Air Department (Captain Murray Sueter), although disciplinary powers over RNAS personnel were not granted to the Director. In July 1915 a further reorganization occurred when the post of Director of the Air Department was abolished and replaced with that of the Director of the Air Service (Rear-Admiral Charles Vaughan-Lee). In January 1918 control of the (RNAS), excluding airships and balloons, were the responsibility of the Director of Naval Construction as early as 1916 and which the Admiralty retained until 1919, passed to the Air Ministry in April 1918 following re-structuring it was merged with the RFC as the Royal Air Force. The Admiralty maintained control of its aircraft carriers naval operations at sea, and naval officers however its personnel transferred to the (RAF) for training and service. In 1920 the air department was renamed the Air Section of the Admiralty Naval Staff which in turn was renamed the Air Division in 1924. Directors The Director of the Air Department (D.A.D.) was a position in the Admiralty from 1912 to 1915 succeeded by the Director of the Air Service until 1917, The Director was responsible to the Board of Admiralty on aviation issues, and administered the Admiralty Air Department. Commodore Murray F. Sueter, 1912–1915. Rear-Admiral Charles Vaughan-Lee, 1915–1917. Aircraft design and production The Air Department produced a few of its own designs for aircraft between 1915 and but these were built by established external aircraft manufacturers AD Flying Boat – built by Supermarine AD Navyplane – built by Supermarine AD Scout – built by Blackburn and by Hewlett and Blondeau AD Seaplane Type 1000 – built by J. Samuel White References Sources Admiralty during World War II Royal Navy British military aviation