Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-02-17
STEEL ARMOR FOR
u. s. AEROPLANES
Each Machine to Be Equipped
With Wireless Outfit,
Also.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. 17.--Fu-
ture army aeroplanes, according to
specifications of the war department
recently issued will carry protective
steel armor so that the aviator, en-
| CINE and all operating mechanism
will be shielded from all small arm
| bullets OF an enemy. Each machine
will be equipped with a wireless OUT
fit of sufficient strength to send and
receive messages at distance of
fifty miles.
These radical requirements are sig
nlhcant in both military and aviation
history because they mark the evolu
ton OF the aeroplane to a point
where the United States army-by
| far the most conservative OF all ar
mies-has recognized their Importance
as a highly efficient fighting machine.
| There are only fifteen machines
| owned by the United States army.
France has more than $50. Germany
more than 200 and even Mexico at
least twenty. 1t Is here. perhaps.
! that the American ingenuity asserts
itself Instead of rushing headlong
into an aviation splurge as other ma
| lions have done, the United States
sits back quietly and lets France and
other nations take the lead in mill
tary experiments. Thus avoiding
| hundreds of accidents and thousands
of dollars expense they take I'D the
science at it's highest stage without
n #
money in its development.
Severe Test for Armor.
The interior of the plane to be re-
uuired will greatly resemble an en-
CINE room on a small boat. There
must be techometer, compass bar
ometer, map and paper holder, clock
and angle indicator.
Severe tests will be made regard
ing the chrome steel armor. 1t must
be at least seyen-hundredths OF an
| inch thick and resist small arm fire at
certain ranges,
The wireless generator VIII be driY-
en- by a. chain gear attachment to the
engine and the antenna will hang d.
rectly below the operating aviator
But little attention has been paid
to the bomb dropping aeroplane In
the belief of many signal officers this
type of machine is still far on the
horizon. The principal use now is
that of a scout"
1t is readily seen how useful an
aeroplane would be if enemies of the
United States were encamped twenty
miles away and information regarding
their numbers, exact location and the
extent of their Notifications were
needed. 1t is to this end that the de-
partment has adopted the stringent
requirements.
To Carry Two Passengers.
The aeroplane must carry two peo-
pIe," demands the recent specitica-
lions. 'It must be capable of being
controlled by either aviator"
The machine must ascend at least
| Q 900 feet in ten minutes while carry
ing a load of $50 pounds besides fuel
and oil needed for four hours trip.
| In order that Its transportation may
| be rapid it must be taken down ana
packed in such shape that outside dl-
mansions will not exceed ten feet. III
must be of simple construction so that
II may be assembled in one hour by
| six men.
A minimum speed of not more than
thirty Eight miles an hour and
maximum speed of not less than fifty
five miles per hour is required. The
aeroplane must complete a continuous
cross-country flight of four hours be-
| fore being accepted by the govern
ment, and during this fight cover
| course of $50 miles.