Modernization and expansion of the force United States Army Air Corps

the air corps tested , employed profusion of pursuit, observation, , bomber aircraft during 15-year history. advent of new generation of monoplanes , emergence of strategic bombardment doctrine led many designs in mid , late 1930s still in use when united states entered world war ii. among key technology items developed oxygen , cabin pressurization systems, engine superchargers (systems essential high-altitude combat), advanced radio communication systems, such vhf radios, , norden bombsight.

douglas c-39 transport

as further consequence of air mail scandal, baker board reviewed performance of air corps aircraft , recognized civilian aircraft far superior planes developed solely air corps specifications. following on recommendation, air corps purchased , tested douglas dc-2 xc-32, subsequently became flying headquarters of gen. andrews. dc-2 exceeded air corps specifications 17 purchased under designation c-33 equip first permanent transport unit, 10th transport group, activated in june 1937 @ patterson field in ohio. in 1939 air corps recognized might require large numbers of modern air transports use in war , purchased 35 dc-2/dc-3 hybrids, designated c-39. after fall of france, air corps in september 1940 ordered 200 untried , unproven curtiss c-46 commandos curtiss-wright , 545 douglas c-47 skytrains, forerunner of more 10,000 c-47s , related variants served in world war ii.

even doctrine of strategic bombardment priority, air corps belatedly sought modernize tactical combat force under ghq air force, bringing service northrop a-17 , douglas b-18 bolo in 1936, seversky p-35 in 1937, , curtiss p-36 in 1938. of these aircraft obsolete time came service, , outbreak of war in europe spurred development of more capable types. october 1940, on year before united states drawn war, every piston-driven single-seat fighter used usaaf during world war ii in flight test except p-47. however, press of enormous tasks confronting air corps , primacy of strategic bombing doctrine meant development of long-range capability these new single-engined fighters not undertaken until combat losses of bombers forced issue.

notable fighters developed during late 1930s , 1940s bell p-39 airacobra (first flown april 1938), curtiss p-40 warhawk (october 1938), lockheed p-38 lightning (january 1939), north american p-51 mustang (october 1940), , republic p-47 thunderbolt (may 1941). technological development of fighters occurred rapidly december 1941 both p-39 , p-40 approaching obsolescence, though both had been in production less 18 months. bombers developed during period douglas a-20 havoc (first flown october 1938), north american b-25 mitchell (january 1939), consolidated b-24 liberator (december 1939), , martin b-26 marauder (november 1940). except b-24, p-47, , p-51, of these had production deliveries began before aaf came being in june 1941. 3 other long-range bombers began development during period, though mock-ups produced before world war ii: b-29 (study begun in 1938), consolidated b-32 dominator (june 1940), , convair b-36 peacemaker (april 1941).

expansion of air corps

in special message congress on 12 january 1939, president roosevelt advised threat of new war made recommendations of baker board inadequate american defense , requested approval of minimum 3,000-plane increase air corps. on 3 april 1939, congress allocated $300 million requested roosevelt expansion of air corps, half of dedicated purchasing planes raise inventory 2,500 5,500 airplanes, , other half new personnel, training facilities, , bases. orders b-17s, had been held in abeyance since june 1938, resumed in summer of 1939 incremental deliveries of 39 b-17bs in 1939–40, 18 b-17cs in 1940, , 42 b-17ds in first quarter of 1941. first large order heavy bomber production, 512 combat-capable b-17es, placed in july 1940.

in june 1939 kilner board recommended several types of bombers needed fulfill air corps mission included aircraft having tactical radii of both 2,000 , 3,000 miles (revised in 1940 4,000). chief of staff craig, long impediment air corps ambitions nearing retirement, came around air corps viewpoint after roosevelt s views became public. likewise, war department general staff reversed , concurred in requirements, ending brief moratorium on bomber development , paving way work on b-29.

over winter of 1938–1939, arnold transferred group of experienced officers headed lt. col. carl a. spaatz headquarters unofficial air staff lay out plan increase air corps 50,000 men june 1941. expansion program of air corps characterized repeated upward revision of goals increasing aircraft production, combat unit totals, training of new personnel, , construction of new bases. new combat groups created detaching cadres existing 15 regular groups provide core of new units, each older group providing basis average of 3 new groups. graduates of expanded flight training program filled out new groups , replaced experienced personnel transferred older groups, resulting in steady decline in overall level of experience in operational units. in essence, groups self-trained proficiency standards set training directives ghqaf. unable keep pace revised programs expansion of combat groups, unit tactical training groups suffered shortage of equipment (particularly combat aircraft), unavoidable preoccupation administrative details during organization, , lack of training facilities, bombing , gunnery ranges, leaving vast gap between desired status of training in combat units , actual status prior to ... pearl harbor.

the initial 25-group program air defense of hemisphere, developed in april 1939, called 50,000 men (12,000 pilots). ten new combat groups activated on 1 february 1940. following successful german invasion of france , low countries in may 1940, 54-group program approved on 12 july, although funding approval not keep pace , 25 additional groups activated on 15 january 1941. 84-group program, eventual goal of 400,000 men 30 june 1942, approved on 14 march 1941, although not publicly announced until 23 october 1941. in addition unit training , funding problems, these programs hampered delays in acquiring new infrastructure necessary support them, sites had identified, negotiated , approved before construction. general staff again unwilling assign of work air corps, , instead detailed overtaxed quartermaster corps. when qmc failed put new air bases in place in either efficient or timely manner, corps of engineers assigned task, although continued implement policies in place.

by time europeans went war in september 1939, americans first expansion lagged distantly in relation goals in manpower , tactical aircraft andrews described air corps fifth rate air force. of 1,500 combat aircraft, 800 rated first-line, 700 of became obsolete december 1941. comparison, raf had 1,750 first-line aircraft , german luftwaffe 3,750. moreover, luftwaffe had more personnel on staffs of headquarters , air ministry in entire air corps (26,000). first-line aircraft considered obsolete b-18, a-17, , p-36. first-line aircraft in 1939 remained during world war ii b-17, , had modernized before combat-capable.

the acceleration of expansion programs resulted in air corps of 156 installations of types , 100,000 men end of 1940. twenty civilian flight schools , 8 technical training schools contracted provide additional training facilities, , on 10 august 1940, pan american airways contracted provide meteorological , navigation training @ coral gables, florida, until military schools established.

the first delivery of b-17es took place in november 1941. two-thirds of air corps officers second lieutenants flying experience consisted of flight training. air corps had 17 major installations , 4 depots, , of 76 airfields co-located @ civil airports or small strips on army posts.

procurement of aircraft remained significant problem air corps until eve of war, because of diversion of production allies. on 16 may 1940, fall of france imminent, president roosevelt delivered address congress calling supplemental appropriation of billion dollars , manufacture of 50,000 aircraft year armed forces (36,500 of them air corps). eighteen months later aaf still had 3,304 combat aircraft (only 1,024 overseas), , 7,024 non-combat aircraft, of 6,594 trainers. command staff increased in october 1940 24 addition of 15 new general officer billets. june 1941, when air corps became part of aaf, had 33 general officers, including 4 serving in observer roles royal air force.

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