From The Archives: Notable Articles And Ads From May and June 1945 Editions

80 years ago in Aviation Week we reported that Germany’s surrender in May 1945 ended World War II in Europe, but the U.S. still faced a daunting battle with Japan in the Pacific theater. 

Dozens of companies used our pages to showcase their contributions to the war effort. A Northrop ad in our May 1945 edition unveiled a cutaway of its P-61 Black Widow night fighter. “Note the retractable ailerons, shown raised on top of the plane’s wing, which make possible fast, tight turns and leave the trailing edge free for full-span wing flaps, which permit both amazingly quick climb and slow landing speed,” it read.

With an eye to the future, Solar Aircraft Co. of San Diego noted that its engine parts and tailpipe “are vital units in the miracle of Lockheed’s Shooting Star, that ghostly new jet-propelled fighter plane that rivals the speed of sound.” See page 262 in the May 1945.

And Curtiss Wright took out an ad in our June 1945 issue to tout the use of its carrier-based SB3C-4 dive bomber to attack industrial targets in Tokyo. See page 166. “Watch the reports from our Pacific Fleet and you’ll know why the [Japanese] watch the skies with fear and trembling,” the company proclaimed. “The Helldiver has proved its worth time and time again in the Pacific campaign. Chances are several million bombed, blasted, rocketed residents of Japan will readily agree.”

Source: First Take, May 19, 2025 | Aviation Week Network