One Hundred Years of U.S. Navy Air Power

Download One Hundred Years of U.S. Navy Air Power PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Naval Institute Press
ISBN 13 : 1612514235
Total Pages : 394 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (125 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis One Hundred Years of U.S. Navy Air Power by : Douglas V Smith

Download or read book One Hundred Years of U.S. Navy Air Power written by Douglas V Smith and published by Naval Institute Press. This book was released on 2010-10-15 with total page 394 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Published to coincide with the centennial celebration of U.S. Navy Aviation, this book chronicles Navy aviation from its earliest days, before the Navy’s first aircraft carrier joined the fleet, through the modern jet era marked by the introduction of the F-18 Hornet. It tells how naval aviation got its start, profiles its pioneers, and explains the early bureaucracy that fostered and sometimes inhibited its growth. The book then turns to the refinement of carrier aviation doctrine and tactics and the rapid development of aircraft and carriers, highlighting the transition from propeller-driven aircraft to swept wing jets in the period after WW II. Land-based Navy aircraft, rotary-wing aircraft and rigid airships, and balloons are also considered in this sweeping tribute.

One Hundred Years of Sea Power

Download One Hundred Years of Sea Power PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Stanford University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780804727945
Total Pages : 572 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (279 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis One Hundred Years of Sea Power by : George W. Baer

Download or read book One Hundred Years of Sea Power written by George W. Baer and published by Stanford University Press. This book was released on 1996-07-01 with total page 572 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A navy is a state's main instrument of maritime force. What it should do, what doctrine it holds, what ships it deploys, and how it fights are determined by practical political and military choices in relation to national needs. Choices are made according to the state's goals, perceived threat, maritime opportunity, technological capabilities, practical experience, and, not the least, the way the sea service defines itself and its way of war. This book is a history of the modern U.S. Navy. It explains how the Navy, in the century after 1890, was formed and reformed in the interaction of purpose, experience, and doctrine.

The History of US Naval Air Power

Download The History of US Naval Air Power PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Crescent
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 324 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (555 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The History of US Naval Air Power by : Robert L. Lawson

Download or read book The History of US Naval Air Power written by Robert L. Lawson and published by Crescent. This book was released on 1985 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Fly Navy

Download Fly Navy PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Macmillan
ISBN 13 : 142992022X
Total Pages : 353 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (299 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Fly Navy by : Alvin Townley

Download or read book Fly Navy written by Alvin Townley and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2011-04-26 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Top Gun was only part of the story. Fly Navy delves beyond the Hollywood image to reveal the true mettle and genuine story of the elite men and women of naval aviation. For one hundred years, the U.S. Navy's aviators and crews have made the difference on military and peacetime missions around the world. Their unparalleled skill, preparation, and everyday dedication have paid off when it matters most: when lives are on the line. Together, these men and women—officers and enlisted personnel, past and present—have protected freedom, served their country, and forged a legacy of valor like no other. In this landmark book, Alvin Townley takes readers on an adventure around the world and across generations as he goes behind the scenes of naval aviation. From the skies over the Arabian Sea to the jungles of Southeast Asia to carriers patrolling the vast Pacific, he uncovers incredible stories of service members who survived weeks adrift at sea, made midnight rescues in deadly storms, crash-landed behind enemy lines, and found themselves in situations where their exceptional training and focus were the only things standing between life and death. Filled with inspiring personal accounts of courage, camaraderie, and sheer perseverance, Fly Navy pays tribute to the extraordinary individuals who have built naval aviation into the revered force it is today—and will remain tomorrow.

One Hundred Years of Air Power and Aviation

Download One Hundred Years of Air Power and Aviation PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Texas A&M University Press
ISBN 13 : 9781585442416
Total Pages : 456 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (424 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis One Hundred Years of Air Power and Aviation by : Robin Higham

Download or read book One Hundred Years of Air Power and Aviation written by Robin Higham and published by Texas A&M University Press. This book was released on 2003 with total page 456 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this precise, interpretive and informative volume, Higham looks at everything from the roots of strategic bombing and tactical air power to the lessons learned and unlearned during the invasion of Ethiopia, the war in China and the Spanish Civil War. He also considers the problems posed by jet aircraft in Korea and the use of Patriot missiles in the Persian Gulf. He covers anti-guerrilla operations, doctrine, industrial activities and equipment, as well as the development of commercial airlines.

