Requisitioning Aircraft

[Civettone]

When war broke out, most countries requisitioned civilian aircraft. Also trucks, boats,etc. And that is where the story usually end, I never read how things proceed.

I have two questions. How were the owners compensated? Was there a method of financial compensation per country? And second, what happened after the war? Were these planes and vehicles returned, if still operable, or were the owners granted more compensation or even a replacement?


Kris

 

[GregP]

Good question ...

 

[FLYBOYJ]

During WW2 civil aviation in the US just about ceased to exist. How civilian operators continue to fly aircraft is through Civil Air Patrol.

History of the Civil Air Patrol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I believe that certain aircraft owners leased their aircraft to the US government during WW2 and when the requirement for the aircraft was completed, the aircraft were returned.

 

[Civettone]

Interesting.

These were the tasks:

2.1 Coastal Patrol
2.2 Border Patrol
2.3 Target towing
2.4 Search and Rescue operations (SAR)
2.5 Courier service and cargo transportation
2.6 Pilot training and the cadet program

The U.S. saw a lot of business as usual unlike other countries at war. Business continued and I assume that air transport between both coasts must have continued. Or were business men suddenly expected to take the train? How did they travel if civilian air liners stopped their usual schedules and had their planes confiscated or leased to the military?

And what happened if those planes were destroyed? Compensated or given a replacement? Plenty of replacements available after the war.

Kris

 

[GregP]

I had a friend who was Japanese-American. Though he wasn't born quite yet, when the war broke out, his father owned a square city block in San Franscisco. They were taken to a camp and their property was confiscated. After the war, it was not returned nor was any compensation given. Suffice to say their family fortunes were radically reversed.

I only wonder that my friend grew up not resenting the USA, but he didn't. His father passed away before I got a chance to meet him, but he apparently didn't harbor a grudge either. I wonder if I could have forgiven as fully and doubt it.

One of my father's friends had a light plane when the war started and it was confiscated, too. It was never returned and he never flew again except in airliners. Again, I probably would not have been so sanguine about it.

It is possible many were returned and we simply haven't heard much about it.

 

[Civettone]

In Holland there is a running joke about the Germans: "we want our bikes back!"

Often heard during football matches between the two.

refers to all the bikes the Germans took from the Dutch during the closing months of the war.

Kris

 

[tyrodtom]

One of my kin had a Beechcraft Staggerwing that was owned by someone else pre WW2, used by the Army stateside during the war, then returned to the origional owner postwar. Then sold to him in the mid 50s. You could see the entries in the logbooks.

I was told that it was donated under some sort of contract, not requisitioned.

 

[Shortround6]

The U.S. saw a lot of business as usual unlike other countries at war. Business continued and I assume that air transport between both coasts must have continued. Or were business men suddenly expected to take the train? How did they travel if civilian air liners stopped their usual schedules and had their planes confiscated or leased to the military?

And what happened if those planes were destroyed? Compensated or given a replacement? Plenty of replacements available after the war.

Kris

I think there was a combination of things going on. Many light planes were taken over in the US but the lightest planes were not taken in great numbers. The 40-65hp 2 seat planes. The late entry of the US into the war allowed for quite a number of these planes to be built NEW for the pilot training programs. And they weren't much good as transports in the US. Larger 3-6 seat aircraft were also not take over completely and even larger transports were only taken up as needed. Some twin engine airliners were taken over but quickly returned to the airlines for "regular" service. That doesn't mean anybody could fly, there were priority lists. Trying to fly from New York to San Francisco to see your aunt Minnie for Christmas could see you waiting a looooong time for a seat.

My Grandfather worked in a small 4-5 man shop making gyro-scope parts under sub-contract to Norden. They were 1/2 way up the coast of Maine (200 miles North of Boston). The "company" owner had a Piper Cub and was given gas ration coupons for it so he could fly the parts to a larger city for shipment. The road network was none to good at the time and the railroad that served the town was a 33 mile branch line that connected to the Maine Central only once or twice a day.
Shipping "top secret" parts this way might have been frowned on.

At the end of the war the "replacement" aircraft may have been used (well used) and perhpas located hundreds if not thousands of miles away from where the recipient might be.

Getting commercial aviation going was a much higher priority than handing out used Piper Cubs.

But in actual fact the availability of VERY cheap surplus aircraft pretty much killed any post war boom in private aircraft. You could buy single engine fighters for less money than the fuel in the tanks was worth. All manner of aircraft were being sold cheap from C-54s and C-46s down to two seat open cockpit trainers.

Any pre war owner that wanted a plane could probably get one.