The sun., 1916-09-20
AMERICAN ~AER0PLANES.
Our Manufacturer Can Satisfy Army
and Navy Requirements.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: In
your summary Of the memorandum pre-
pared In the Office of the officer In charge
Of aviation in the army. which appeared
In THE Sun q September II. an i'm
preston was created that the a~croplanes
manufactured in this country are UNFIT
for active military requirements. This
may lead many persons u~nacquainted
with the facts to generalize and believe
that our aerial equipment is wanting
owing to the inability OF American con-
%structors to meet the present demand.
Such is not the case In any particular.
The fact that nearly every aeroplane
factory In the country is working to
capacity filling army and navy orders
Is the best evidence that American
machines are most satisfactory. The
memorandum dealt exclusively with the
advanced types that will be required for
combat work on an elaborate scale. As
was clearly stated. the purpose Of the
announcement was TO Initiate n dis
cussion" which might help solve the
problem that confronts every constructor
as to Just what types n sizes will be
required by the army In the future.
Until this memorandum a issued
no one knew anything DEFINITE about the
probable demand for aeroplanes of the
types discussed in the statement. Last
year only 100000 was allowed the army
for aeronautical equipment. and villas
raid found the army In deplorable need
Of every sort Of equipment for offensive
work. Such money as could be taken
from the emergency fund was used to
equip a squadron Of a~eroplanes. which
has done splendid work on the border
On August %. for the first time In the
history of the United States regular
army. aeroplanes passed IN review OF
their commanding officer with troops
Of other arms. The review was held
somewhere in Mexico" before B%rigadier-
General John J. Pershing. These ma
chimes were a. equipped for combat ser
vice. They had machine guns. rifles and
both explosive M i%ncendiary bombs
ready for immediate service.
Until three weeks ago. when the
President signed the bill giving the army
s13,2S1. s66 TO develop aviation. there
has been no demand for the highly spe-
cialized types discussed In the memo
randum. As the development Work on A
INV typt u deTopiaHe ~ eNtTeuie9S eN-
pensive, only a few constructors were
able to do much In this direction. There
was n ready demand for training ma
chimes. and this vas the type that kept
the factories busy. Foreign orders for
machines were filed satisfactorily.
But with an appropriation that will do
more than give the army training ma
chimes. the officers in charge Of the ex-
pcnditure OF his money have started TO
give the American aeroplane builders the
information necessary for them to gauge
the probable demand for the various
kinds tina. viii, be required for active
service against an enemy equipped with
an efficient air service.
1t Is natural that American construc-
tors should have waited for the Govern
nent to announce its policy before sp,-
cializing 10 the extent Of producing ma
chimes In quantities. Many companies
INV hav. largo twin motored aeroplanes
which they are developing for the army
and navy. Fast scout machines are
being tested and the motor makers are
al work on engines OF high powers. As
the announced policy OF the army and
navy IA to assist the industry to expand
IN every way. there is no douh. thai
within. a short time the American aero
plane will be as varied in type as tho
American automobile.
l.. D. GARDNER.
Editor AvutJon and A~sronoufical
Engineering.
Nvu YocK SentAmher II