On Wave and Wing

Download On Wave and Wing PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1621576167
Total Pages : 295 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (215 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis On Wave and Wing by : Barrett Tillman

Download or read book On Wave and Wing written by Barrett Tillman and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2017-02-27 with total page 295 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What defended the U.S. after the attack on Pearl Harbor, defeated the Soviet Union in the Cold War, and is an essential tool in the fight against terror? Aircraft Carriers. For seventy years, these ships remained a little understood cornerstone of American power. In his latest book, On Wave and Wing , Barrett Tillman sheds light on the history of these floating leviathans and offers a nuanced analysis of the largest man-made vessel in the history of the world.

Naval Air

Download Naval Air PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Pen and Sword
ISBN 13 : 1781592411
Total Pages : 208 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (815 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Naval Air by : Philip Kaplan

Download or read book Naval Air written by Philip Kaplan and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2013-07-03 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Naval aviation arrived early in the last century in the form of balloons and airships employed by the British Royal Navy for reconnaissance, and interest was stirring in naval circles in a greater aeronautical capacity for the service. Britain's tradition of projecting a global reach through her sea power would, in the view of many, be greatly enhanced by such a capability. Among the first advocates of military aircraft development was British naval minister, Winston Churchill.??Over the course of the last century since this point of inception, huge leaps have been made in the design, development, and performance of naval aircraft. This comprehensive account, brought to us by eminent aviation historian Philip Kaplan, details the journey from origin through early development into wartime deployment. This is carried forward through post-war innovations and into modern conflicts such as the Falklands campaign. Attention is paid to the key landmarks of aviation history, such as Taranto, Pearl Harbour, The Doolittle Raid, the Battle of Midway and the Korean campaign. Reference is also paid throughout to the flying aces; the high points in the combat careers of the greatest naval and marine aviators of the past century. ??Kaplan weaves multiple threads in an effort to produce a comprehensive and detailed history. One of these is the part played by women in the history of flight, detailing a journey characterised by ever-closer involvement at the vanguard of aviation development, showing how societal changes have impacted upon this area in tune with others. Bringing the history up to date, there is a section dedicated to the Helicopter, its varying uses, current disposition and status of the various types in the U.S and British navies. ??Complemented by a collection of interesting photographs, this is sure to appeal to aviation enthusiasts as well as social historians of the past one hundred years; this isn't just a history of the various aircraft but of the people who got them off the ground and flew them into a new century.

A Concise History of the U.S. Air Force

Download A Concise History of the U.S. Air Force PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 96 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (6 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis A Concise History of the U.S. Air Force by : Stephen Lee McFarland

Download or read book A Concise History of the U.S. Air Force written by Stephen Lee McFarland and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 1997 with total page 96 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Except in a few instances, since World War II no American soldier or sailor has been attacked by enemy air power. Conversely, no enemy soldier orsailor has acted in combat without being attacked or at least threatened by American air power. Aviators have brought the air weapon to bear against enemies while denying them the same prerogative. This is the legacy of the U.S. AirForce, purchased at great cost in both human and material resources.More often than not, aerial pioneers had to fight technological ignorance, bureaucratic opposition, public apathy, and disagreement over purpose.Every step in the evolution of air power led into new and untrodden territory, driven by humanitarian impulses; by the search for higher, faster, and farther flight; or by the conviction that the air way was the best way. Warriors have always coveted the high ground. If technology permitted them to reach it, men, women andan air force held and exploited it-from Thomas Selfridge, first among so many who gave that "last full measure of devotion"; to Women's Airforce Service Pilot Ann Baumgartner, who broke social barriers to become the first Americanwoman to pilot a jet; to Benjamin Davis, who broke racial barriers to become the first African American to command a flying group; to Chuck Yeager, a one-time non-commissioned flight officer who was the first to exceed the speed of sound; to John Levitow, who earned the Medal of Honor by throwing himself over a live flare to save his gunship crew; to John Warden, who began a revolution in air power thought and strategy that was put to spectacular use in the Gulf War.Industrialization has brought total war and air power has brought the means to overfly an enemy's defenses and attack its sources of power directly. Americans have perceived air power from the start as a more efficient means of waging war and as a symbol of the nation's commitment to technology to master challenges, minimize casualties, and defeat adversaries.

