JET PLANES OF THE THIRD REICH ( binder full of photocopies )

PUBLISHER'S PREFACE

Those of us old enough to remember the close of the Second World War, will recall the exhilaration and intense national pride at seeing thrilling demonstrations performed by the United States' first production jets. Those early jets symbolised the end of one era and the beginning of another. It was a postwar era in which the promise of jet - powered air travel would come to pass. Their future seemed almost as limitless as the horizons they tracked. We were proud of our jet planes, confident that they were the best in the world. However, with the advent of Coldwar politics and the disturbing news that the Soviets were developing formidable jet aircraft of their own, complacency gave way to apprehension. Informed aviation writers knew we were not first in the field of jet development. Nor were we really technologically far advanced with respect to our recently vanquished European foes. Reports detailing " German wonder weapons " had always proved interesting reading. However, with the realisation that the Soviets had actually capitalised heavily on these developments, new importance was attached to research and development programmes in the West. Much of this East - West R&D was, of course, based on German wartime experience.

To be sure, the Germans did not invent the jet engine. It was the culmination of research and development programmes instituted in several countries at roughly the same time. As we shall see in the following chapters, the fact that Germany pulled ahead of her contemporaries was more a tribute to private enterprise than to her ability to crystalise a national goal. ( ... )