i have a quick question
Perhaps a quick question, but liable to create long answers.
Firstly, Mr. Walters is absolutely correct in that you have to envision your own world view to answer your own question, particularly how YOUR story shapes said world.
However, I'll share a bit of my own viewpoint, to see if it helps, though mostly from games I've looked upon, and less stories I've yet to read.
I'm a bit of a contrarian as many people fly ships the size of contemporary naval vessels, and I can't accept that. I use the aphorism 'we've just begun', with an under theme of 'first, baby steps.'
So, look upon the game Aeronef as Victorian, Imperial Skies as early Edwardian, and Leviathans 'Monsters' even later.
As for aircraft, their development might well be delayed due to what's available in larger ships(part of Aeronef's backstory), and I also wouldn't assume the same dynamics between those larger ships with fighters/bombers compared to naval ships.
But, people DO like Frankie's flying airfields… ;->=
On the other hand, I find the assumption that surface ships would be helpless in the face of nef/dig bombardment equally questionable. A) 'There is no Norden bomb sight, and, actually, there never was…', B) Hitting "bull in the butt with a bass fiddle" is infinitely more complicated if it's running, dodging, and weaving.
Like I said, not the popular view, but I best leave it there, as an example of one man's, as 'I do go on.'
Doug
PS I tend to ignore the fact that those games all call things battleships and destroyers and gunboats, assuming vastly different meaning over long periods.