Harnessing the Sky

Download Harnessing the Sky PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Naval Institute Press
ISBN 13 : 1612518559
Total Pages : 257 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (125 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Harnessing the Sky by : Frederick Trapnell

Download or read book Harnessing the Sky written by Frederick Trapnell and published by Naval Institute Press. This book was released on 2015-07-15 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Harnessing the Sky is one of the last untold stories in 100 years of naval aviation. Th is biography of Vice Adm. Frederick M. Trapnell explores the legacy of the man who has been called “the godfather of current naval aviation.” A pilot of calculated courage, “Trap” entered the Navy when test pilots were more like stuntmen than engineers. Airplanes had not yet come into their own as weapons of war, and they had an undeveloped role in the fleet. His vision and leadership shaped the evolution of naval aviation through its formative years and beyond. When the threat of war in 1940 raised an alarm over the Navy’s deficiency in aircraft—especially fighters—Trap was appointed to lead the Flight Test Section to direct the development of all new Navy airplanes. He played a key role in expediting the evolution of the two superb fighters that came to dominate the air war against Japan—the Corsair and Hellcat. After World War II, Trap returned as commander of the Naval Air Test Center to lead the Navy through the challenges of transitioning to jets. Trap was not only the first U.S. Navy pilot to fly a jet, but is also recognized for defining the operating requirements for carrier-based jet propelled aircraft. Over the course of two decades, Trap tested virtually every naval aircraft prototype and pioneered the philosophy and the methods of the engineering test pilot. He demanded comprehensive testing of each airplane in conditions and maneuvers it would face in wartime fleet operations. These innovations kept the Navy at the forefront of modern aviation, and stand as an enduring legacy to the man who is regarded as the foremost test pilot in a century of naval aviation.

United States Naval Aviation, 1910-1995

Download United States Naval Aviation, 1910-1995 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 826 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis United States Naval Aviation, 1910-1995 by : Roy A. Grossnick

Download or read book United States Naval Aviation, 1910-1995 written by Roy A. Grossnick and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 826 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book was donated as a part of the David H. Hugel Collection, a collection of the Special Collections & Archives, University of Baltimore.

Command Of The Air

Download Command Of The Air PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Pickle Partners Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1782898522
Total Pages : 620 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (828 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Command Of The Air by : General Giulio Douhet

Download or read book Command Of The Air written by General Giulio Douhet and published by Pickle Partners Publishing. This book was released on 2014-08-15 with total page 620 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the pantheon of air power spokesmen, Giulio Douhet holds center stage. His writings, more often cited than perhaps actually read, appear as excerpts and aphorisms in the writings of numerous other air power spokesmen, advocates-and critics. Though a highly controversial figure, the very controversy that surrounds him offers to us a testimonial of the value and depth of his work, and the need for airmen today to become familiar with his thought. The progressive development of air power to the point where, today, it is more correct to refer to aerospace power has not outdated the notions of Douhet in the slightest In fact, in many ways, the kinds of technological capabilities that we enjoy as a global air power provider attest to the breadth of his vision. Douhet, together with Hugh “Boom” Trenchard of Great Britain and William “Billy” Mitchell of the United States, is justly recognized as one of the three great spokesmen of the early air power era. This reprint is offered in the spirit of continuing the dialogue that Douhet himself so perceptively began with the first edition of this book, published in 1921. Readers may well find much that they disagree with in this book, but also much that is of enduring value. The vital necessity of Douhet’s central vision-that command of the air is all important in modern warfare-has been proven throughout the history of wars in this century, from the fighting over the Somme to the air war over Kuwait and Iraq.

Shades of Blue

Download Shades of Blue PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781422355237
Total Pages : 140 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (552 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Shades of Blue by : Martin W. Bowman

Download or read book Shades of Blue written by Martin W. Bowman and published by . This book was released on 2006-08-01 with total page 140 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The US has commercial, political & social interests on every continent. To protect them, the US has come to rely on its fleet of aircraft carriers & the squadrons of aircraft aboard. This book looks at the developments that have taken place to US Navy flying since Pearl Harbor. Towards the end of WW2, America had control of the Pacific & had improved the science of naval flying dramatically. Soon after, in both the Korean & Vietnam Wars, the US military would rely heavily on carriers to fight those wars on the opposite side of the Pacific. Now armed with supersonic fighters & bombers, reconnaissance, tanking & rescue aircraft, a US carrier can fight a war alone. Over 100 striking full-color photos.

