Technological Innovation and the Rise of Aviation, 1903-1941

“This book skilfully combines information from existing studies with considerable primary source research to fill a longstanding gap in our understanding of the institutional, political, and technological history of American military aviation.”

-Alan D. Meyer, Associate Professor of History, Auburn University

“This book examines the pre-World War II history of US military aviation, focusing on the innovative modernization programs conducted by the nation’s military with industry. It is a seminal work that should be required reading for current air power leaders and policymakers grappling with similar issues today.”

- John Darrell Sherwood, Naval Historian

This book provides an overview of American aviation from 1903 to 1941, covering major developments in aviation technology. It focuses on the role of the military and selected firms. Under the fiscal constraints imposed by the post-war military drawdown and the Great Depression, the US military sacrificed quantity aircraft procurement for gains in quality. Until foreign powers began huge rearmament programs, US military aircraft were some of the most advanced in the world. They held numerous international performance records before the US fell behind other powers that had gone on a war footing. It offers new insights into the contributions of immigrants and foreign technologies to American aviation, while examining the relationship between the government and the aviation industry. It also highlights factors that enabled America to field some of the war’s most advanced warplanes, which ultimately helped win the Second World War.

Charles J. Gross is a retired Air Force civilian historian. He has published widely on the history of American military aviation. He received a doctorate in Military History from The Ohio State University . Gross also served as an Air Force reserve officer from 1964 to 1994.