Analysis of information sources in references of the Wikipedia article "1943 in aviation" in English language version.
A/C 42-6087 "ROYAL FLUSH" 418TH LD-Z – LT ROBERT ROSENTHAL – P[ilot] – CPT – FLEW 52 MISSIONS – The only crew to return from the mission with two engines shot out and two crew members seriously wounded.
Ensuing talks between Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson, Assistant Secretary of War Robert P. Patterson, and high ranking officers of the AAF, led Secretary Stimson to waive customary procurement procedures and to authorize the AAF to order B-36 production without awaiting completion and testing of the 2 experimental planes then under contract. Therefore, on 19 June General Arnold directed procurement of 100 B-36s. General Arnold became Commanding General of the AAF in March 1942 and was promoted to 4-star general one year later. His order, however, would be cut back or canceled in the event of excessive production difficulties. The AAF letter of intent for 100 B-36s was signed by Convair on 23 July...The letter of intent of 23 July 1943, supplemented by Letter Contract W33-038 ac-7 on 23 August 1943, gave way 1 year later to a definitive contract. The U.S. government was not liable should a letter of intent be canceled. This was not so for the more often used letter contract which obligated funds.
