jan 16, 1939 - World War II

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World war II was the first major war in which airplanes played a major role. They were used for reconnaissance, dogfighting, and bombing runs, which were all highly important in warfare. A major reason the allies won the war was due to their aerial superiority. As stated by Crouch, "Transoceanic travel became a matter of routine; at its peak of operations, ATC planes crossed the Atlantic at an average rate of one every 13 minutes". This normalization of oceanic travel advanced technology forward greatly for international aviation, with more powerful engines that could carry larger loads, and longer-distance airplanes that could travel further without needing stop-offs. In addition, as stated by Nature during the war (1943), "The recent discussion in Parliament upon the necessity for making provision for the development of civil aviation in the immediate post-war period has aroused much interest in many different circles, political, commercial and technical". This source exemplifies the interest in civil aviation post-war that the war created. However, in contrast, the National Air and Space Museum says that, "When the United States entered World War II in 1941, casual air travel virtually ceased in the United States. A tight priority list ensured that only those serving the war effort flew. As a result, aircraft flew more than 80 percent full, 20 percent higher than before the war. The military requisitioned 200 of the nation's 360 airliners, along with airline personnel". This means a huge loss olf revenue for commercial airlines,m which may in fact have harmed their development. Due to the primary evidence of the time, however, it is likely that WWII had a positive impact on the development of commercial international airlines.

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