Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-23
; A|RSH|P BUILDING
PLANS UNDER WAY
Aircraft Production Board Co..
Iaborating With Other
Agencies of U. S.
TO DEVISE AMERICAN TYPE

The aircraft production board OF the
council of national defense, Howard f.
Coffin, chairman, in collaboration with
other aircraft agencies of the govern
ment, is preparing comprehensive
building program to spend the Sb4o,-
100000 appropriated by Congress to
create an airplane fleet to overwhelm
the Germans.
to call Cor upward of 10000 airplanes,
thousands of which are to be available
for service over the fighting lines OF
Europe when the weather opens for
big military operations next spring.
An American type of battleplane is
to be devised. In the meanwhile the
aircraft factories and such other plants
as may be converted to such construc-
ton viii keep on at work at top speed.
turning out large numbers of training.
scout and fighting machines of about
the same size and capacity now in use
by the British and French flying corps.
There is consideration being given to
the evolution of a great battleplane
capable of carrying from ten to twenty
men and for mounting from one to
three inch guns.
Working at Full Capacity.
Existing plants are working at full
capacity, and are extending facilities of
construction. Entirely new plants are
being developed to turn out planes and
parts in quantities, on standardized
plans of construction. The automobile
industry is to be modified to supply
rev type American motors. standard
tzeu down to the last rivet, means to
provide large production.
The working out of a definite set of
specifications for spruce lumber, es-
sential in airpIane construction, where
by an adequate supply at all times is to
be assured by standardization which
will eliminate waste, is the subject
of important conferences now in prog
ress. Experts of the British. French
and Italian flying corps are aiding the
aircraft production board in working
this out with American aircraft con-
structors and representatives of the
spruce lumber industry.
A Standardization is to be developed
that will increase the quantity of 1um-
her available from each spruce tree
cut by elimination of waste under pres
ent specifications About 100000 feet
of spruce as now sawed is required by
the United States and allies together
under construction prospects.
Construction of "A Fields.
While the several industries which must
contribute 10 the success of the building
program are being co-ordinated, the
War Department will push the work of
construction on twenty-four aviation
fields for training flyers
Up to date contracts have been an
nounced for five of the twenty-four
camps. Four of these are either COM
pleted or nearly SO. The sites of most
of those to be constructed have not been
formally announced by the War Depart
nlent.
Most of the camps will be of the two
squadron type. A few will be four squad
ron or double camps. The number of
schools giving theoretical instruction to
prospective flyers will be largely in
creased
In addition to the appropriation of
$40 ,o00, 600 made for the army, there will
be s10o, GOO. 900 for aviation in the navy
as called for in estimates by Secretary
Daniels. This sum is being considered by
the appropriation committee of the House
in the deficiency bill ..4.
The navy is planning to supplement its
feet operations with full aerial COM
piement of planes. The air bases will be
vastly extended and development will
take place in the coast patrol. air scouting
service in conjunction with the ship
operations and cooperative operations
afoat with the allies
Existing and prospective plants are to
be utilized to build part of the planes.