Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-08-02
j. S. IS NOW AFTER
SUPREMACY IN AIR
Expects Small Army of Aviators
on Battle Front Next
Spring.

Washington. July 29.-The government
has practically completed a program for
airship construction which in six months
should place the industry in this country
on a basis that the allies required three
years to attain.
1t calls. among other things, for the
landing of small army of trained avia-
tors equipped with battle planes on the
French front early next spring-a sufficient
force. it is believed, 20 give the allies the
upper hand in the air.
Aviation students are now receiving
practical training at three flying fields,
and fourth soon will be opened. These
are at Dayton. Mount Clemens. Rantoul,
and Belleville. Twenty more fields have
been planned, and when the sites are
selected they can be put in shape for use
in one month. 1t Is said that at least
twenty fields will be In operation by No
vember 1.
About 100 American student aviators
have been sent to Canada to learn the
art in the camps there, and. In return.
Canada is to send large number of men
to the southern camps in this country In
the fall. At present there are 125 repre-
sentatives of the government In Europe
studying aviation methods and airplane
construction.
Great progress has been made in CO.
ordinating the energies of automobile
manufacturers and other industries which
have been called upon to divert large
part Of their resources to the manufacture
of engines and completed machines.
This phase of the problem was met when
Congress furnished the $64O. 900, 900 asked
for by the administration. With this
money in hand it Is possible to promise
orders on a business basis and make it
possible for factories to obtain machinery
needed for the manufacture of engines,
and be assured that they will not sustain
heavy financial loss by any collapse Of
the program.
The program has been speeded up to
such an extent that a large part Of tho
appropriation has been eaten up already
In the estimates made, and 1t Is not at
all improbable that further funds will be
required to keep construction and training
at the pace it is believed 1t will attain
In another six months
1t has been found that at least a half
dozen of the big automobile factories here
are able to build the highly specialized
manufacturing experts that machinery
for airplane engine construction soon will
be perfected to a point where 1t will be
possible to turn out engines in great num-
| bers The present appropriation. 1t is esti-
mated. will construct about 5000 airplanes
and twice as many engines. At the end
of six months. 1t is believed, the capacity
for turning out the machines will be
! limited only by the amount OF money
| available.
| Much of the production work is now
being directed toward the manufacture
Of training planes for the fields here and
for the allies. At present a type known as
the Curtiss INA is being used by Ameri-
can aviation students. 1t reaches a speed
of from sixty-five to seventy miles an
hour. A four months course with ma
chimes Of this type Is planned as prelim-
mary to training with the faster scout
and battle planes.
Work also is being carried on for the
development of standard types of engines
for scout and battle service. which 1t IL
believed the United States will soon turn
| out in great numbers. The aircraft board
and army department are refusing to give
figures. but 1t Is known that there Is much
elation over the program being made.