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You are here: Home / Article topics / Publications / Naval Historical Review / Book Review: Seagulls, Cruisers, and Catapults

Book Review: Seagulls, Cruisers, and Catapults

Book reviewer · Dec 19, 1989 · Print This Page

Author
Book reviewer
Subjects
Naval Aviation, Book reviews, Aviation, Naval Technology
Tags
Fleet Air Arm, Royal Australian Navy
RAN Ships
HMAS Albatross
Publication
December 1989 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)

By Ray Jones, 134 pages, Illustrated, Pelorus Publications, Tasmania – 1989

This fascinating book is not only a history of the amphibian aircraft used by the Royal Australian Navy but a concise and well documented history of the Fleet Air Arm of the Australian Navy. The author has presented in a very readable manner the story of the Navy’s first tentative experiments with aircraft and the development of the ship carrier plane into an effective weapon.

It may surprise many readers to hear that the Royal Australian Navy gave serious consideration to the use of ship borne aircraft before the outbreak of World War I. Likewise, that orders were prepared for a large airship fleet to operate with Australian men-o-war.

The author describes the range of aircraf employed by the Royal Australian Navy in the pre-Fleet Air Arm days. Names like the Sopwith Pup, Sopwith Camel, Sopwith 1 Strutter, Avro 504, Fairey IIID, Seagull III, Widgeon II. Seagull V and the Walrus will stir a wave nostalgia in all who are air-minded.

Ray Jones has carefully researched and documented the history of HMAS ALBATROSS, the RAN’s first and only seaplane carrier.

The book is highly recommended to not only the Fleet Air Arm buff but to all with an interest in the RAN.

Naval Historical Review, Naval Aviation, Book reviews, Aviation, Royal Australian Navy, Naval Technology Fleet Air Arm, Royal Australian Navy

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