Wings #5

1. Summarize the new aviation technologies that emerged as a result of WWII.

There were many new aviation technologies that emerged as a result of WWII.  These include nuclear weapons, jet aircraft, guided missiles, long-range rockets, and an array of electronic systems.  “From these dazzling achievements of directed research, governments harnessed the forces of science and industry to produce wonder weapons scarcely imagined a decade before.” (476)  With these new technologies came a new pattern of research in the United States, as well as the rest of the globe.  A quarter of a billions of dollars in research grants were awarded to two hundred universities during the course of the war, in which a major share of the funds went to a handful of prestigious institutions.  It was these institutions that developed the technology that was used during WWII.  For example, the engineers at Caltech were the leading pioneers of rocketry, and the radiation and servomechanism laboratories of MIT developed the radar and fire-control systems.  The author summarized the effects of these technologies best at the end of chapter 12; “Nor could conventional weapons be abandoned in an era of perpetual tension and frequent regional conflicts… The ultimate result, of course, was a restructuring of government, the economy, and society.  What had begun as a wartime partnership between government, science, and industry became a central feature of American life.”  The development of new technologies during WWII restructured the relationships of society.

7. What effect did the invention of the computer have on aviation technology?

The invention of the computer allowed for more complex aircraft to be created, as well as reshaping the way in which airplanes were designed.  Faster aircraft came with increased stress and unpredictable problems.  In order to fix these problems more complex calculations had to be made, “but these equations were so complex that aircraft firms had to employ large numbers of “computers,” humans who calculated.” (512)  However, these human computers were still not fast or advanced enough, that is until actual computers came out that could use “scientific computation” and would “manipulate that information, transforming incredibly complex mathematical equations into accurate visual representations of fluid flow.” (512)  The more advanced aircraft also called for a more advanced method of designing.  The traditional method began with concept drawings and ended with a large number of blueprints that detailed every feature of the plane.  Preparing and checking these drawings, and copying them to go to the shop floor, took up an overwhelming amount of time.  The computer and drafting programs that later came with it allowed for much quicker changes to the designs and allowed for single drawings or entire sets to be sent anywhere, at any time, with the touch of the button.  It greatly sped up the design process. 

9. How did the development of the jet affect commercial aviation?

The development of the jet affected commercial aviation by boosting the industry.  Postwar military spending took up over 50 percent of the federal budget and with that came the development of new technologies, including the jet.   The author calls the period of the Cold War the “jet age.”   He states that “The turbojet not only revolutionized the performance of military aircraft, it gave birth to the era of mass commercial air travel.”  He further compares the sudden jump in mass commercial air travel to other transportation; “Overnight, it seemed, jetliners had made the transcontinental trains and ocean liners obsolete.” (506)  It was not until 1992, however, that the value of commercial sales surpassed that of military production.  The time had come when military sales no longer dominated the aviation industry, and commercial air was taking over.