www.aircrash.org.org/Burnelli
Technical Reports
1935 - The Burnelli Aerofoil Body
The basic principle of the lifting fuselage as developed by V. J. Burnelli since
1919 is now in such an advanced stage that it is extremely important for the
Air Corps to experiment further with it with a view to
reducing it to military practice.
General H.H. Arnold's Report
to Secretary of War Woodring
www.aircrash.org.org/Burnelli-American Business Review, March 15, 1930
As you can see, Burnelli's bid was devastating, nearly half of the second
lowest bidder and less than one-third of the competitor's average bid.
Further, Burnelli outperformed all the rest of all phases of the competition.
But instead of being awarded the contract,
Burnelli became a target of
outrageous political maneuvering which culminated in the issue issuance of
deprecations of the Burnelli design from a Board of Review, headed by the
infamous General Bennett Myers (later jail for aircraft procurement crimes).
When General Arnold was advised of the Board of Review Report, he refused
to repudiate his original recommendation favoring Burnelli. Consequently the
matter was moved to his political superior, the Secretary of War, who wrote
Burnelli on November 13th, 1941 that his design
"does not possess sufficient
merit for military purposes to warrant consideration by the War department."
www.aircrash.org.org/Burnelli-Evidence of suppression and official denial is overwhelming..