Destined for Glory

Download Destined for Glory PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Naval Institute Press
ISBN 13 : 1612511015
Total Pages : 266 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (125 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Destined for Glory by : Thomas Wildenberg

Download or read book Destined for Glory written by Thomas Wildenberg and published by Naval Institute Press. This book was released on 2012-03-15 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On 4 June 1942, three squadrons of U.S. Navy Dauntless dive bombers destroyed Japan's carrier force sent to neutralize Midway, changing the course of the war in the Pacific. As Thomas Wildenberg convincingly demonstrates in this book, the key ingredient to the navy's success at Midway was the planning and training devoted to the tactic of dive bombing over the previous seventeen years. Examining how political, economic, technical, and operational factors influenced the development of carrier airpower between 1925 and 1942, he shows why dive bombing became the navy's weapon of choice—why it was emphasized over all other methods of aerial warfare and finally brought to bear to stop the Japanese advance. He also pays tribute to the select group of naval aviators and senior leaders whose insights and determination drove the evolution of carrier tactics in this formative period. The title reflects the essence of the story: the development of carrier air power in the U.S. Navy was driven by an unwritten understanding that the years spent on experimentation, training, and innovations were ""destined"" to bring success in a future battle. As part of this work, the author introduces newly discovered information showing that the outcome at Midway was actually predicted by naval aviators years before the battle took place. The book sheds new light on the navy's preparations for war, demonstrating beyond a shadow of a doubt the effectiveness of U.S. naval planning before Pearl Harbor. Destined for Glory is the first book to thoroughly document the development of carrier air power in the United States Navy during the interwar years. Aviation enthusiasts and naval historians alike will find a wealth of previously unpublished data on the development of carrier aircraft and their tactical doctrine. Readers will discover new material related to the evolution of the fighters, torpedo bombers, and scout planes that made up the carrier air groups in World War II. Although several excellent books have been written about the Battle of Midway, none has focused on how the U.S. Navy came to develop the one aerial weapon “dive bombing” which proved to be the decisive instrument of victory. For it was dive bombing, and only dive bombing, that turned the tide of Japanese expansion in the Pacific. Introduced and developed in the interwar years, dive bombing became the corner stone in the navy's efforts to secure command of the air. Although the development of the dive bomber played an extremely important role in the advance of naval aviation during the interwar period, it is only part of a much broader story that illustrates an important lesson for historians: what comes before the battle is as important as the battle itself. It will become evident from reading the text that the aerial successes of 1942 were unequivocally rooted in the tactics and equipment developed during the previous seventeen years.

One Hundred Years of Flight

Download One Hundred Years of Flight PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781973321460
Total Pages : 153 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (214 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis One Hundred Years of Flight by : Department of Defense

Download or read book One Hundred Years of Flight written by Department of Defense and published by . This book was released on 2017-11-17 with total page 153 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Commemorating the first century of aviation, this chronology is dedicated to the men and women who gave their lives to advance air and space flight. It includes significant air and space events since the Wright brothers first demonstrated in 1903 that humankind could fly in heavier-than-air machines. Although focused on the evolution of the United States Air Force (USAF), it also includes major developments in military, naval, civil, and international air power. Until World War I, military leaders had conceived of the airplane primarily as a reconnaissance and artillery-spotting tool. By the end of 1918, however, the airplane was already performing other missions, including air superiority, strategic bombardment, interdiction, close air support, and airlift. Aviation continued to evolve after the war, as evidenced by increased aircraft ranges, altitudes, and speeds. These growing capabilities allowed transcontinental and transoceanic flights as well as encouraged airline service and airmail. The U.S. Navy commissioned its first aircraft carrier in 1922. The U.S. Army Air Service made the first flight around the world in 1924, demonstrating the global reach of air power. Metal monoplanes featuring enclosed cockpits and retractable landing gear replaced fabric-skinned, open-cockpit biplanes with fixed wheels. The Army Air Corps, established in 1926, developed large, long-range bombers and a doctrine for their use. World War II accelerated advances in aviation technology that saw production of faster, larger, higher-flying, and longer-range airplanes. Japan's surrender shortly after the first atomic bombs fell on Hiroshima and Nagasaki demonstrated that air power could be decisive in the outcome of wars. Jet aircraft, ballistic and cruise missiles, pressurized cabins, and radar were all legacies of the war. So too were the introductions of airborne operations, the helicopter as a military vehicle, and global air transport. Recognizing the growing importance of aviation to national defense, Congress created an independent USAF in September 1947, just two years after World War II. That same year, Capt. Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager, USAF, pioneered supersonic flight. Almost immediately the new Air Force proved its worth by saving the western sectors of Berlin from Communist aggression with the largest airlift in history (1948-49). Air power won the first battle of the Cold War.

