Hi Noyade,
It is indeed a very interesting subject and, in my opinion at least, worthy of discussion, your quote being a good start point.
Without wishing to contribute to thread drift ( and I'm now at a loss to see if there was any direction to this thread in the first place).
" For the impact of the Wright Brothers achievement on the rest of the world was seemingly lost on the American Government: indeed their schemes patriotically proffered, were officially dismissed as if they had been charlatans".
"..realise that the European continent at the nearest was several days' steaming away ,and that in the Pan-American Sphere the United States Army and Navy were the recognised dominant force: then we ourselves should ask, why should Uncle Sam spend money on Aeroplanes?
Not least of the factors to be considered,is the tenor of the times: as a Signal Corps officer once explained-' persons who desired to fly were looked upon as lacking something in their mentality'.
From 'United States Army and Air Force Fighters 1916-61 ( Harleyford) Ed. Bruce Robertson
Last edited by Haraka; 3rd Jun 2014 at 15:28.