The years of World War II saw the greatest single leap in US military aircraft technology and design, from the relatively fragile pre-war designs to the very edge of the supersonic era. Many remarkable aircraft came and went in quick succession with some missions and types disappearing altogether. Indeed, there were scores of little known or minimally documented aircraft projects that significantly advanced technology of aeronautics, propulsion, aircraft systems, avionics and weapons, while never achieving full-rate production and deployment. Focusing almost exclusively on official programs, experimental, prototype, limited production models and aircraft that actually entered development, American Aircraft Development of WWII, Special Types 1939-1945opens with the "state of the art" designs at the beginning of the war, continuing on to the advances during the conflict itself. These so-called "special types" are far less widely known than fighter and bomber designs, but no less important, and include armed photo reconnaissance aircraft, catapult-launched seaplanes, autogyros, tactical haulers and armed drones. Other designs covered include "one-off" experimental aircraft, rocket boost, floats and skis added to landplanes, fighters with second seats assed for training, engine testbeds, "oddballs" experiments and more. Illustrated throughout with 3-view drawings and rare photographs, many little-known and unusual aircraft and missiles, American Aircraft Development of WWII, Specialty Types 1939-1945tells the stories of engineering teams and test pilots struggling against short schedules and tight resources to develop new aircraft that pushed the bounds of technology. This book is a fitting testament to the epic and sometimes life-threatening accomplishments which were every bit as vital to the war effort as actual combat operations themselves.

This title gives a new perspective on the development of US bomber aircraft during World War 2. It reveals how the intense combat pressures of the war accelerated the scientific and technological advances of aeronautics, propulsion, aircraft systems, avionics and ordnance. Extensively researched, this detailed study of both the US Army and Naval air forces is packed with three-view drawings and rare photographs including many little-known experimental aircraft plus unusual variants, with every aircraft illustrated. The book follows a logical path to show how projects were selected from the multitude of design concepts and proposals put forward at the time. This enables the author to give detailed coverage of the programmes that advanced beyond the preliminary stages and contributed to the rapid developments in all aspects of bomber design during the war. The author discusses the technological maturation of US bombers with emphasis on high technology and experimental models. The war years were particularly noted for the rapid advance of electronic navigation, communications, radar, and electronic warfare that greatly aided mission success. The bold moves to long-range heavy bombers and super-heavy intercontinental bombers (the latter solely an American undertaking) further spurred system-intensive aircraft that were important transitions to the jet bombers that followed. How all this work contributed to actual fielded weapon systems is of particular note, with discussions of failures, course changes, and close-run competitions. The effects of interaction with other Allies, knowledge of enemy systems and the reaction by the US and Allied forces to their introduction, and the effect of mobilizing the nation's industries for total war are also examined. The book concludes with an examination of the ultimate achievement of Allied air superiority in the war and its dependence on all of these factors, together with consideration of the effects of emergency measures, haste, budgets, resources, evolving doctrine and strategy, the general course of the war and leadership biases.

Few industrial phenomena have been as dramatic as the United States’ mid-20th-century shift from peacetime to wartime production. The American Aircraft Factory in World War II documents the production of legendary warbirds by companies like Boeing, North American, Curtiss, Consolidated, Douglas, Grumman, and Lockheed. It was a production unmatched by any other country and a crucial part of why the allies won the war. Author Bill Yenne considers the prewar governmental acts that got the plants rolling, as well as the gender shift that occurred as women entered the work force like never before. He also describes the construction of megafactories like Willow Run, factory design considerations, and the postwar conversion back to peacetime production. Illustrated with 175 period photographs—including 50 rare color photos never before seen in print.

Allied Aircraft Piston Engines of World War II, now in its second edition, coalesces multiple aspects of war-driven aviation and its amazing technical accomplishments, leading to the allied victory during the second world war. Not by chance, the air battles that took place then defined much of the outcome of one of the bloodiest conflicts in modern history. Forward-thinking airplane design had to be developed quickly as the war raged on, and the engines that propelled them were indeed the focus of intense cutting-edge engineering efforts. Flying higher, faster, and taking the enemy down before they even noticed your presence became a matter of life or death for the allied forces. Allied Aircraft Piston Engines of World War II, Second Edition, addresses British- and American-developed engines. It looks at the piston engines in detail as they supported amazing wins both in the heat of the air battles, and on the ground supplying and giving cover to the troops. This new edition, fully revised by the original author, Graham White, offers new images and information, in addition to expanded specifications on the Rolls-Royce/ Packard Merlin and the Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engines. Jay Leno, a known enthusiast, wrote the Foreword.

The U.S. Army glider corps was formed in the tumultuous period of rapid buildup of American military might prior to the nation's December 1941 entry into World War II. It then had to mature rapidly, under the persistent pressure of wartime conditions, to be ready for action when American airborne troops first deployed. This meant haste and misconceptions that fostered inefficiencies in all aspects of the effort. The program produced a cadre of pilots and fleet of wood and fabric gliders that executed challenging combat missions unlike anything done before or since. Despite the numbers and combat record, the glider is almost never mentioned in accounts of World War II combat aircraft. Many other gliders were developed, partially or completely, to enhance airborne operational capabilities. Most of these have been little reported until now. The U.S. Army and Britain shared aircraft and knowledge, both employing the other's gliders in combat. The U.S. Navy also spent time developing amphibious transport gliders for Marine Corps landings. All are covered in this book. The American experience with military gliders during World War II remains a fascinating story of innovation under wartime conditions of a weapon with no historical antecedents.

This is a large format A-Z encyclopedia of every Allied and Axis fighting plane from 1933-1945 - from the famous to the lesser known - in all theatres of war from Europe to Asia and the Pacific.

This book presents a little-known aspect of America's aircraft development of World War II in emphasizing unique and non-production aircraft or modifications for the purpose of research and experimentation in support of aircraft development, advancing technology, or meeting narrow combat needs. It describes some important areas of American aviation weapons maturation under the pressure of war with emphasis on advanced technology and experimental aircraft configurations. The great value of the work is illumination of little known or minimally documented projects that significantly advanced the science of aeronautics, propulsion, aircraft systems, and ordnance, but did not go into production. Each chapter introduces another topic by examining the state-of-the-art at the beginning of the war, advantages pursued, and results achieved during the conflict. This last is the vehicle to examine the secret modifications or experiments that are little known. Consequently, this is an important single-source for a fascinating and diverse collection of wartime efforts never before brought together under a single cover. The "war stories" are those of military staffs, engineering teams, and test pilots struggling against short schedules and tight resource constraints to push the bounds of technology. These epic and sometimes life-threatening endeavors were as vital as actual combat operations.