Suspicious allies: Wartime aviation developments and the Anglo-American international airline rivalry, 1939-45
Title:
Suspicious allies: Wartime aviation developments and the Anglo-American international airline rivalry, 1939-45
Author:
Benson, Erik
Appeared in:
History and technology
Paging:
Volume 17 (2000) nr. 1 pages 21-42
Year:
2000
Contents:
Anglo-American aviation rivalry began in the late 1930s, when the two powers clashed over landing rights in several small South Pacific islands which each hoped to develop as bases for a trans-Pacific airline route. When war broke out in Europe, British aviation resources were suddenly and completely diverted to the military effort. Two years later, when the Americans entered the conflict the two sides reached a critical agreement on aircraft production. The British were to focus on producing warplanes while the US would provide them with transport aircraft. This gave the Americans an important technological lead in this domain, which they quickly used to develop services to Britian's African colonies, so gaining a toehold in the empire. These developments greatly affected postwar planning, as the British sought to protect their technologically weak airlines while the US promoted an “open skies” policy safe in the knowledge that the better range, speed, and comfort of their transport aircraft would enable them to dominate world traffic. When the United States hosted an international conference on aviation in 1944, the long-simmering rivalry burst into public view. In the event technological superiority overwhelmed political agreement.
Journal description