The U.S. Government prohibited Allison, Curtiss-Wright, and Pratt & Whitney and other aircraft engine manufacturers from developing gas turbine engines during WWII, the rationale being that their full efforts were required by War production. General Electric and Allis-Chalmers were given this work instead. The one exception to this rule appears to have been the Packard Motor Car Company, which manufactured Americanized Rolls-Royce Merlins under license, and which was engaged by Wright Field to design and build three gas turbine engines before WWII ended. This report's research was completed on 28 May 1946 and it was released during December 1946. |