AWPD-42 Air War Plans Division

a u.s. navy patrol bomber in 1943: pb4y-1 liberator. under awpb-42, aircraft have been flown army air forces, not navy.

in president s request, had not asked combined numbers of u.s. army , u.s. navy aircraft; asked number of combat aircraft types should produced in country army , our allies in 1943... meant navy s aircraft needs, significant, not requested, aircraft needs america s allies included, allies receive amount of navy-type aircraft. hansell decided make plan wholly inclusive of american aircraft requirements—army, navy, , allied—so there no misunderstanding how aircraft-producing resources allocated. hansell accepted aircraft production plans navy submitted, 1 vital change: four-engined bombers navy wanted built air corps bombers, flown usaaf units.

the navy not @ satisfied awpd-42. navy s intention divert 1250 land-based heavy bombers aaf requirements use long-range patrol , attacking enemy vessels dismissed in favor of usaaf flights achieve same goals. navy expected command , control differences between services, differing targeting preferences, create impossible barriers successful employment of notional usaaf patrol bombers against enemy naval forces. navy flatly rejected awpd-42, barred acceptance jcs, 15 october 1942 president had established u.s. s aircraft manufacturing plan, saying lofty aircraft production proposal given highest priority , whatever preference needed insure accomplishment.