Tech Levels Without WW2 And Cold War?

[CountDVB]

Let’s say World War II And the Cold War never happened (if y’all need a reason, say The Central Powers won or something. That’s not the point here.)

How would technology look like in TTL compared to ours? Would it be like 20 years behind? 30?

I’d reckon we’d still have a Space Race or something, but what would things look like regarding computers and the like?

 

[CountDVB]

Really, no takers?

What about things like the internet?

 

[Peebothuhlu]

At work.

Flying boats and, possibly airships, would probably rule the skies.

Since no WW II would mean no investment on such large scales of infrastructure with developing airports.

Look up Bellgeddie's (sp?) Airoliner No4 for ideas of flying boat potential.scale.

 

[Crowbar Six]

Flying boats are sort of a desperate measure. A surprising number get damaged and sunk by floating debris when taking off and landing, if you want long range aviation and higher speeds then a conventional aircraft is the superior option. Airships lose out on speed and vulnerability to bad weather at some point they will cease to be a valid option. One thing for certain though without all those war surplus C46/C47 transports civil aviation will grow much more slowly than in OTL.

Jet aircraft will fly and be in military service later probably by the early 1950's, Frank Whittle was always going to get there and the advantages of a jets speed and altitude are apparent. Rocketry will be delayed because only the Germans were interested in liquid fueled rockets and the amount of money they poured into them was about the same as the US spent on the Manhattan Project so at some point someone will blow enough on them to make them an effective weapon and launch vehicle. There will be radar and computers because the electronics industry was already there and it is simply a matter of reaching the point of seeing the advantages of number crunching and data storage so I suspect that might be as little as 5 years later before the first practical computer in an academic environment and another 5 before someone starts using them in industry.

 

[Peebothuhlu]

At work.

Indeed, 'Run way' debrise (And boats) will be a hazard.

However....... Where is the incentive for governments to invest innitially in the relativly huge undertaking that is an airodrome?

Compare the nascent airodrome development to already long established dock/port facilities in such a benign time line.

Cheers!

 

[Crowbar Six]

Well to start with aircraft were able to function from grass/gravel strips and it will not be nations doing this mostly it will be companies like BOAC, Pan AM, KLM etc doing the building and flying boats are not always suitable, whilst many cities are located on the coast a lot are also on rivers not all of which are wide/deep/straight enough for a large flying boat. Runaways are also not affected by tides or heavy seas.

 

[CountDVB]

Well, beyond aircraft, but I mean things like computer technology and so on

 

[Driftless]

Many lower income boys (women too) from nearly every country picked up high-grade technical skills in their military experience that most wouldn't have been able to afford otherwise. That also has an economic development knock-on.

 

[CountDVB]

Many lower income boys (women too) from nearly country picked up high-grade technical skills in their military experience that most wouldn't have been able to afford otherwise. That also has an economic development knock-on.

Makes sense here though was most of that in World War II or the Cold War though?

 

[fscott]

At work.

Flying boats and, possibly airships, would probably rule the skies.

Since no WW II would mean no investment on such large scales of infrastructure with developing airports.

Look up Bellgeddie's (sp?) Airoliner No4 for ideas of flying boat potential.scale.

If I remember right the Lockheed Constellation was just prior to World War II and use extensively by the military. It was the Leading Edge of Technology of the time but a good point overall.

 

[Driftless]

Makes sense here though was most of that in World War II or the Cold War though?

Oh, absolutely. But think of the folks who were first exposed to technological marvels like aircraft, motor vehicles, and just the generic impact of travel in the early 20th Century. "How ya gonna keep 'em down on the farm, after they've seen Paree?!?!"

 

[CountDVB]

Oh, absolutely. But think of the folks who were first exposed to technological marvels like aircraft, motor vehicles, and just the generic impact of travel in the early 20th Century. "How ya gonna keep 'em down on the farm, after they've seen Paree?!?!"

Well, just because World War II was scuttled out doesn’t mean there wouldn’t be any wars (I’m thinking that the US and Japan would still go to war if namely because of the imperial ambitions of the latter would threaten US interests in China and things go from there).

I suppose the question is also aimed for the Cold War, given the massive amounts dedicated to military technology and so on between them and how that could translate to civilian life.