British Naval Aviation in World War II

British Naval Aviation in World War II Synopsis

Throughout World War II, the United States played a pivotal role in the development of British maritime aviation. Even before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm pilots were being trained in the United States under a scheme set up by the United States Navy as part of the Lend-Lease agreement. For many young British aviation cadets, the journey across the Atlantic and America was eye-opening. Men found themselves caught up with issues such as segregation in the American South, of which they had no experience and little understanding. Drawing on extensive interviews and correspondence with former cadets, together with archival research, Guinn and Bennett document the endeavours of American Navy pilots who taught over 16,000 British aviation cadets how to fly and fight. They comprehensively examine the details and impact of the scheme from a military, diplomatic, educational and cultural perspective.