I was thinking about practical minor technical PODS for WW2 and was wondering about airborne refuelling. Now, my cursory understanding of the topic, as supplemented by Wikipedia, suggests that there had been a few experiments in the West (US, France and Britain) from the end of WW1 to the start of WW2 but none of the powers had a useful system in place that was operational at the start of the war, or indeed, during the war.
Now, to my general POD - Britain completes the trials earlier in 1939 and has in operation by the start of the War enough units that high command/government appreciates that it is worthwhile and necessary, so isn't put on hiatus for the war.
Now if this happens, what kind of changes could we see? I would imagine it would take a year or two, with a late POD, for the process to become widespread enough to have much of an impact, but it could have all sorts of useful changes from mid war onwards.
Any ideas, thoughts?
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1940/1940 - 1219.html?search=Flight Refuelling
Now, to my general POD - Britain completes the trials earlier in 1939 and has in operation by the start of the War enough units that high command/government appreciates that it is worthwhile and necessary, so isn't put on hiatus for the war.
Now if this happens, what kind of changes could we see? I would imagine it would take a year or two, with a late POD, for the process to become widespread enough to have much of an impact, but it could have all sorts of useful changes from mid war onwards.
Any ideas, thoughts?
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1940/1940 - 1219.html?search=Flight Refuelling