday, August 03, 2011 2:53:41 PM Color profile: Disabled Composite Default screen iv THE NEWPORT PAPERS APPENDIX B The Impact of Jet Aircraft on Carriers 177 APPENDIX C Problem Solving within Bureaucracies 181 APPENDIX D Chronology 185 Bibliography 193 About the Authors 197 Index 199 The Newport Papers 219 NP_37.ps C:\_WIP\_Newport Paper\_NP37\_VP\NP_37.vp Wednesday, August 03, 2011 2:53:41 PM Color profile: Disabled Composite Default screen List of Figures and Tables Figures FIGURE 1-1 Fighter Speed, in Knots, for Selected Fighters—Royal Navy, U.S. Navy, and Imperial Japanese Navy 14 FIGURE 1-2 Service Ceiling, in Feet, for Selected Fighters—Royal Navy, U.S. Navy, and Imperial Japanese Navy 15 FIGURE B-1 Stall Speed vs. Prototype Year 178 FIGURE B-2 Takeoff Weight vs. Year 179 FIGURE B-3 Roll at 25 Knots WOD vs. Year 180 Tables TABLE 2-1 Characteristics of Aircraft to Replace the SB2C 24 TABLE 2-2 BuAer’s Fighter Aircraft Characteristics, 1936–43 26 TABLE 2-3 Comparison of Navy Aircraft with Army 1942 Models 27 TABLE 2-4 Catapults Developed by the Naval Aircraft Factory, 1936–45 29 TABLE B-1 Carrier Fighter-Bomber/Attack Aircraft at the End of World War II 177 TABLE B-2 Weight Comparison 178 NP_37.ps C:\_WIP\_Newport Paper\_NP37\_VP\NP_37.vp Wednesday, August 03, 2011 2:53:41 PM Color profile: Disabled Composite Default screen NP_37.ps C:\_WIP\_Newport Paper\_NP37\_VP\NP_37.vp Wednesday, August 03, 2011 2:53:41 PM Color profile: Disabled Composite Default screen List of Acronyms and Abbreviations A Adm. Admiral AEW airborne early warning ALCO American Locomotive Company B BuAer Bureau of Aeronautics BuOrd Bureau of Ordnance BuShips Bureau of Ships C CCA carrier-controlled approach Capt. Captain Cdr. Commander CIC combat information center CinC Commander in Chief CINCPAC Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet [in World War II] CNO ChiefofNavalOperations CNR ChiefofNavalResearch CO Commanding Officer CV aircraft carrier CVAN attack aircraft carrier, nuclear-powered D DCNO (Air) Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air DCNO (Logistics) Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Logistics DNC Director of Naval Construction E EIC Engineer-in-Chief NP_37.ps C:\_WIP\_Newport Paper\_NP37\_VP\NP_37.vp Wednesday, August 03, 2011 2:53:41 PM Color profile: Disabled Composite Default screen viii THE NEWPORT PAPERS F FAA Fleet Air Arm FBC Future Building Committee ft./sec. feet per second FY fiscal year G g acceleration of gravity GE General Electric GLOMB glider bomb H hp horsepower HTP hydrogen peroxide I IJN Imperial Japanese Navy J JATO jet-assisted takeoff L lb. pound LSO landing signal officer Lt. Lieutenant Lt. Cdr. Lieutenant Commander M MAP Ministry of Aircraft Production MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology Mod. modification mph miles per hour N NACA National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics NAD Naval Aircraft Department NAMC Naval Air Material Center NP_37.ps C:\_WIP\_Newport Paper\_NP37\_VP\NP_37.vp Wednesday, August 03, 2011 2:53:41 PM Color profile: Disabled Composite Default screen INNOVATION IN CARRIER AVIATION ix NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization NDRC National Defense Research Committee O ONI Office of Naval Intelligence OPNAV Office of the Chief of Naval Operations OSD(NA) Office of the Secretary of Defense (Net Assessment) P PRO Public Records Office psi pounds per square inch R R&D research and development RAE Royal Aircraft Establishment RAF Royal Air Force repr. reprinted by RG record group RN Royal Navy S SAM surface-to-air missile SCB Ship Characteristics Board T TACAN Tactical Air Navigation U USAF U.S. Air Force USN U.S. Navy W WOD wind over the deck NP_37.ps C:\_WIP\_Newport Paper\_NP37\_VP\NP_37.vp Wednesday, August 03, 2011 2:53:41 PM Color profile: Disabled Composite Default screen NP_37.ps C:\_WIP\_Newport Paper\_NP37\_VP\NP_37.vp Wednesday, August 03, 2011 2:53:41 PM Color profile: Disabled Composite Default screen Acknowledgments Our main sources for the study were Royal Navy records held by the Public Records Office (PRO), U.S. Navy papers held by the National Archives and by the Aviation His- tory Office of the Naval History and Heritage Command, records of the Grumman Air- craft Corporation held in the Northrop Grumman archives, memoirs of Royal Navy (RN) and U.S.