Plane Facts: Post-War Aviation

Neat and interesting facts about post-war aviation.

Thursday, September 27, 2018 at 10:06 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

The post-WWII era saw a dramatic increase in civilian pilots, largely due to the demobilization of approximately 2 million military pilots and widespread use of the G.I. Bill for flight training.
Despite the surge in available pilots, commercial airline opportunities were scarce due to a pilot glut, union influence, and limited positions, which led to new regulations like mandatory age 60 retirement.
Civil aircraft production boomed immediately after the war, introducing popular models like the Aeronca Champ, Globe Swift, and the enduring Beech Bonanza (launched 1947), though this initial surge was followed by a significant downturn in subsequent years.

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Learn more about post-war aviation with these cool and interesting facts.

Number of U.S. civilian pilots, 1939: 33,706

Year WWII ended: 1945

Number of U.S. military personnel at war’s end: 12 million

Number stationed abroad: 7.6 million

Number in the Army Air Forces: 2.4 million

Number in AAF by mid-1947: 306, 000

Date of G.I. Bill signing: June 22, 1944

Number of G.I.s who took advantage of it: More than 5 million

One big G.I. Bill benefit: Flight training

Number of pilots demobilized after WWII: Approximately 2 million

Airliners in U.S. during the war: 360

Number of them requisitioned by the military: 200

Post-WWII airline pilot opportunities: Few

Reasons: Unions, a glut of pilots and too-few positions

Rule that resulted: Mandatory age 60 retirement

Most popular airliner pre- and immediately post-WWII: Douglas DC-3

Number of airplanes built in U.S. in 1939: 921

Number in 1944: 96,318

Number of civil planes built in U.S. 1947-1950: Almost 30,000

Year Aeronca Champ and Chief introduced: 1945

Number built 1945-1950: About 10,000

Year Aeronca ceased aircraft production: 1951

Year Globe Swift introduced: 1946

Production first six months: 833

Sales first six months: Unknown, estimated at less than 500

First bankruptcy: 1947

Purchaser: TEMCO

Number built by TEMCO: Approximately 650

Total number Swifts built 1946-1950: About 1,500

Year TEMCO went out of business: 1950

First Beech Bonanza: 1947

Number produced 1947-1948: 1,500

Years in production: 1947-present, 71 years and counting

Piper Super Cub introduced: 1949

Number built 1949-1982, 1988-1994: Around 9,000

Number of planes built in 1947: 15,594

Next year of 10,000-plus planes: 1965

Number built in 1951: 2,302

First supersonic flight: 1947, Bell X-1 Rocket plane

Number of U.S. civilian pilots, 1949: 525,194

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