During World War II, advances in aviation became unmistakable. Many nations’ air forces entered the war flying biplane aircraft that were not much different from their predecessors of the previous world war. They were soon eclipsed by aircraft that took advantage of new designs that utilized many aeronautical advances of the interwar period such as new powerplants, stressed-skin aluminum structures, and aerodynamic improvements. During the war, new technologies emerged and developed, such as jet- powered aircraft, which would come to dominate post–World War II military aviation.

In A Wartime Necessity: The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and Other National Aeronautical Research Organizations’ Efforts at Innovation During World War II, each chapter has been written by a recognized authority in their field and draws upon the most recent research on their topic. This volume investigates a broad range of topics associated with aeronautical research and development that took place during the war within both Allied and Axis countries. It also demonstrates how the technological improvements conducted from their research were critical to those on the front line of combat as well as how wartime expedience and technology required institutions to adapt to the world crisis.