Civil Aviation Development with Central Power victory in World War I

Per the title, how does the field of civil aviation develop if the Central Powers win World War I? How they win is up to you.
 
More airships for a while? I mean in the long run they'll be going the way of ocean liners* but in the short run without the post war arms restrictions they'll get a boon.


*i.e. extinction by being out competed, but with that being said they also have the chance of evolving into luxury cruise liners of the sky like their ocean going counterparts...
 

Driftless

Donor
More airships for a while? I mean in the long run they'll be going the way of ocean liners* but in the short run without the post war arms restrictions they'll get a boon.


*i.e. extinction by being out competed, but with that being said they also have the chance of evolving into luxury cruise liners of the sky like their ocean going counterparts...

I think you are correct. The "boom time" (no pun intended...) for airships in this scenario would be a relatively short timeframe, but so much depends on how the rest of the world shakes out following such a POD.

IF the Central Powers prevail, they likely either acquire some colonies of the Entente; OR, they acquire some sweetheart economic deals in foreign markets. Those developments would be facilitated by speedy very long distance aviation. Airships, big seaplanes, big landplanes. Not having their aviation industry shredded by the Versailles Treaty, the Germans would certainly be technologically capable of designing and producing such aircraft at an early date. With more consumer and government demand, aircraft engine development probably gets a boost as well. A DO-X with better engines would be even more impressive (Der Ost-Afrika Klipper?)
 
Zeppelins would significant expand in civilian use, of course it would mostly be outcompeted after 1950, but we may a limited continued use of zeppelins for transportation in areas, where rail roads and shipping are very expensive.
 
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