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Quest for Performance: The Evolution
of Modern Aircraft
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- Part I: THE AGE OF
PROPELLERS
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- Chapter 5: Design Refinement,
1939-45
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- Background
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- [103] The years of
World War II saw extensive manufacturing, engineering, and
research and development activity in the aviation industry. A
similar explosive growth in aeronautical activity occurred during
World War I; yet, there was a difference. World War I, as
discussed in chapter 2, was characterized by experimentation of all types;
different configurations, different materials and types of
construction, and radically different types of engines were
investigated and tested under actual combat conditions.
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- The definitive form of the
propeller-driven aircraft had crystallized by the beginning of
World War II, as discussed in chapter 4. All high-performance military aircraft used in
World War II were designed to the same basic formula: internally
braced, all-metal monoplane, equipped with retractable landing
gear, wing flaps, controllable-pitch propeller, and enclosed
compartment for the crew. This design concept was successfully
applied to fighters, bombers, observation aircraft, and various
other types of aircraft utilized during the war. The emphasis on
research, development, and engineering was on achieving higher
performance with this standard design formula. The quest was for
higher speeds and altitudes, more maneuverability, longer range,
better handling characteristics, and means for maintaining the
landing speed within acceptable limits. These demands called for
lighter weight, stronger structures, higher powered engines, and
detailed aerodynamic refinement. The following section briefly
describes a few representative areas of aerodynamic
refinement.
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