Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-26
AMERICAN FLYING CORPS
IS FAST TAKING SHAPE
Virginia Council OF Defense Olives
Out Statement From
Washington.
NOW MAKE RAPID PROGRESS
Army and Naval Officers and Civil
ians FORM Board Which Is In
pcctcd to Bring Uncle Sans Air
Forces to Perfection.

The State Council OF Defense has re-
about the United States aviation work.
and in accordance with the desire OF
the War Department is making ii pub
Tic to-day. as follows:
American aviation units have moved
UP to stations Immediately behind the
front in France The vanguard Of the
new army of the air for which Con-
gross voted s64o.Ooo.O00 last summer is
about TO join the forces OF land and
sea in action against the Germans.
The navy has triplcd in size since
tho war began, and the army has null
tiplicd itself by thirteen. Those are
rapid increases. But the first year
plans for the air service call for an in
crease OF more than Il hundrcdfold
Last spring the aviation corps had
less than 200 airplancs OF all degrees
of scrviccability. Now a fleet OF 1000
planes is being built. When war be-
San there were Scvcnty-tivc aviators
4 force OF 10000 aviators is being
trained. Tho total personnel Of tho old
flying corps. ground workers as well
mel of the new dying corps is 100000
AIRCRAFT HOARD WILL.
PROVIDE NEW PLANES
'"ro provide the new airplancs is tho
work Of the aircraft board, the new
body composed OF three men from the
army, three from the navy, and three
from civil life. that has recently taken
the place OF tho old aircraft produce
ton board OF the Council or National
Defense. Before any real fighting
planes could be turned out, new
American industry had to be created
This is the great task that has been
quietly accomplished in tho last five
months. When the aircraft produc-
ton board started its work. only two
companies manufacturing airpIancs
we're III operation in America. and the
machines they had been making for
the allies were or type scrviccablc
only for practice lights
The first move OF the board was to
stop negotiations for the use Of exist
ing patents, and 10 set mon a, work de-
signing a now nirplanc engine which
should comprise as many of tho rood
points OF the different patents as these
men cared 10 use. In a week. twenty
experts working together had evolved
the Liberty motor. which Secretary
Baker has called the greatest achieve
mcnt or the war far The Liberty
motor is model OF standardization
~ Is built with four cylinders or with
eight. or with twelve, and the s3me
parts arc interchangeable for all three
OF the different sizes. The greatest
automobilc factories in tho world have
been provided with tho machinery nee
cSSarE Tor turning out these motors
the factories that have supp,icd the
United States with its 4 900. 900 auto
mobiles when all tho rest Of tho world
gets along with only 100000
Exchanging MATERItIS
ron ALLIES EXPERIENCE
IT has been necessary all along no,
TO interfere with the supply OF raw
materials particularly spruce, and of
certain completed airplanc rar,s. To
INC h!inS forces Of our allies \u,cr;
ga is the hope OF tho allies. not only
Tor aNiatorS but for materials l., rc-
turn Tor these materials the allies ,ro
giving us the rich benefit Of their OK
perlchce For months, Young Amcri
cans hac been in training for our air
corps on the flying fields Of ENGLAND
ana France. ON q dozen and moro ,f
new lying fields in America. veteran
Myers from the western front are helm
ing in the preliminary training Of ou-
newly commissioned aviatory. +, ,,kos
SIN months to make a fycr. and cost.
so france says, $4,000 for each ma,