Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-11-03
ARMY And navy
Will BE GIVEN
Big AIRFLEETS
United States Has Fewer Aero
planes Than Serbia Had
When War Began

u
WASHINGTON, ID. CA big ana
powerful airfieet, commensurate viii
the standing Of the United States as
a world power. Is one Of the import.
ant. features of the program for the
national defense that Is to be submit.
ted to congress by President Wilson
this fall.
While IT Is generally realized that
this country is far behind other great
nations In the matter of armament,
the European war has developed that
we are particularly weak In military
aircraft. Just how woefully lacking
we are is shown by the fact that at
the outbreak OF the European war the
United States had total OF % aero
planes and no dirigibles, while France
had 400 aeroplanes md % dirigibles,
Germany 1000 aeroplanes and 20
dirigibles. Russia 500 aeroplanes and
Is dirigibles, and Great Britain 400
aeroplanes and 8 dirigibles. Even
little Serbia had 60 aeroplanes. or
two and one-half times as many as
the United States.
Congress has been far from liberal
with its appropriations for aircraft.
This current fiscal year the navy has
s1,Jv0.000 and the army 100000 for
this purpose This is too small q
sum to provide for much increase In
equipment.
New Policy in Sight.
But this parsimonious policy with
regard to military aircraft Is now be-
lieyed to be at an end. The great war
has demonstrated beyond any ques-
ton the tremendous usefulness Of
dirigible balloons and aeroplanes
and the administration. recognizing
their importance as military factors,
viii demand that congress make pro-
vision for an adequate airheet. With
public sentiment strongly In favor Of
proper national defense. there is no
doubt that congress will respond lib.
orally.
Before congress convenes in De-
cember, the first of the nayy's feet
Of war balloons win have been COM
pleted and tested at the Pensacola
aeronautic station. This dirigible is
being constructed by the Connecticut
Aircraft Company of New Haven,
Conn. who have recently notified the
navy department that the machine is
practically completed and will be
ready for the official trials as soon as
the governments new floating hangar |
at Pensacola is finished. The diri- |
gible will be assembled in Boston.
after which It will be disassembled. |
packed and shipped TO Pensacola for
the official tests.
secret improvements. =
This machine is about ITS feet long |
and IS feet high, with a gas capacity |
Of 10000 cubic feet. It is equipped |
with q 14O-hofsepowef engine, which |
drives twin propellers of the swivel |
ing type The balloon embodies many |
new and improved features which |
have been noted by the United States
observers with the European armies. |
and these features are expected to
mark q long step In advance in the
building Of dirigibles In this country. |
At present the Improvements men,
toned are being carefully guarded as
secrets by the contractors and the
aeronautic officers of the navy depart
ment until after the official tests
It is claimed by the contractors that
the balloon will exceed the specifica-
lions as to speed, carrying capacity
and in other respects.
This dirigible is to be used as a
raining machine by the navy al
though it will be fully equipped for
war service as a scout. The Connec-
lieut. Aircraft Company already has
the plans drawn for a balloon twice
is large as this one and with pro-
portionately increased speed, lifting
power and radius of action, This has
been done In anticipation of de.
nand from the government for moro
Ind larger machines OF this type.