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Conflict and Change
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1900: Fleet Air Arm
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The run up to war
The run up to war
Before the outbreak of World War One, naval aviation developed rapidly. In January 1912, engineers built a ramp on the forecastle of HMS Africa, moored off Sheerness. They constructed the angled deck, sloping downwards over her forward turret. On 10 January a Short pusher bi-plane flew over the ship and landed on the Isle of Grain. A steam pinnace brought the aircraft out to HMS Africa and then the ship’s crew hoisted the plane onto the platform. Although the ship wasn’t underway, the aircraft was airborne within 100ft, well before the end of the platform. The pilot, Lt Samson, circled the harbour and landed once again at Eastchurch.
Later in 1912, carpenters reassembled the flight deck from Africa onto HMS Hibernia. During the Naval Review in May Lt Samson flew his Short pusher Amphibian off HMS Hibernia for the first ever flight from a ship underway. It was not until August 1917, however, that a wheeled aircraft was able to land on the deck of a ship; this being Lt Dunning on the deck of HMS Furious.
In 1913 the Naval wing commissioned its own parent ship, a converted cruiser HMS Hermes. Engineers installed a two-track platform over the forecastle for takeoff by seaplanes on trollies with a canvas hangar for seaplanes. The Hermes was to pave the way for aircraft operations in 1913, demonstrating the possible uses and durability of seaplanes.
Since becoming First Lord of the Admiralty in October 1911 Winston Churchill had taken a personal interest in naval aviation and received instruction in the art of flying.
