CEILING UNLIMITED - THE STORY OF WRIGHT FIELD

Heat. [Music] [Applause] Heat. Italy is finished. Germany is finished. Two down and one to go. In the stifling jungle of Pacific Islands, in the choked underbrush of New Guinea and the East Indies, in Thailand and in China, American troops are fighting a war. Bunstead, who commanded the Vermach during its most critical days, said that Allied air power defeated Germany. German production and transportation centers. Regensburg, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Vilmoffen, Cologne, Caroline, Hulveride. Reduced to rubble by air power. When the Germans had superior air power, the Germans were winning. When the Japs had superior air power, the Japs were winning. Now the Allies have overwhelming air power and Allied forces on land, sea, and air are pressing ever closer to the day of world victory. Air power. Flying machine guns, cannon, and bomb. Pilots in direct communication with ground forces, making attacks with split-second timing on targets which must be blasted from the path of advancing troops. Modern fighting aircraft do not grow on trees. Their production in vast numbers is not just the result of a great burst of industrial energy and suddenly loosen national purse strings. How did it happen that this American air power is here now at the moment it is needed? 5 10 15 years ago at the Army Air Force's Research Center near Dayton, Ohio, men worked over drawing boards in shops and laboratories, changing airmen's dreams into reality. Theirs was a constant struggle against frustration. The budget provided for the entire aeronautical research program was very limited, hardly more than the price of a late model superfortress. The direction in which their efforts were applied had to be very carefully chosen. But these men had vision, patience, and hope. On the foundation of their dreams and accomplishments, the mighty air force of World War II was built. Those pioneers worked closely with far-sighted members of the aircraft industry. Research dollars were stretched and twisted to get the most out of them. So much allotted for engine development. Shall it be air cooled or shall it be liquid cooled? propellers, dozens of designs which shall be chosen for further research and development. At the same time, brilliant aircraft engineers submitted plans for aircraft of the future. These were the questions they had to answer. How would these airplanes perform? Would they have the necessary range, speed, and load carrying ability? Final decisions were not easy to make. The men making those decisions knew that responsibility for the future of America rested on their foresight. The airplanes with which the United States opened its fight against the Axis were being designed and developed as long as 10 years ago. Right field engineers worked with aircraft builders to translate ideas to concrete plans on the drawing boards and to working models in the field. What came of this research program directed by the Army Air Forces at Wrightfield? Let's look at some of those early developments. There was the Bell P39 with a 37 mm cannon firing through the propeller hub. The tricycle landing gear was something new for fighters. These planes helped the Russians halt the German drive to the east. The Curtis P40, mainstay of Chaol's renowned Flying Tigers. The unorthodox twin engine Lockheed P38 was tested and accepted. Critics said it was too much airplane for one pilot. Months later, the Germans called the P38 the porktail devil. The Douglas A20, the famous havoc of the Battle of Britain. The Martin B26, a daring venture at high wing loading, high speed, and heavy armament in a two-engine bomber. Time was growing short, so the B26 went into production directly from the blueprints. The North American B-25, more conventional, less highly powered medium bomber, easy to fly and highly maneuverable. The Republic P47, heavyweight of the fighter division. Plenty of punch and plenty of speed. The consolidated B24, a long range, heavily armed bomb carrier. This airplane performed a mighty job in all major theaters of operation. The Boeing B7, a long range heavy bomber designed for high altitude, built on the theory of pinpoint precision bombing by daylight using the highly secret Nordon bomb site. While these fighting aircraft went into production, other projects were going forward. The variable pitch and full feathering propeller for increased engine efficiency and personnel safety. This feature has saved countless lives in bringing home planes with shotout engines. The power operated turret developed to house twin 50 caliber machine guns. The 50 caliber was designated the standard aircraft machine gun. The compensating site calculating the speed and angle of approach of enemy fighters. This site enables our gunners to open effective fire at 1,000 yd. a tremendous advantage in aerial combat. The radio throat microphone first designed to be worn with the oxygen mask, >> then built into the mask for greater convenience and comfort. These developments and many more were made during the time America was marching to work and not to war. Then the Axis struck at the United States by direct attack. [Music] Our small American air force did yman service. The airplanes we had then and those turned over to our allies just prior to Pearl Harbor helped to hold off the enemy until American labor and industry could get the ball rolling. Those airplanes were there ready to do their duty because Air Force's engineers and the aviation industry had worked for years to put them there. That small American air force in the early days of the war was almost overwhelmed by the accumulated might of the enemy. But we had something in reserve, something which never permitted us to lose confidence. We had a hard core of scientific aeronautical knowledge. We had the knowhow and the will to do the job. Now at last the knowledge which had been patiently gained through research and test was called into use. The Congress provided the wherewithal and mighty production was America's business. The big decisions were what planes, how many, how soon. Orders were rushed to manufacturers. Many of these manufacturers had undertaken gigantic plant expansion even before the orders were received. Government plants were built. Production quotas were pushed to new peaks. America went to work and the right field production division was the nerve center for all Air Force's production. 