"Between the years 1941 and 1945, American air power became the greatest military arm in the world. But, through shameful neglect, the industry that made almost 100,000 military planes in 1944 was whittled down last year to a 'peacetime' 3,000. Today the U.S. must throw onto the scales every ounce of production experience, skill and technique it has."
"In August 1949 General Hoyt Vandenberg, Air Force Chief of Staff, told Congress 'we are exerting every energy we are capable of within the Air Force to get a replacement for the B-36 [Bomber].' The B-52 was that replacement, but the Air Force was compelled by defense economies to soup up the B-36 instead of emphasizing the B-52."
Were Russian MIGS Better Than American Fighter Jets?