Pursuit of the Torch: Influences on Acquisition of USAAF Fighter Aircraft Used in the North African Campaign
Abstract
The fleet of pursuit aircraft the US Army Air Forces employed in Operation TORCH and the North African campaign was outmatched, and, much of the time, outnumbered. Air commanders asked pursuit pilots to use their aircraft in roles they were not designed to fulfill against more experienced opponents while executing the combined Anglo-American strategy. This study details the decisions and influences that determined the fleet of pursuit aircraft available to the Americans when they landed in North Africa in November 1942.The interwar years were crucial in the formation of the force structure with which the United States entered World War II. When taken together, the Great Depression and the American preference for isolationism affected the strength of its armed forces, and the Army's air arm was no exception. Additionally, the rise to prominence of bombardment aviation forced pursuit aviation to compete for resources against an emerging doctrine that some airmen viewed as a means to achieve service independence. The Air Corps benefitted from the massive rearmament program President Roosevelt launched once he became convinced of America's eventual entry into World War II. However, industry was not prepared for a sudden increase in requirements and could not immediately meet demand with the necessary increase in production. Faced with competing demands between quantity and quality, the Air Corps and industry favored producing older (but mature) designs to suit a defensive national strategy. Nonetheless, the Army Air Forces found ways to employ their aircraft effectively in the skies over North Africa. They learned lessons about logistics, doctrine, and tactics, and carefully evaluated their equipment's performance against an unfamiliar enemy. Experience from the North African campaign, beginning with Operation TORCH, affected the use of pursuit aircraft for the remainder of World War II.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2010
- Accession Number
- AD1019199
Entities
People
- Maurice Azar
Organizations
- Air University