On August 6, 1945, the B-29 Enola Gay dropped the first nuclear bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The war, for all intents and purposes, was over. The Little Boy "...for all its significance as spectacular fact and its threats and promises for the future -was without a doubt, the greatest technological achievement of the war." (88a)

It was by no means, however, the only one. In fact, the bomb would have never reached its target if it were not for another engineering marvel: the B-29 Superfortress. It is only fitting that the "flagship of the Air Corps" drop this awesome weapon of the future. For like its payload, the B-29 was a gleaming representation of the fantastic technological advancements made in the science and engineering sector of industry during the war years.

The war's end aircraft performance data alone provides testament to the advancements made. Maximum bomber speed capabilities of 1945 (~350 mph) were nearly double that of those in 1941. Effective operational ceiling topped 35,000 ft, an increase of over 15,000 ft, and combat radius was increased from 900 to 1600 miles. By war's end, bombers were carrying bomb-loads of 10 tons instead of 2 1/2, and were dropping these bombs with a precision unheard of in 1940.

Propulsion was a key area of improvement as the relatively modest pre war piston engines evolved into the supercharged behemoths of the late war. Then in the early months of 1944, jet propulsion burst on to the scene, rendering every engine previously designed effectively obsolete. Augmenting these huge advancements in propulsion were entirely new theories of aerodynamics as well as hundreds of improvements and inventions dealing with other aspects of aircraft performance.

Probably the most influential of these developments was RADAR. Radio Detecting and Ranging opened up a world of possibilities such as poor visibility navigation and bombing as well as improved enemy detection. RADAR appeared in many different forms such as the gyro-synchronizing compass, the radio altimeter, and LORAN (LOng RANge radar navigation.) Another development that increased the effectiveness of the bomber's performance was the pressurized cabin made fully operational in the B-29. Pressurization freed the crews from their bulky "anti-blackout" suits and breathing apparatus and served in general to keep the crews more comfortable and "fresher" and therefore increasing their effectiveness.

Finally, the war produced an advancement that was not an object, rather a concept: the aircraft manufacturers "learned how to learn." Research and development techniques improved tenfold throughout the war. The most visible example of this was the contribution of the Aircraft War Production Council (AWPC) which served as a vehicle through which new research and developments could be shared by the industry as a whole.

In all: WWII packed about 40 years of aviation progress into 40 months. (89)

With the end of hostilities the aircraft industry underwent major changes. Military orders for aircraft quickly diminished to less hectic levels, and with bomber production largely unnecessary, the industry was able to turn its collective attention, and its wealth of new knowledge, toward commercial aviation.

In many ways, the end of the war also marked the completion of a "development cycle." War time heavy bombers, whose early design roots could be found in prewar commercial aircraft, were now being used as models for newer, more advanced, commercial airliners. The Boeing model 247 led to the model 299 (Flying Fortress) which led to the model 345 (B- 29 Superfortress.) And then, utilizing the newly gained engineering knowledge provided by the development of the Superfortress, Boeing developed the Model 377 Stratocruiser. Similar progressions occurred down the line as each aircraft company took the lessons learned throughout the war and applied them either to direct conversions, such as the Curtiss-Wright CW 20 (C-46 Commando), or next generation air liners such as the Douglas DC-7. The result: more fantastic design concepts and aircraft than the world had ever seen.

And with the advent of the gas turbine, RADAR equipment, pressurization, and the improvement of R&D techniques, no one benefited more than the commercial aviation industry. Commercial aircraft became bigger faster, carried more people at higher altitudes, in greater comfort.

It was the Airlines' turn to undergo a mass expansion. In 1941, the airlines had 6,200 seats on 359 planes, only five of which were four engined. By mid 1946 more than 45,000 seats were offered on 1300 planes, more than a third four engined.

The lessons WWII had taught aircraft manufacturers were numerous, but the most significant was the benefits of cooperation as perfected throughout the war by the AWPC. This cooperation was carried over into the postwar era through the development, in 1945, of the Southern California cooperative wind tunnel. This ultramodern test facility, located at Cal Tech, was built cooperatively so that research and development could be shared by the industry as a whole. With the vast knowledge learned through the war, and the pressures of wartime production lifted, the country's aircraft corporations could truly get to work.

From its rather modest beginnings, the strategic bomber had become the symbol of the air war. The Second World War saw the Heavy Bomber replace the battleship as the primary offensive spearhead of modern warfare. The war had forcibly demonstrated the necessity of superior technology. Military aviation, which in itself offered a microcosmic view of the entire war effort, was the best example of technology's role in the Allied victory.

The B-17, the beloved "Flying Fortress", the ultimate symbol of the Yankee's struggle against the Hun, was originally constructed with no real concept of what an all-out air war would entail. Her life was one of constant modifications and improvements to "force-fit" her into the new task she was assigned. The career of the B-24 Liberator was strikingly similar but different in one regard. Also built before the war, the Liberator underwent constant modification to find the job best suited to her impressive flight characteristics.

As the two front line bombers fought and died in the various theaters of the war, valuable lessons were learned. Lessons that aircraft industry engineers were able to incorporate into the design and construction of a better, "super" bomber, the B-29.

To accomplish the development of the Superfortress while keeping abreast of the constant modifications for the prewar bombers, the aircraft industry instituted an incredible network of cooperation. Subcontracting, mass expansion, production pooling, and the creation of the AWPC were the main components of a system that was directly responsible for the Allied victory in the air war. A system the likes of which has never been duplicated in the history of industry.

In many ways, the U.S. was very lucky to be able to recover from the post WWI "lean years" of the Army Air Corps. It was only through the Herculean efforts of the industry that the U.S was able to establish itself as superior in the skies. The war's "trial by fire" pressures also served to harden and mature the young aircraft industry, forcing them to examine and improve their development procedures in order to expedite production of the best plane possible at the least cost in time and money.

The advent of peace brought an experienced and efficient production machine to bear on the improvement of civil aviation.

In 1946, it seemed, the sky was the limit.

Wrap-up all discussions currently underway, including any student-led seminars, Topic Specific discussions, or general course comments and questions.

Complete Learning Task #3 Final Project as specified in your learning contract.

Deliver your Learning Task #3 Final Project by the date specified in your learning contract.

Be sure to complete the end of course evaluation.

Every day, members of our "greatest generation" of Veterans pass away. In most cases, their wartime experiences go to the grave with them. For your final (and ongoing) assignment, seek out an Army Air Corps veteran, and take some time to interview him (or her), and transcribe some of their story, so that the accomplishments of these brave soldiers will not be lost to history.