Bristol Bombay as a big seller.

[Astrodragon]

That might have been because the RAF had relatively few aircraft when the specifications were drawn up. Therefore multi-purpose aircraft might have been more useful than single-role aircraft even if this compromised their performance.

Or it could be that the AM was a set of muppets fixated on an unproven theory about strategic bombing.

 

[NOMISYRRUC]

Or it could be that the AM was a set of muppets fixated on an unproven theory about strategic bombing.

The Top Brass of the RAF weren't the only people to make that mistake.

Furthermore, the Bombay wasn't for strategic bombing, it was for imperial air policing.

AFAIK Trenchard for all his faults realised that the war one ends up fighting usually isn't the same war that one had prepared for. E.g. the air force needed to fight a European war wasn't the same air force that would be needed to fight a war in the Far East. Therefore he wanted as much general capability as possible which could be tailored to suit the war when it broke out.

 

[Astrodragon]

The Top Brass of the RAF weren't the only people to make that mistake.

Furthermore, the Bombay wasn't for strategic bombing, it was for imperial air policing.

AFAIK Trenchard for all his faults realised that the war one ends up fighting usually isn't the same war that one had prepared for. E.g. the air force needed to fight a European war wasn't the same air force that would be needed to fight a war in the Far East. Therefore he wanted as much general capability as possible which could be tailored to suit the war when it broke out.

Sorry, but no.
There were clear and detailed reports written after WW1 showing what the RAF did well. These, and the lessons from them, were ignored by the AM, who were determined that come what may they would do strategic bombing. The only 'evidence' for this was a theory by an Italian.
Despite this, they didn't actually try and train their men for this role, just used it as an excuse to buy bombers, bombers, and yet more bombers. Even when the Spanish Civil War showed (again) their theories were rubbish, they clung to them like a politician to his expense account.

having all your money (or at least as much as possible) going to long range bombers is doing everything you can NOT to build the general capability you mention.