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From: Gerard M Foley
Date: 8/6/2003
Time: 4:49:20 PM
Remote Name: 65.24.163.233
During a study of aluminum alloys in late 1945 I recall finding the following:
In the early 1930's the Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) developed an experimental high strength aluminum alloy using zinc as one of the components which they designated X76ST. This material was much stronger than the standard duralumin used in aircraft construction at the time. However it was quite difficult to maintain the quality of the material in routine production.
Alcoa was part of a world-wide cartel of aluminum manufacturers who carefully controlled international competition, but who shared technical information. It appeared that information on X76ST was taken up by the Italian government owned member of the cartel, and passed on to Japan. Study of the Japanese Zero fighter showed it to be made with this high strength alloy. The U.S.Government then required Alcoa to develope means for producing such an alloy, and also had Reynolds Aluminum (which the government had set up as an alternate source to Alcoa) to produce it. Reynolds called it 299.
Before WWII Alcoa had a substantial monopoly of aluminum production in the U.S. They pursued a very effective policy of producing and pricing aluminum alloys to maximize the returns to the corporation. They did not see any market advantage in undertaking the difficult technical problems of producing the 76ST for sale, considering that lower strength duralumin (if my memory is correct, this was 47ST) was being successfully used in current aircraft development.
My work was sponsored by NACA, the predecessor of NASA.
gfoley@columbus.rr.com