would do a better job. You have a different set of beliefs and draw a different set of conclusions from the assumptions you make. But it is a conflict of belief against belief, not a conflict of belief against evidence.
I agree with you on this ...
Great!
... but until someone comes up with a complete syllabus for all the training given to naval aviators in the 1930's, it is just speculation on both sides of this discussion.
I'm content with that.
We know that one of the tasks that these aviators were given was to spot shell splashes and we are assuming that they got training for this but it is possible that they were not, that they were just sent out and told to use their best judgement.
Let's distinguish, if we may.
The three pilots almost certainly had target-recognition training. Four eyes are better than two in identifying friend or foe. I don't know whether the pilot could direct gunfire, given that he had to fly the plane. I don't know whether they had voice or CW communications with the
Colorado.
Then there are the three Cadets:
"On page 7 of the
Colorado Lookout, the aviators who took part in the search are listed. “Aviators who took part in the search in addition to Lieut. Lambrecht, were Lieuts. (jg) L. O. Fox and W. B. Short, and Aviation Cadets J. A. Wilson, W. Jordan and R. A. Leake.”
They were on board for some kind of training; I don't think it unreasonable to think it had something to do with finding targets and directing gunfire, along with other tasks necessary to get the planes in and out of the water and the air.
Not too plausible? Then is it any more plausible that they were sent out to search for Earhart if they hadn't received some training for that task?
The Colorado was not a S.A.R. vessel. It was a warship getting ready for war. It was pressed into service because it was available, not too far away from where it was needed, and had three aircraft that could (and did) cover a lot of ground. I don't think it all unreasonable to suppose that 1) no one with S.A.R. experience was on board; 2) no one gave them any specific instructions before takeoff, other than to look for an Electra with 36" wheels (if the wheels were 28", then it was manifestly the wrong Electra) and a man and a woman in the vicinity. I doubt that anyone on board would have thought that more than that was necessary to see what there was to be seen.
Since you advanced the theory that they would have been informed of the wisdom gained in the 1927 aerial search (if wisdom was gained), it's up to you to provide the evidence that that wisdom was available and transmitted to them before takeoff. Your hypothesis, your burden of proof.