This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. The United States’ entry into the war followed the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. For Great Britain, France, and Canada, hostilities began several years earlier, and Popular Aviation—what we now know today as FLYING Magazine— was writing about it.
I spent a day at the Museum of Flight in Seattle looking at back issues and seeing what the publication was doing before and during WWII.
Before the U.S. entered the war, the stories were about technology and the mobilization of forces in Europe.
In 1940 a two-page spread in Popular Aviation (above) featured German, British, and French aircraft with the authors listing the performance numbers of the designs.
Many of the stories from England depicted the life of the airmen fighting the so-called “Battle of Britain.” One of the most poignant photos (above) was that showing two British airmen modifying their safety gear—one holds up a life vest that is a dull gray color (they were the same color as the water in the English Channel) while the other spray paints it a bright yellow.
The pilots in the Royal Air Force did this because they knew if they went down in the channel, the dark life vest would blend in with the water and lessen the pilot’s chances of being spotted for rescue.So color changes were made in the field and, eventually, the manufacturers opted for yellow.
In 1939 when the war clouds began forming over Europe, the aviation community—and the military—in the United States watched with great interest. The pages of the magazine started to include full-page ads (above) encouraging young men to seek careers in aviation. “You Go To Work At Boeing School” one advertisement read.
The course offerings included airline pilot and engineering, airline operations, airline mechanic, and airline meteorology. There were courses designed for high school graduates and those who had college degrees in engineering. The school was based in Oakland, California.
America was not prepared for war, and when the nation began gearing up, some adjustments had to be made. For example, the hangars at Mitchell Field in New York weren’t designed for the Army’s B-18A bomber.
The airplanes were longer than the hangar was deep, so special cutouts were made. The wings, cockpit, and engines were safely under cover while the rest of the airplane was on the ramp (above).
America’s civilian aircraft manufacturers made the transition from producing “businessman friendly” aircraft like the Cessna Bobcat—the “Family Car of the Air” as it was known—to turning out military trainers and light transports for the Royal Canadian Air Force and the U.S. Army and Navy. There were several variations of the design, such as the AT-17, with AT standing for Advanced Trainer.
It was also known as the Crane, and the UC-78 “bamboo bomber” because of the wood in addition to tubular steel used in its construction. A full-page color advertisement in 1942 (above) shows a businessman in a suit cheerfully flying along while Cessna proudly shared the news that it had ramped up production and would continue the pace until the war was won—with the note “We’re Wearing War Paint Now.”
As long as there are pilots there will be unplanned (forced) landings. Halliday Rushton wrote about his experience (above) making a forced landing along the beach in San Diego. Rushton describes debating the choice between putting the “heavy scout bomber” (and a Navy asset) in the saltwater or attempting a landing on soft sand. With only a couple hundred feet of altitude, a decision had to be made quickly.
In 1942 with America now in the war, the cry went out for women to enter the workforce (above). Brigadier General Frank J. McSherry, director of operations war manpower commission, penned an article urging young women to help build aircraft. The most famous of these was a media icon created in the Midwest known as “Rosie the Riveter.” On the West Coast they were known as “Janes Who Made the Planes.”
The magazine also published features to help people learn to identify aircraft, friend or foe, from their silhouettes.
