The establishment of German bases on the French Atlantic coast allowed for the prospect of aerial support. Small numbers of German aircraft, such as the long-range Focke-Wulf Fw 200, sank a large number of ships in the Atlantic in the last quarter of 1940. In the long term, Göring proved an insurmountable problem in effecting cooperation between the navy and the "Luftwaffe". In early 1941, while Göring was on leave, Dönitz approached Hitler and secured from him a single bomber/maritime patrol unit for the navy. Göring succeeded in overturning this decision and both Dönitz and Raeder were forced to settle for a specialist maritime air command under "Luftwaffe" control. Poorly supplied, "Fliegerführer Atlantik" achieved modest success in 1941, but thereafter failed to have an impact as British counter-measures evolved. Cooperation between the "Kriegsmarine" and "Luftwaffe" remained dysfunctional to the war's end. Göring and his unassailable position at the "Reichsluftfahrtministerium" (Air Ministry) prevented all but limited collaboration.