Post-War Aircraft Development

Aerospace Technology I

Facilitator-Mr. Lee

Adapted from- Aerospace: The Journey of Flight

Objectives • Describe several aviation advances that

were made during World War II.

• Identify why the Douglas DC-4 and Lockheed Constellation were popular commercial airliners after WWII.

• Identify the first “pure” jet commercial airliner.

• Describe the problems encountered when attempting to break the sound barrier.

Wartime Advances • There were many advances in aircraft

design, instrumentation, navigation, electronic systems, engines, and armor protection during the war

FIGHTER ADVANCEMENTS P-51D P-40C Maximum weight 11,600 lb. 8,058 lb. Maximum speed 437 mph 345 mph Maximum range 2,300 mi 945 mi Service ceiling 41,000 ft 29,500 ft Rate of climb (ft/min) 3,500 2,690

Wartime Advances… • Jet propulsion

o Frank Whittle designed the first turbojet engine in 1937, but England didn’t fly her first jet aircraft until 1941.

o Germany flew the first jet aircraft in 1939.

o US flew its first jet in 1942 but didn’t produce a jet fighter until 1944, the Lockheed F-40, Shooting Star.

Wartime Advances… • Before the end of the war, Germany had

produced 22 different models of jet aircraft.

o The most famous jet of WWII was the Messerschmitt ME-262A.

Top speed of 550 mph.

o Fourteen hundred of them were produced during the war, but only 100 were ever used as fighters.

Civil Aviation Development • Because of WWII, millions of people had

been exposed to aviation and were now aviation enthusiasts.

• Many veterans publicized the merits of aviation.

Commercial Aircraft Development

• Developments in aircraft design occurred during the war:

o Better instrumentation, navigation

o Increased safety

o Radar was developed

o There were also larger and better airports available because of wartime requirements

• There were more and better pilots available than prior to World War II.

Commercial Aircraft Development…

• New and better planes were developed.

o Douglas DC-4

Over 1,100 made during the war

Many were converted to carry 44 passengers

Commercial Aircraft Development…

o Lockheed Constellation

Pressurized, which allowed passengers to be taken above 10,000 feet

About 100 mph faster

Commercial Airliners Adopt Jet Engines

• First jet airliners were British

• There were two types of propulsion:

o Turboprop

o Pure jet

• World’s first jet turboprop airliner was the Vickers Viscount.

Commercial Airliners Adopt Jet Engines…

• DeHavilland Comet I was the world’s first pure jet airliner.

o The Comet revolutionized commercial travel because it flew at 500 mph and at higher altitudes (25,000 – 30,000 feet).

Commercial Airliners Adopt Jet Engines…

• In 1945, about 3 million passengers flew commercially in America.

• By 1950, about 17 million did.

• By 1958, when commercial jets were introduced, 30 million passengers flew.

• In 2011 there were 730 million!

o 640 million domestic

o 92 million international (on US airliners)

Breaking the Sound Barrier • In 1945, Bell Aircraft Company was

contracted to explore the problems of high-speed flight.

• They experienced several problems as they approached the speed of sound.

o Aircraft would vibrate and become hard to control

o Aircraft breaking apart

Breaking the Sound Barrier… • The aircraft, X-1, first flew in January 1946.

o The X-1 was dropped from an airborne B-29.

o In October 1947, Chuck Yeager penetrated the sound barrier.

He flew at 670 mph at 42,000 feet.

Bell X-1

Review • Describe several aviation

advances that were made during World War II.

• Identify why the Douglas DC-4 and Lockheed Constellation were popular commercial airliners after WWII.

• There were advances in aircraft design, instrumentation, navigation, electronic systems, engines, and armor protection during the war.

• Douglas DC-4:

o Over 1,100 made during the war.

o Many were converted to carry 44 passengers.

• Lockheed Constellation:

o Pressurized, which allowed passengers to be taken above 10,000 feet.

o About 100 mph faster.

Review… • Identify the first “pure”

jet commercial airliner.

• Describe the problems encountered when attempting to break the sound barrier.

• DeHavilland Comet I was the world’s first pure jet airliner.

• Aircraft would vibrate and become hard to control.

• Aircraft breaking apart.

Learn Long Live Long