Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules
The British learned about it too, but they were able to recover. Barely.The need to rearm should have been obvious by 1935-36, but early rearmament also carries risk, as the Italians learnt with their Air Force.
On aircraft this is particularly true as you don't want to go too far down the wrong path.The need to rearm should have been obvious by 1935-36, but early rearmament also carries risk, as the Italians learnt with their Air Force.
On aircraft this is particularly true as you don't want to go too far down the wrong path.
To be fair I don't think there's more the Baldwin government could have done for the Spitfire. After less than three months after its first flight, Baldwin's government ordered the first three hundred Spitfires in June 1936... but due to production issues at Vickers-Supermarine these were not delivered until well into 1938.
Good points. If treaties allow I'll take the combined Argus, Eagle and Hermes displacement and make another Ark Royal.While Britain could have replaced Argus, Eagle, Hermes and Furious at any time in the early 1930s under WNT with the tonnage limits it would have forced a reduction in the numbers of ships.
Otherwise and/or in addition, the only thing I can see that would be seriously effective that the earlier UK government(s) could do in terms of naval power, would be to not build the KG V class. Use the money/material/shipbuilding capacity earmarked for the KG Vs in real life to rebuild the Hood, plus QE and Repulse class ships. Use what is leftover for more carriers, ie improved Ark Royals and/or a larger initial order for the Illustrious class.
Maybe?
The timeline on CH runs like this:-When was Chain Home approved?
Yes, but it was developed and mostly funded under previous governments.So Chain home went into action under Sir Neville Chamberlain?
In this case I don't think the 1935-37 Baldwin government could have done more to get radar up and running.It appears that Air Ministry were already banking on Radar for future detection of air attacks. .... So a lot of work was being done at quite a pace,
What of the little ships that would be so crucial in the coming war? Could Baldwin's government have ordered more destroyers or escorts and not violated any naval treaties?And don't forget the effects of the various Naval Limitation Treaties.
The was no limitation on ships under 600 tons. Britain was building turbine engined Kingfisher class scoops from 1933 (9 completed between June 1935 and Nov 1939). But these proved to be too small and expensive with their turbine machinery to be mass produced in time of war. Hence the hurried development of the Flower class corvette in 1939 (925 tons standard displacement with reciprocating machinery able to be built quickly in civilian yards used to building trawlers etc and manned by personnel from fishing fleet and merchant navy).What of the little ships that would be so crucial in the coming war? Could Baldwin's government have ordered more destroyers or escorts and not violated any naval treaties?