The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1917-08-17
GIGANTIC AIR FLEET FOR L. ).
$1,000 of the Best Type Aircraft to be
BuiIt i'm Ten Months.

Within ten months the United
States will have $4,000 battle plane:
in service in Europe. The planes VII
he enuipped with American motors
of $50 horsepower, capable or drlVlns
them at a maximum speed or lou miles
an hour. Furthermore, these motors
will be constructed principally OF
aluminium and will be Of less Welgh'
per horsepower than any alrplane
motor heretofore built.
Thus the plans of the aircraft Doaro
Of the Council of National Derense
adopted by the War Department ano
financed by Congress, are IN Idli
way to be speedily consumated. Ihere
il no secret about this policy, tor IL
has been announced to the world ana
no attempt has been made to keep II
from Germany. 1t is simple propO-
sition and comprehends meeting the
German supremacy in undersea craft
bv enforcing the supremacy OF the
limited States and the Allies in ava
ton.
If German airplanes can be driven
from the skies and kept away perma-
nentlv. the eyes" of the German
itary authorities believe complete de-
feat then can be easily administered
When the aircraft board, under the
leadership of Howard Comm, concelE-
ed the idea of building an oVerWhel-
ming fleet of aircraft with when 10
carry out this tremendous project
Congress readily voted S64O,OOO,OUO 10
meet the expense. Few details OF the
plan were given to Congress or to the
public. Mr.. Coffin merely said 1t could
be done, and Secretary of War Baker
declared he was convinced the IDEA
was feasible. Upon little more than
these assurances the money was voted.
It was generally realized the real
problem involved was the production
of motors with sufficient power and
a minimum weight to drive the air
planes at a speed that would permit
them to compete with German ma
chimes. The production of the mere
planes was a comparatively simple
matter, especially in view Of the fact
that the models used by the Allied
Powers were at the Disposal of this
Government But foreign countries
could not furnish the motors, for the
reason that their plants were already
overburdened.
American ingenuity and enterprise
has met and solved the problem. Au-
tOmobile motors, manufactured by
some OF the oldest and best automo-
bile manufacturers in the country,
have been adapted to the purposes
of the Government and with success
full results The power has been gen
Grated. the weight reduced and the
reliability provided which make these
motors fill every requirement, and
even exceed the performances OF the
motors used abroad.
Secrecy has surrounded the tests
that have been made at the Bureau
of Standards and it is not permissi-
BILE to give details, but it can be stat
ed that the results have surpassed the
hopes of those who have been respon
sible for the development of the mo-
tors. That they will do the work re
quired of them there is no longer any
room for skepticism.
r. Now that the motors have been de-
veioped, there is no reason for de-
lay in carrying out our program.
large number of manufacturers Will
be given the duty of turning them out,
since all parts are standardized. In
some shops they will be assembled
complete. while other factories will
produce only certain parts. Speed will
be urged upon everybody concerned
with the idea of producing $4,000 COM
pleted airplanes within a period Of
ten months. The original estimates
called for 10000 machines, but the
Government now believes it can build
% 900 in that time