Program 10, Episode 205

Retrospective

The pilots and crews of World War II American fighter planes achieved an impressive record of aerial victories, especially in the last stages of the war when American air superiority dominated both the Pacific and European combat theaters. Surprisingly, this success was not apparent at the beginning of the war. American fighter planes could not always match the speed and maneuverability of the enemy aircraft that they faced in the first years of the war. To improve the aircraft American pilots were flying, US Military planners turned to NASA’s predecessor NACA to help the United States gain air superiority in World War II.