The Washington herald., 1917-11-28
MEN OF MANY
CRAFTS NEEDED
IN AIR SERVICE
America Calls Upon Great
Variety Of Skilled Work
ers to Volunteer.


That Uncle Sam Is going into this
war business with Germany on a
/ tremendous scale and in a manner
| that leaves no room for doubt as to
| the probable outcome, Is evidenced by
the care being exercised In selecting
men to form the enormous forces now
being assembled.
The. War Department directs special
! attention to the. fact that the most
| skilled American workmen are being
selected for the great organization
which will support the American
air service in France.
Men from all trades are eligible,
with forty-seven trades especially
mentioned. ranking from sailmakers
to gas works employees. Upon these
/ men will rest the responsibility Of
keeping every plane ready for instant
and constant service, for tuning the
engines for making sure that no air.
man comes to grief through any me-
chanical flaw. -.:
| Practically two-thirds Of the men
| will be non-commissioned officers.
1 Each man will be assigned to work
which he is best fitted to do.
1 Many Crafts Represented.
In no other branch OF the military
| establishment is there so great a
proportion Of skilled men needed, for
practically every detail Of work about
| an airpIane requires the most deli
cate technical work. While the need
of men is great there is even greater
need for careful and painstaking Sc
/ lection.
There Is room, for instance. for
sailmakers, tailors and cobblers to
stretch and sew wings and repair
rents and tears; cabinet makers and
boat makers for hand work about the
fusilage; riggers to assemble planes.
guard aeoinst the unloosening of con-
nections, and see that every wire is
exactly taut; coppersniths to prevent
a leaky gasoline tank from causing
disaster IN mid-air; armorers and ma
| chine gun repairers to see that no
/ machine gun jams, instrument repair
men for air speed indicators, alti-
| motors, sight instruments, magnetss,
| etc; vulcaniZers to keep tires in per-
feet shape, and gas works employees.
! rope riggers and cordage workers for
the highly specialized work about bal
looms.
For keeping the engines tuned up to
the highest pitch and for shaping new
| fittings in a hurry. Strengthening out
twisted rods and plates by hand. and
| for all sorts Of skilled mechanical
| work there Is room for automobile
mechanicians. automobile engine re-
pairmen and engine testers, ma
chipists. metal workers, blacksmiths,
! toof\ makers, welders, moulders =. and
| electricians.
Range Il Wide.
For headquarters and general filed
work there Is room for craftsman to
keep plans and designs up to the
last minutes efficiency; carpenters.
filters, plumbers and brick layers to
make airdromes, parks, anti-aircraft
emplacements and the like; telephone
linemen operators and adjustors for
| the eintercommunication service: chauf-
feurs to keep a stream Of supplies in
motion; motorcyclists and repairmen
as rapid dispatch men. and Nfiice
clerks and stenographers for seeing
that supplies are always on hand,
records kept and the business OF the
organization maintained at the high
est efficiency.
Radio operators and photographers
also will find a vital place in the
Air Service.
Skilled men Of all these various
trades who are physically fit. white,
and not over 40 may enter the Air
Service by sending their names. ad-
dress, trade and length of employ
ment, present employer and status
under the draft to the Volunteer De-
pArtment, 119 D street northwest,
Washington, d. c. Full directions
will be supplied. Men accepted win
be classified by trades and given two
or three weeks special instruction
in applying their specialized knowl-
edge to specific airplane work. They
will then be formed into service
squadrons, their best men selected
as non-commissioned officers, and sent