15,000 Air Force's inspectors were trained to carry out a planned inspection program which made certain that every item was as near perfect as man could make it. Whitefield itself underwent a tremendous expansion. New laboratories were built even as experimental work proceeded. To carry out this mammoth program, personnel was doubled, tripled, and quadrupled. The contract section let contracts which in a short time involved an expenditure of $75 million per day. [Music] These contracts were not for airplanes alone. They included all the subsidiary items which make up an air force. Gasoline, radios, guns, bombs, flying clothes, life rafts, tires, paints, tools. Everything from blockbusters to shark repellent. 500,000 individual items to be classified and routed to arrive where and when they were needed. An all-out effort was required to drive forward the complex program of research, development, test, and production in the race against time. Quantity production was not enough. Quality was the rest of the answer. Our planes and equipment had to be better than any the enemy could produce. The guiding policy continued to be the development of airplanes powerful enough to carry the war to the enemy and rugged enough to bring our airmen home. Combat experiences of pilots began to pour into right field. This experience was analyzed. Modification and improvements started immediately. Planes must fly faster, higher, carry more arament, greater bomb loads. New developments poured out of the right field research and development laboratories. What was the maximum effective firepower of a fighter plane? In 1935, it was two 30 caliber machine guns. The number rapidly increased. 4 6 8 12 50 caliber machine guns. Tests demonstrated that eight 50 caliber machine guns or four 20mm cannon were most effective for a single engine fighter. 75 mm cannon were fired from aircraft for the first time. This became a potent weapon on all fronts. Increased engine horsepower led to utilization of three and then four bladed propellers with sixbladed counterrotating props tested and ready when engine power requires them. The motordriven gun turret with the computing site was brought nearer to perfection. Remote control turrets were planned and tested for installation in aircraft still on the drawing boards. The North American P-51 was developed and put into production directly from the blueprints. In this conventional airplane, every lesson which had been gained in combat was utilized. The result was an extremely fast long range fighter. It rated tops among fighters. Gliders and glider towing techniques were developed. The loading and use of gliders was studied and improved, then studied and improved again. [Music] The Northrup P61 night fighter was developed, tested, and is now effective in combat. Helicopters for artillery direction, patrol and special missions continued to be the subject of study and development. This is the Plat Leage Twin Rotor XR1A. [Music] This is the Sakorski XR4. In early tests at sea, even the familiar Cubs were modified and turned to use as military aircraft. Given increased visibility, more power, and slower landing speed, they have served on all fronts for artillery spotting and liaison work. Parachutes were studied and greatly improved with special attention being given to cargo drops for resupply to advanced forces. Life rafts were perfected. Hundreds of American flyers owe their lives to these rafts. While engineer and designer worked to improve the mechanical weapons of war, medical men undertook studies of the human element in relation to aircraft. Data was compiled on the effects of high altitude flying where air is thin and oxygen is insufficient to sustain life. In preparation for the pressurized cabin, experiments were made to determine the physiological reaction to penetration of a pressurized cabin by an explosive shell. Studies were made to learn how our fighter pilots could better withstand the effect of sharp turns and maneuvers in combat. [Music] Emergency procedures for abandonment of aircraft were developed. Research on enemy weapons and development of countermeasures was of vital importance. Within a few weeks after Hitler launched his flying bombs against England, full-scale models of the bomb were tested in the right field wind tunnel. Production of the American version of the bomb was underway and test launchings were conducted under the direction of rightfield engineers. [Music] Jet propelled airplanes made their appearance over the field. Then a plane which had been classified top secret started rolling from the production lines. The Boeing B29, the largest, longest ranged, heaviest bomber in the world. Back in 1943, General HH Arnold, commanderin-chief of the Army Air Forces, said that the B7 and the B24 were the last of our small bombers. The super bombers are now striking major blows against the Japs. Today, production emphasis centers on the B-29 and newer airplanes. With the defeat of Germany, our full might is being turned against the enemy in the Pacific. Advancement of the war with its problems of finance, engineering, manpower, production, and supply calls for tremendous reserves of initiative and energy. Men of the Army Air Forces and men of the American aircraft industry continue to plan for the future. Work for tomorrow must be done today. Only by continued research and development will the United States hold its place as the foremost air power of the world. Plans now underway will result in greater aircraft performance to reveal a story yet untold. Watch them come, America. [Music] The ceiling is unlimited.