Billy Mitchell's War with the Navy

Download Billy Mitchell's War with the Navy PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Naval Institute Press
ISBN 13 : 1612513328
Total Pages : 339 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (125 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Billy Mitchell's War with the Navy by : Thomas Wildenberg

Download or read book Billy Mitchell's War with the Navy written by Thomas Wildenberg and published by Naval Institute Press. This book was released on 2014-02-15 with total page 339 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Billy Mitchell returned from WWI, he brought with him the deep-seated belief that air power had made navies obsolete. However, in the years following WWI, the U.S. Congress was far more interested in disarmament and isolationist policies than in funding national defense. For the military services this meant lean budgets and skeleton operating forces. Billy Mitchell’s War with the Navy recounts the intense political struggle between the Army and Navy air arms for the limited resources needed to define and establish the role of aviation within their respective services in the period between the two world wars. After Congress rejected the concept of a unified air service in 1920, Mitchell and his supporters turned on the Navy, seeking to substitute the Air Service as the nation's first line of defense. While Mitchell proved that aircraft could sink a battleship with the bombing of the Ostfriesland in 1921, he was unable to convince the General Staff of the Army, the General Board of the Navy, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Navy, or Congress of the need for an independent air force. When Mitchell turned to the pen to discredit the Navy, he was convicted by his own words and actions in a court-martial that captivated the nation, and was forced to resign in 1925. Rather than ending the rivalry for air power, Mitchell’s resignation set the stage for the ongoing dispute between the two services in the years immediately before WWII. After Mitchell’s resignation, the rivalry for air power between the two services resurfaced when the Navy's plans to procure torpedo planes for the defense of Pearl Harbor and Coco Solo were brought to the attention of the Army. The book concludes with a description of the events surrounding the Air Corps' abysmal performance at Pearl Harbor and Midway followed by a critical assessment of how the development of aviation was pursued by the Army and the Navy after WWII.

A Heritage of Wings

Download A Heritage of Wings PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : US Naval Institute Press
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 370 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis A Heritage of Wings by : Richard C. Knott

Download or read book A Heritage of Wings written by Richard C. Knott and published by US Naval Institute Press. This book was released on 1997 with total page 370 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Based on years of research by a Navy pilot and respected author, this is the most complete history of Navy airpower ever written. Unmatched in scope and detail and packed with rare, memorable photos, "A Heritage of Wings" captures the spirit of an age that moved from primitive cloth-covered biplanes to space shuttles. 194 photos, 9 maps.

One Hundred Years of Flight

Download One Hundred Years of Flight PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 172 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis One Hundred Years of Flight by : Daniel Lee Haulman

Download or read book One Hundred Years of Flight written by Daniel Lee Haulman and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2003 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Commemorating the first century of aviation, this chronology is dedicated to the men and women who gave their lives to advance air and space flight. It includes significant air and space events since the Wright brothers first demonstrated in 1903 that humankind could fly in heavier-than-air machines. Although focused on the evolution of the United States Air Force (USAF), it also includes major developments in military, naval, civil, and international air power. Until World War I, military leaders had conceived of the airplane primarily as a reconnaissance and artillery-spotting tool. By the end of 1918, however, the airplane was already performing other missions, including air superiority, strategic bombardment, interdiction, close air support, and airlift. Aviation continued to evolve after the war, as evidenced by increased aircraft ranges, altitudes, and speeds. These growing capabilities allowed transcontinental and transoceanic flights as well as encouraged airline service and airmail. The U.S. Navy commissioned its first aircraft carrier in 1922. The U.S. Army Air Service made the first flight around the world in 1924, demonstrating the global reach of air power. Metal monoplanes featuring enclosed cockpits and retractable landing gear replaced fabric-skinned, open-cockpit biplanes with fixed wheels. The Army Air Corps, established in 1926, developed large, long-range bombers and a doctrine for their use. World War II accelerated advances in aviation technology that saw production of faster, larger, higher-flying, and longer-range airplanes. Japan's surrender shortly after the first atomic bombs fell on Hiroshima and Nagasaki demonstrated that air power could be decisive in the outcome of wars. Jet aircraft, ballistic and cruise missiles, pressurized cabins, and radar were all legacies of the war. So too were the introductions of airborne operations, the helicopter as a military vehicle, and global air transport. Recognizing the growing importance of aviation to national defense, Congress created an independent USAF in September 1947, just two years after World War II. That same year, Capt. Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager, USAF, pioneered supersonic flight. Almost immediately the new Air Force proved its worth by saving the western sectors of Berlin from Communist aggression with the largest airlift in history (1948-49). Air power won the first battle of the Cold War.